Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds

Liam and Noel Gallagher never exactly had a healthy working relationship. The brothers’ tenure as the leaders of Oasis was marked with infighting and drama; it’s tough to even believe that the band lasted as long as it did. Alas, Oasis and Noel Gallagher as we once knew them are both no more. Oasis is now Beady Eye, and the departed Noel has released his debut solo album under the moniker, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds.

Eager to please and best his younger brother, the album comes off as earnest, both to its benefit and detriment. True to Noel’s reputation as a songwriter, the tracks are catchy and identifiable, immediately reminiscent of some of Oasis’ defining hits. Noel’s voice may not be as powerful or unique as his brother’s, but it is still rich and full of emotional verve. “(I Wanna Live In A Dream In My) Record Machine” finds Noel’s singing at its most Liam-esque, and presents a convincing case about Noel’s true value during Oasis’ heyday. It’s evident that, regardless of his personal success, Noel feels as though he has something to prove.

In its rush to please listeners, the band frequently exploits the nostalgia of Oasis fans. Gallagher is quick to utilize similar and repetitive song structures. Tracks here often sound as if they could have been ripped straight from a collection of unreleased Oasis cuts. This is not an indictment of the quality of the music as much as a statement about the rote nature of the record: Noel treads no new ground, and mostly, it works. But the songs tend to feel weightless and ineffectual, as lines such as, “Keep on chasing down that rainbow/ You’ll never know what you might find” on “Aka…What A Life!” fail to resonate, sounding trite and outdated.

While the band does not steer us in new directions, it provides a fun, if meaningless, diversion from our modern trends. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds effectively transports the listener back to a time when bleached blond hair was stylish and stadium rock was cool.