Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Council Skies
by Nick Dent-Robinson
published: 3 / 7 / 2023
Label:
Sour Mash Records
Format: CD
intro
Competent first album in six years from Noel Gallagher and his revolving project The High Flying Birds
There has been much talk this year of a big Britpop revival - with Pulp adding more dates to their sell-out summer tour and Blur gearing up for two huge Wembley Stadium concerts. But the band that many believe was key to 'Cool Britannia”, Oasis, have so far avoided this 1990s nostalgia frenzy. And the release of Noel Gallagher's first solo album for six years probably suggests things are going to stay that way - at least for the moment. Noel Gallagher's band, the High-Flying Birds is essentially an open-ended parade of impressive guests - including ex-Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr - and they take Noel's new album, 'Council Skies' away from Britpop, instead reconnecting him with his Mancunian roots. He sings about old haunts that have become the preserve of property developers and, on the title track, he takes a romantic view of his home city. There is some grandeur here, too (which may surprise hard-core Oasis fans) with arranger Rosie Danvers adding elegant strings. 'Dead To The World' contains a melodica solo whilst “Pretty Boy” is very close to The Cure's 1980 single “A Forest” with that band's lead singer, guitarist and main song-writer, Robert Smith obligingly supplying a remix for this track on Noel's new album. 1990s afficionados will like “There She Blows!” - a homage to Liverpool's The La's group - as well as the nicely punchy “We're Gonna Get There In The End”. This is a competent, well-produced album - even if it isn't quite Oasis! Noel Gallagher will be touring the UK from 21 July – starting at PennFest in Amersham, Buckinghamshire. Details at www.noelgallagher.com
Track Listing:-
1 I'm Not Giving Up Tonight2 Pretty Boy
3 Dead To The World
4 Open The Door, See What You Find
5 Trying To Find A World That's Been And Gone Pt 1
6 Easy Now
7 Council Skies
8 There She Blows
9 Love Is A Rich Man
10 Think Of A Number
11 Don't Stop...
12 We're Gonna Get There In The End
13 Mind Games
14 Pretty Boy (Instrumental)
15 Dead To The World (Instrumental)
16 Council Skies (Instrumental)
17 Think Of A Number (Instrumental)
18 I'm Not Giving Up Tonight (David Holmes Remix)
19 Think Of A Number (Pet Shop Boys Magic Eye 12" Remix)
20 Pretty Boy (Robert Smith Remix)
21 Council Skies (The Reflex Revision)
22 Flying On The Ground (Radio 2 Session, 08.09.21)
23 You Ain't Goin' Nowhere (Radio 2 Session, 08.09.21)
24 Live Forever (Radio 2 Session, 08.09.21)
Band Links:-
https://www.noelgallagher.com/https://www.facebook.com/noelgallaghermusic/
https://twitter.com/noelgallagher
Play in YouTube:-
Have a Listen:-
live reviews |
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds 1 |
In a double feature 'Photoscape', Marie Hazelwood photographs Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds at the Liverpool Echo Arena |
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds 2 |
soundcloud
most viewed articles
current edition
Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies - Sala Apolo, Barcelona, 29/11/2023 and La Paqui, Madrid, 30/11/2023Anthony Phillips - Interview
Difford and Tilbrook - Difford and Tilbrook
Rain Parade - Interview
Oldfield Youth Club - Interview
Autumn 1904 - Interview
Shaw's Trailer Park - Interview
Cafe No. 9, Sheffield and Grass Roots Venues - Comment
Pete Berwick - ‘Too Wild to Tame’: The story of the Boyzz:
James Whild Lea - Interview
most viewed reviews
current edition
Marika Hackman - Big SighSerious Sam Barrett - A Drop of the Morning Dew
Rod Stewart and Jools Holland - Swing Fever
Loves - True Love: The Most of The Loves
Ian M Bailey - We Live in Strange Times
Paul McCartney and Wings - Band on the Run
Autumn 1904 - Tales of Innocence
Banter - Heroes
Roberta Flack - Lost Takes
Posey Hill - No Clear Place to Fall
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart