Review: Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds - Chasing Yesterday
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
Chasing Yesterday
SourMash Records
With his Oasis days behind him – despite constant rumours about the band reforming – Noel Gallagher returns after three years with his second solo album. Though it may contain some epic arena ballads, Will Chasing Yesterday show us that Gallagher can create his own sound as a solo artist?
The album title alone immediately suggests Gallagher wants a fix of Oasis back in his life. There are some tracks that contain pristine melodies like ‘Lock All The Doors’ which is pure rock & roll but lacks creativity and flair. Sadly this reflects the album as a whole.
You can already hear the stand out tracks being sung in arenas such as ‘In the Heat of the Moment’ and ‘You Know We Can’t Go Back’, the former especially as it has an extremely catchy vocal hook. Unfortunately this doesn’t save Gallagher from creating a mediocre album when he should have created one that would define him as a solo artist.
This lack of musical diversity on Chasing Yesterday is really disappointing, especially from someone who is extremely talented and has been in one of the most successful bands of all time. Gallagher has tried to incorporate some different grooves that have a slight psychedelic feel about them such as ‘The Right Stuff’, but then there are songs like ‘The Girl with X-Ray Eyes’, which feels like a second hand ‘The Masterplan’. Even an appearance from former The Smiths guitarist, Johnny Marr, does nothing to improve the album.
Chasing Yesterday should have been the release that unveiled the true depth of Gallagher’s talent and musicianship – instead it’s just lacklustre. In a world where small bands are crying out for key influences, the album is just uninspiring. Overall it just lacks creativity and feels like it has no heart.
4.0/10
Tom Staniszewski