Returning to the music scene with a new band, Noel Gallagher’s hotly anticipated solo debut definitely doesn’t disappoint!
Common themes circulating throughout the album surround the deep and meaningful topics of love, hope and escape. What I find exhilarating is the combination of Oasis-sounding tracks with new material, showing Mr Gallagher is experimenting with different styles as well as sticking to what he knows.
The most outstanding track on the album? ‘If I Had A Gun...’ stands out as the best by far, closely followed by the first single to be released, ‘The Death Of You And Me’. The latter is an exciting song with a fantastic brass-section, however it must be said- it is a little bit reminiscent of ‘The Importance Of Being Idle’. Either way, it’s just as brilliant. And the trumpets? Who’d have ever predicted that would have worked? But it’s a risk Noel took that certainly paid off. And a brilliant song choice to release first, as it certainly paved the way for second single ‘AKA... What A Life’, an upbeat dance track with a euphoric chorus. ‘(Stranded On) The Wrong Beach’ also has a similar disco feel, indicating Noel has been testing the water with a new style of music.
Highlighting Noel’s skills as an amazing songwriter, the aforementioned ‘If I Had A Gun’ is laced with beautiful, moving lyrics such as ‘If I had a gun, I’d shoot a hole into the sun, and love would burn this city down for you’. The stunning track certainly shows Noel at his best, demonstrating his skills as a brilliant wordsmith as well as a sensational vocalist.
Oasis-esque twinges are definitely apparent in ‘(I Wanna Live In A Dream) In My Record Machine’ and album closer ‘Stop The Clocks’. Written back when he was in Oasis, Noel feels such material shouldn’t be wasted... and this was certainly a good move, as for his fans to be denied of such quality tunes, well, it would be a crime! By including songs that have been online in demo form for years acts as a ‘final goodbye’ to Noel’s Oasis years- a touching sentiment to such a significant time of his life.
However, by including tracks from this period, it is inevitable we will make reference to little brother Liam, and unfortunately we are left pondering- whether we want to or not- just how some of these remarkable songs would sound if the born front man was able to put his classic drawl onto them. And with that in mind, the already brilliant songs would become even just that little bit more epic. The album may be jam-packed with stunning delights, but with the two brothers performing together, it would be electrifying.
Combining tracks written from Oasis years in conjunction with incredible newbies such as ‘AKA...What A Life’ and ‘Everybody’s On The Run’ was utterly genius, and as a result, the album is pure gold.
There is one down-side though. Not enough tracks!
9/10
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