Noel Gallagher does not disappoint on his second album with his band – Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. The self-produced album, Chasing Yesterday, was released Tuesday and is full of Gallagher’s classic sound of psychedelic guitars, memorable lyrics and pulsing drums throughout the 10-track list.
To the delight of his devout fans, the ex-Oasis singer-songwriter stays afloat by composing reminiscent sounds from his past works without seeming tired or over-used.
Since the split of his Britpop-era band Oasis in 2009, Gallagher has found comfort in doing it alone. After years of feuding with his brother and former band member Liam, Gallagher seems to enjoy being in the driver’s seat of his own project.
“In the Heat of the Moment,” the first single from the album, already has over 1.5 million views on YouTube. The song’s bluesy rock sound echoes tracks from Gallagher’s four-year-old, self-titled album.
The second single off the album “Ballad of the Mighty I” is the highlight track of “Chasing Yesterday.” Rhythmic tones with a hint of piano blend affectively with hopelessly-romantic lyrics like “I’ll find you / Yes, I’ll find you / If I gotta be the man who walks the earth alone.”
“Rainman” intros the album with a melancholic ballad and is followed closely by the eerie whirrs of “The Girl with the X-Ray Eyes.”
“There was no one to be seen,” Gallagher croons. “No one left to hear my scream.”
Although the fourth track “Lock All the Doors” carries a poppy sound, Gallagher continues to sing about a girl that he cannot reach. In “Chasing Yesterday, ” Gallagher solemnly sings, hinting repeatedly about an elusive damsel.
“Chasing Yesterday” closes with yet another gloomy tune, “You Know We Can’t Go Back,” hinting at Gallagher’s departure from Oasis.
“You know we can’t go back/ If there’s a time when I guess I must be leaving,” Gallagher sings. “Gone are the days and the dreams we screamed out loud.”
Since the split of Oasis, numerous rumors have hinted at a reunion but Gallagher blew them off during interviews with NME and Rolling Stone. His solo tour began on Tuesday at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
The deluxe version of the album includes four bonus tracks, most notably “Freaky Teeth.” Twangy electric guitars and hard drums give the song a longing, eager feel.
“Yet they used to love you for the way you sang your soul/ Now they’ve come to claim you for the night,” Gallagher whines. “The ghosts that come to steal the light out of your eyes.”
Collaborators on the album include ex-Smiths and current Modest Mouse member Johnny Marr, who assists Gallagher on “Ballad of the Mighty I.”
“Chasing Yesterday” is Gallagher waving a white flag; his unwillingness to try something new echoes from the nostalgic and beaten sounds of his sophomore album.
Listeners might find themselves feeling sorry for the 47-year-old “Don’t Look Back in Anger” crooner, but “Chasing Yesterday” proves that there is a heart in Gallagher somewhere.
