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Post by Lennon2217 on Feb 17, 2015 18:22:59 GMT -5
"Chasing Yesterday"Ok so after several spins of the album over the last couple days and given it the good old fashioned car test, "Chasing Yesterday" passed with flying colors. I really liked "High Flying Birds". It featured some of the most complete songwriting Noel had done in over 12 years at that time. The man had finally rediscovered his legendary songwriting abilities on a consistent basis. My one knock on that album was that the production seemed very flat and muddled in places. I have never been a big Dave Sardy fan and many of those songs on High Flying Birds don't pop as much as they probably should. For this album I wanted a fresh start production wise. I wanted to see Noel spread his sonic wings a little bit more. Bottom line, I wanted Noel Gallagher to finally sound.............modern. On this album he finally accomplished that in my opinion. The kicker too is that he produced it himself!  RivermanNoel wasn't kidding around when he said that this song was one of the best he's written. I can't put it in the same class as "Live Forever" like he did. That song transcended continents and made me first fall in love with the band in late 1994 when I saw the video on MTV's 120 Minutes. Anyways, "Riverman" is an excellent composition. I love the acoustic strumming patterns through out. That David Gilmour guitar solo sounds like it could have easily been off Pink Floyd's album "Wish You Were Here". If you are going to use the saxophone in this day and age, "Riverman" shows how to use it properly. The sax solo at the end almost reminds me of the one at the very end of Beck's "New Pollution" except a lot slower and jazz like. We are off to a roaring start here folks. In The Heat of The MomentThe first single from the album and the track we've all had an opinion on since it came out in November. It obviously has a very modern pop/rock vibe going on. It took a little getting use to the "NaNaNaNaNas" at the start. I never would have guessed Noel would do something like that but now I can't imagine the song without them and they do get stuck in your head. For me this song was the perfect teaser type song for an album that wasn't going to sound anything like "High Flying Birds". Noel talked a lot 2 years ago about how he was blown away by David Bowie's new album "The Next Day". Bowie came back after a decade off and delivered a very modern, hip sounding record. It also contained a ton of saxophone which is something that has clearly rubbed off on Noel on "Chasing Yesterday". I believe all that influenced this song heavily and what was still to come when it premiered in November 2014. This song helped set the stage. The Girl with X-Ray EyesSpeaking of David Bowie....................."The Girl with X-Ray Eyes" is one of the most unique sounding songs Noel has ever written. It definitely has an early 70s Bowie feel. Sure the song starts off with a familiar Oasis style strum but then goes in a completely different direction from a typical Noel Gallagher composition. The slightly psychedelic lyrics are really fun. For me the best part is the Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars style guitar solo in the middle. That's another great thing with "Chasing Yesterday", the guitar solos are finally back! I missed them dearly on "High Flying Birds". Lock All The DoorsThis song got a lot of people excited when it was announced it would be on Noel's new album. It was only 2 years ago this forum joined forces to buy an early bootleg demo that featured "Comin' On Strong (Setting Sun)" and "Lock All The Doors". A real shining moment in this forum's history. We all loved it then and so many of us love it even more now. This tune has a ton of energy and excitement pulsating throughout. Where was this type of song for Oasis between 1998 and 2009? I think only "Shock of The Lightning" comes close to matching the straight forward rocking going on. This is definitely going to be a concert highlight on the upcoming tour. I said recently that "You Know We Can't Go Back" would make an excellent song to play on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon but I've changed my mine. It should be "Lock All The Doors". I think for the next USA radio single, Noel should seriously consider releasing this. For Americans, this is the type of song they remember Oasis could produce. Something Americans have long missed from a Gallagher brother. The Dying of The LightAfter the Dave Sardy fiasco surrounding the butcher job he did on "If I Had A Gun", I feared that this song might suffer a very similar fate of being over produced and amped-up well beyond what the song original nature should be. That's probably why I prefer listening to "Shoot A Hole Into The Sun". I find it more interesting of a listen. Anyways, I digress........I'm very happy to say that "The Dying of The Light" did not suffer the same fate as "If I Had A Gun". The intro and really the whole atmosphere of the song reminds me of how "Alone On A Rope" was produced. Very subtle and a nice simple backbeat. Sorta jazzy. I even dug the slight "Teotihuacan" piano notes that are featured during the song. Someone else pointed it out on the forum a few days ago and I completely agree. I'm not sure if this song screams future single to me. Sounds too mellow for that but that's ok. I think "Chasing Yesterday" features better songs to promote the album to a larger audience. The lyrics are also extremely strong and romantic. Noel hit a home run on this one. The Right StuffThis is pretty much what I expected Noel's failed Amorphous Androgynous album from 2011 to sound like. Except with maybe more liberties taken and stretched out even more. Sorta like what we heard on their "The Cartel Volumes 1 & 2" about a year ago. Nice move by Noel using a female singer that isn't screaming in orgasm for once. It really works for this song because it isn't over the top. It's more reserved in the local department. A good thing. It also features another kick ass David Gilmour guitar solo and more sax crimes. I wonder who the female singer is and I'm glad she wasn't buried in the mix like Beccy Byrne was on "If I Had A Gun". What was the point of Noel having Beccy there? You couldn't even hear her singing unless you had headphone on and cranked up the volume. Anybody could have been singing backup at that point. Noel got it right on this tune however. While the Song Remains the SameThis track's song title made me think it was going to be some Led Zeppelin inspired rock god homage. It is anything but that. The song begins with an ambient wave of sorts. Calling it Brian Eno like isn't far from the mark. The tune then transitions into an acoustic shuffle that channels parts of "Falling Down", "AKA...Broken Arrow" and "Part of The Queue" (Good call jaq515). I love the lyric "We can dance beneath the fireflies on an empty road". It also features more guitar solos. I like this trend on "Chasing Yesterday". The MexicanIn my opinion this is the weakest track on the entire album. It's not that it is a bad song it just doesn't grab me. I had a similar reaction to a track called "Flashbulb Eyes" on Arcade Fire's "Reflektor". That song did nothing for me and neither does this one. I do not like the lyric "You need love just like a kid on crack". It sounds silly and stupid. Noel can certainly write something better than that for that spot right? It sounds like another voice is singing along with him. Perhaps the same woman from "The Right Stuff"? Could be. The best part of this song for me is the guitar solo and the horn section/saxophones at the very end. At leas that's what I think I am hearing. I'm very curious to know what song Noel originally had in this spot on the album's tracklisting. He said he swapped it out to lighten the mood near the end of production. I definitely want to know what the other song potentially was. Hopefully it will be revealed in an upcoming interview. You Know We Can't Go BackAnother killer intro for this tune. This track screams American rock n roll in my opinion. Springsteen, The Killers, whatever. This song makes you move! It definitely is a contender for a single at some point. Too damn catchy for it not to be I guess. Hopefully it is considered to help promote the album in America. Feels like a spring/summer type of song. What I love about this album overall is, it sounds like Noel is having fun for the first time in years, maybe decades. It reminds me of the happy times of the mid 90s. So much of Oasis was dark and gloomy between 2000 and 2009. I don't sense any of that for Noel in 2015. Or on his debut either for that matter. Ballad of The Mighty IThe hype surrounding this song began to take shape the moment Johnny Marr's name was attached to it (rightfully so). That's a drawing card for sure. I know many of us finally wanted Johnny to feature on a GOOD Gallagher brother composition for once ("Probably All In My Mind" was a real let down). This tune is slick, polished and as modern as Noel is going to sound in the year 2015. It shares some DNA with "AKA...What A Life!" which for me is fine. That was my favorite song off "High Flying Birds" by miles and miles. Johnny's subtle guitar solos really shine for me. Nothing over the top but it hits the mark perfectly. I think this song and the album end in a very cool manner with those strings. Overall I am very happy with the album Noel delivered for us. He sounds recharged, hip and modern. Wait, did I just say that about a Gallagher brother finally? Yes I did. Beady Eye upgraded their sound on "BE" and it really worked for the band. Now Noel has done the same. I'm proud of the strides both outfits made on their second albums. Having the guitar solos back is a great move by Noel. He was right in 2011 when he said "High Flying Birds" had like one guitar solo on the entire album and he regretted that. That mistake was not repeated on "Chasing Yesterday". It contains plenty of good old fashioned rock/pop music. I'm absolutely pumped for the upcoming tour. My show will be at Webster Hall which holds about 1,500 in a general admission style venue. Very club like. He should kill it. I'm also happy Noel decided to produce this record himself. He did a fantastic job. It doesn't sound like a record from 1966. It sounds like the times we live in. I can't wait to see where Noel goes next for this third album. The three year wait starts now......................................................... "Deluxe Bonus Tracks"Do The DamageWe all first got a brief glimpse of this track on the documentary for the "High Flying Birds" album. Glad it finally surfaced on this album cycle! Could it have been on the album? Sure. Did it need to be on the album? Probably not. I personally love the tempo and swagger of the song. I hope Noel performs this live at some point. Loads of energy to go around. This song would not have sounded out of place on "Dig Out Your Soul". It gives me a strong "The Turning", "The Shock of The Lightning" and "Come On Outside" vibe. I wonder when the song was written? Wouldn't shock me to learn it is from around that period in time. Revolution SongAKA..........."Solve My Mystery". Every Oasis fan has had this track living on their computer since it leaked with the SOTSOG demos back in early 2000. Not sure which arrangement I prefer but I know I am happy to have them both!!! A long time ago, I once feared that a potential Noel solo career would only sound like songs like "Revolution Song", "Carry Us All", "Just Getting Older" and "One Way Road". Glad that in not the case and Noel's songwriting has much variety to it. Freaky TeethAnother song many of us have been desperately waiting for since Noel first talked about it in the fall of 2008 as his "James Bond" tune. It definitely has that feel. Not sure a Hollywood producer would ever ring Noel up in 2015 to compose one but hey.......you never know. This track could have easily been on "High Flying Birds" for me after "AKA...What A Life!". Would have given that album another "proper" rocker which I think it really needed when looking back on it three years later. I'm also surprised Noel never released it as a stand alone single or EP while on the High Flying Birds tour. I know we got the crappy demo recording for the live Blu Ray but the song probably deserved a better fate than deluxe bonus track in 2015. At least we finally got the thing after all these years!!!!!! Victory for us!!! In the Heat of the Moment (Remix)This Toydrum remix by some of the U.N.K.L.E. guys is excellent. Very different from previous Oasis/Noel electronic remixes. I love the pulsating beats. It has always reminded me (especially the beginning) of a song U2 might have created during their infamous "POP" album sessions. We've heard early rumors of Noel releasing a remix EP down the road. Hopefully more tracks like this would appear on it. I've always LOVED when Noel embraces his inner electronica side. Leave My Guitar AloneA true throw away type song but boy it is a fun listen. When first hearing the title it sounded fake and a dig at Oasis' demise in that Paris dressing room back in August 2009. It has to my ears a very Plastic Ono Band feel to it. I love the way Noel sings it, very light with plenty of space between all the instruments bouncing around. A nice little treat to have in my iTunes collection.
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Post by Mean Mrs. Mustard on Feb 17, 2015 18:30:07 GMT -5
The female singer featured on The Right Stuff is Joy Rose, the same one as on Do The Damage. According to Webby's Pet Cat Gallagher she only featured on that track, so The Mexican is someone else. Beccy Byrne again perhaps?
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Post by LightsOffInside on Feb 17, 2015 18:44:57 GMT -5
Riverman (9/10) - Really interesting song full of perfect instrumentation, production, and a killer solo. Nice new edge from Noel
Girl With Xray Eyes (8/10) - Very, very Bowie, but very very catchy. Again Really well produced, particularly like Noel's vocals on this one
In The Heat of The Moment (9/10) - Not sure I get the hate for this one, quality chorus, love the bells in the song, really catchy and upbeat, and again well produced
Dying Of The Light (9/10) - Exceeded expectations, was worried it would be over-produced but it's been turned into a slightly dark, smokey track with much more feeling than the soundcheck version. And as great as the new Demo is, its lacking the album versions emotion
Lock All The Doors (10/10) - Incredible, blast from the past, everything I could have wanted and more in this track, and really upbeat, couldn't be better, Liam's recent vocal performance (although well suited to certain songs) would bring nothing to this song. Particularly like how he kept the original chords
The Right Stuff (7/10) - Different, innovative, capturing, but not the best song on the album by any means. From this I am utterly un-interested in any AA material or work. Although saying that, it's very catchy, and I enjoy Noel's vocal verse
While The Song Remains The Same (8/10) - Enchanting Vocals, powerful Lyrics, really emotionally deep song, although you wouldn't expect it from the musical intro. Great song.
The Mexican (3/10) - Someone on this forum referred to this song as the Wind Up Dream of this album. That person is correct. Can't finish this song without skipping, doesn't fit in, crap lyrics, would instantly replace with Do The Damage.
You Know We Can't Go Back (10/10) - Best track on the album along with LATD. Incredibly catchy, wonderfully upbeat, perfect melody and lyrics, will and should be a MASSIVE fan favourite. Noel still has the tunes everyone wants to hear. Should be a single. Love this.
Ballad Of The Mighty Eye (7/10) - Good song and I enjoyed it upon release. Unlike many, I do not care about the lack of a proper chorus, if anything I enjoy its structure, but I don't like Noels Vocals generally on the song, and Johnny Marr's input is understated.
Overall, Many of these songs are among Noel's best work, including pre-2000 material. Heck I prefer You Know We Can't Go Back and Lock All The Doors to a good few of the early 90's Oasis tracks.
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Post by spaneli on Feb 17, 2015 18:57:20 GMT -5
Riverman: Phenomenal beginning to the album. Probably the chillest beginning to any Gallagher related album. Sometimes it sounds like the big brother to broken arrow. Love the instrumentation. From the bass, to the piano, to drums, and sax. Solo is brilliant. This is one of the songs that really makes me look forward to hearing a higher quality version of this album. You can always depend on Noel to begin an album solidly. In the Heat of the Moment; I might be one of the few people who finds this to be not only a good song, but at a perfect place on the album. It's like after Riverman Noel needed to remind everyone that they were still listening to a Noel Gallagher album. It's a good breather after an initial shock and gives you a break before the next sampling comes in. And I think it's one of his strongest vocals. Girl with X-RAY Eyes: This song. Wow. I've been listening to it a lot over the past few days. I'm a big Bowie fan, so this is right up my alley. I also think this is one of the best choruses on the album. Love the tones he's playing with and the song is so well structured. It always surprises me that it's just over three minutes long. There's a ton packed into it. I honestly believe it's one of the best songs he's done since DBTT. It's a perfect mid point between Noel as we know him and the one he's edging toward. Lock All the Doors: Must admit that I never got the hoopla over this one. Even in the early Liam led stages it didn't sound like something that was particularly amazing. Just seemed like a typical early Noel chorus. Noel's vocals do feel a bit overwhelmed. I'm hoping that a clearer version will appear when the CD is released. The entire song sounds a bit cluttered and too bass heavy and heavily compressed. So, the whole song in general sounds overwhelming. This is one of the songs where I hear the quality of the leak the most. So I'll withhold final judgment on this song till later. But as of now, it's good song, but not great and a large part of that is really the sound quality. The Dying of the Light: Once again, must admit that I never got the craze over this song. The soundcheck version always sounded far too typical Noel for me. Always came off as a boring song, maybe a little bit too long. However, I must say that I'm really impressed with what he did on the album with it. It has a nice haunt to it and fairly well paced. At times it sounds like it should get a little heavier, but I think it's a show of great restraint. There are some nice bits going on under the surface with the atmospheric sounds that I hope will be clearer with a better version. But this song drastically improved from what it was before. I think if Noel had to Where Did All Go Wrong all over again he'd do it like this. The Right Stuff: Another wow moment. This the peak of the album for me. He just hits the nail right on the head with this song. It's everything that I've wanted him to try. People have described it as chill and like being in a smokey jazz cafe. That description is pretty apt. The use of the sax really reminds me of Radiohead's National Anthem. There's great bass work on this entire album. Does anyone know if Noel's playing bass on all of the tracks? If he is, then once again he surprises me with how well he is at creating nice bass hooks. The female vocals are a great touch on this and it's some of my favorite lyrics on this album. What I also like about this song is that it really takes its time. It paces it self through the entire five minutes. I barely notice that it's that long. While the Song Remains the Same: This song has probably been the biggest grower for me. Didn't really get the appeal of this song on the first few listens. A lot of the songs on this album require you to let go and just passively listen, this is one of them. The intro is so delicate and ethereal. Shocked that Noel could create something that delicate. Once again, another great bass hook. Also, one of the best vocals probably in his career and some of the best set of lyrics he's written since DBTT (which that album has some of his best lyrics). Sometimes he really pulls off a vocal that reminds how much he's grown as a vocalist, this is one of them. Lyrically it sounds like Part 2 of Talk Tonight and at times the guitar sounds a bit like U2. This is another song where a lot is happening under the surface and I wish we had a better quality leak. The Mexican: It's been said before by plenty, but definitely the weakest song on the album. Definitely heavy QTSA influence. Kind of like the High Horse Lady of this album. I get why it's there. I get it's purpose, but it just doesn't pull it off very well. The chorus is good and it has a nice build throughout. Definitely gets better as the song goes on. There's a little bit happening under the 'wah's wah's" that I wish I could hear a little bit better, but in the end, this is just an average song at best. You know We Can't go Back: The most surprised by this song considering that we almost heard nothing of it. It definitely screams US radio. Reminds a bit of "The End of the Line" by the traveling Wilbury's in the chorus. I actually think it also sounds extremely Fleetwood Mac'ish. Some have said that the chorus is a let down, but I really like the chorus. It's nice to hear Noel being upbeat again without sounding like Dream On  Ballad of the Might I Still don't think it should be a single. Difference between a great song and a great single. This is a great song and an interesting album ender, but I don't think it should be a single. Still it works within the context of the album and still offers some good lyrics, production, bass hooks, and vocals are still the best part for me. You can really tell how much compression there is when you listen to the Vevo version. I feel like this album is so much about sound quality and it feels like 5%-10% of the album isn't being heard yet. It's why my ratings aren't fixed in stone and I'm surprised that some have chosen to dig in and keep their ratings. Because I know just in Ballad there's such a large gap between the higher quality version and the leaked version. It just doesn't make sense to me to form hard conclusions after this, but some are willing to anyways obviously. So, definitely a very strong album. Better than the first album in a few areas and the first album was pretty good. Love the increase in guitar solos and the increase in variety and texture. HFBs was a transition into Noel being a solo artist, while he seems as if he's found his way. Lastly, I love the experimentation he's done. I know it's not ground breaking, but for me this is what experimentation is about. He didn't just slap outros at the end of the songs. While BE is a good album and was a major step forward for Beady Eye. My issue is that the majority of the experimentation wasn't by Beady Eye. The types of songs they had written wasn't much different from what they were writing before. Still a good album, but with Noel you can tell that he completely altered his songwriting, form, and composition. Then added interesting instrumentation. A lot of the songs on BE I could see them writing even around Heathen Chemistry, but I don't think I would have foreseen Noel writing something like the Right Stuff or Girl with X-Ray Eyes around then. Solid 8 right now with just this leak. Hoping it will go up when the CD version is released. |
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Post by therobohump on Feb 17, 2015 19:01:04 GMT -5
Heathen chemistry produced right wouldve been a great album Erm, no. Force of Nature, Probably All In The Mind, Hung in a bad Place, Better Man... all very poor tracks in my opinion, regardless of production. Holy hell, that album is abysmal. The very nadir of Oasis. Just awful. Awful, awful, awful stuff. A few reputable magazines gave it a 1/10 rating. |
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Post by GlastoEls on Feb 17, 2015 19:02:20 GMT -5
See folk givin' songs 10/10, I can't understand that at all. To me 10/10 songs are Live Forever. Don't Look Back In Anger etc. You really tellin' me you think these songs are as good as those I mentioned? this! Plenty of people weren't giving DLBIA 10/10 at the time! |
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Post by matt on Feb 17, 2015 19:49:36 GMT -5
"Chasing Yesterday"Ok so after several spins of the album over the last couple days and given it the good old fashioned car test, "Chasing Yesterday" passed with flying colors. I really liked "High Flying Birds". It featured some of the most complete songwriting Noel had done in over 12 years at that time. The man had finally rediscovered his legendary songwriting abilities on a consistent basis. My one knock on that album was that the production seemed very flat and muddled in places. I have never been a big Dave Sardy fan and many of those songs on High Flying Birds don't pop as much as they probably should. For this album I wanted a fresh start production wise. I wanted to see Noel spread his sonic wings a little bit more. Bottom line, I wanted Noel Gallagher to finally sound.............modern. On this album he finally accomplished that in my opinion. The kicker too is that he produced it himself! RivermanNoel wasn't kidding around when he said that this song was one of the best he's written. I can't put it in the same class as "Live Forever" like he did. That song transcended continents and made me first fall in love with the band in late 1994 when I saw the video on MTV's 120 Minutes. Anyways, "Riverman" is an excellent composition. I love the acoustic strumming patterns through out. That David Gilmour guitar solo sounds like it could have easily been off Pink Floyd's album "Wish You Were Here". If you are going to use the saxophone in this day and age, "Riverman" shows how to use it properly. The sax solo at the end almost reminds me of the one at the very end of Beck's "New Pollution" except a lot slower and jazz like. We are off to a roaring start here folks. In The Heat of The MomentThe first single from the album and the track we've all had an opinion on since it came out in November. It obviously has a very modern pop/rock vibe going on. It took a little getting use to the "NaNaNaNaNas" at the start. I never would have guessed Noel would do something like that but now I can't imagine the song without them and they do get stuck in your head. For me this song was the perfect teaser type song for an album that wasn't going to sound anything like "High Flying Birds". Noel talked a lot 2 years ago about how he was blown away by David Bowie's new album "The Next Day". Bowie came back after a decade off and delivered a very modern, hip sounding record. It also contained a ton of saxophone which is something that has clearly rubbed off on Noel on "Chasing Yesterday". I believe all that influenced this song heavily and what was still to come when it premiered in November 2014. This song helped set the stage. The Girl with X-Ray EyesSpeaking of David Bowie....................."The Girl with X-Ray Eyes" is one of the most unique sounding songs Noel has ever written. It definitely has an early 70s Bowie feel. Sure the song starts off with a familiar Oasis style strum but then goes in a completely different direction from a typical Noel Gallagher composition. The slightly psychedelic lyrics are really fun. For me the best part is the Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars style guitar solo in the middle. That's another great thing with "Chasing Yesterday", the guitar solos are finally back! I missed them dearly on "High Flying Birds". Lock All The DoorsThis song got a lot of people excited when it was announced it would be on Noel's new album. It was only 2 years ago this forum joined forces to buy an early bootleg demo that featured "Comin' On Strong (Setting Sun)" and "Lock All The Doors". A real shining moment in this forum's history. We all loved it then and so many of us love it even more now. This tune has a ton of energy and excitement pulsating throughout. Where was this type of song for Oasis between 1998 and 2009? I think only "Shock of The Lightning" comes close to matching the straight forward rocking going on. This is definitely going to be a concert highlight on the upcoming tour. I said recently that "You Know We Can't Go Back" would make an excellent song to play on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon but I've changed my mine. It should be "Lock All The Doors". I think for the next USA radio single, Noel should seriously consider releasing this. For Americans, this is the type of song they remember Oasis could produce. Something Americans have long missed from a Gallagher brother. The Dying of The LightAfter the Dave Sardy fiasco surrounding the butcher job he did on "If I Had A Gun", I feared that this song might suffer a very similar fate of being over produced and amped-up well beyond what the song original nature should be. That's probably why I prefer listening to "Shoot A Hole Into The Sun". I find it more interesting of a listen. Anyways, I digress........I'm very happy to say that "The Dying of The Light" did not suffer the same fate as "If I Had A Gun". The intro and really the whole atmosphere of the song reminds me of how "Alone On A Rope" was produced. Very subtle and a nice simple backbeat. Sorta jazzy. I even dug the slight "Teotihuacan" piano notes that are featured during the song. Someone else pointed it out on the forum a few days ago and I completely agree. I'm not sure if this song screams future single to me. Sounds too mellow for that but that's ok. I think "Chasing Yesterday" features better songs to promote the album to a larger audience. The lyrics are also extremely strong and romantic. Noel hit a home run on this one. The Right StuffThis is pretty much what I expected Noel's failed Amorphous Androgynous album from 2011 to sound like. Except with maybe more liberties taken and stretched out even more. Sorta like what we heard on their "The Cartel Volumes 1 & 2" about a year ago. Nice move by Noel using a female singer that isn't screaming in orgasm for once. It really works for this song because it isn't over the top. It's more reserved in the local department. A good thing. It also features another kick ass David Gilmour guitar solo and more sax crimes. I wonder who the female singer is and I'm glad she wasn't buried in the mix like Beccy Byrne was on "If I Had A Gun". What was the point of Noel having Beccy there? You couldn't even hear her singing unless you had headphone on and cranked up the volume. Anybody could have been singing backup at that point. Noel got it right on this tune however. While the Song Remains the SameThis track's song title made me think it was going to be some Led Zeppelin inspired rock god homage. It is anything but that. The song begins with an ambient wave of sorts. Calling it Brian Eno like isn't far from the mark. The tune then transitions into an acoustic shuffle that channels parts of "Falling Down", "AKA...Broken Arrow" and "Part of The Queue" (Good call jaq515). I love the lyric "We can dance beneath the fireflies on an empty road". It also features more guitar solos. I like this trend on "Chasing Yesterday". The MexicanIn my opinion this is the weakest track on the entire album. It's not that it is a bad song it just doesn't grab me. I had a similar reaction to a track called "Flashbulb Eyes" on Arcade Fire's "Reflektor". That song did nothing for me and neither does this one. I do not like the lyric "You need love just like a kid on crack". It sounds silly and stupid. Noel can certainly write something better than that for that spot right? It sounds like another voice is singing along with him. Perhaps the same woman from "The Right Stuff"? Could be. The best part of this song for me is the guitar solo and the horn section/saxophones at the very end. At leas that's what I think I am hearing. I'm very curious to know what song Noel originally had in this spot on the album's tracklisting. He said he swapped it out to lighten the mood near the end of production. I definitely want to know what the other song potentially was. Hopefully it will be revealed in an upcoming interview. You Know We Can't Go BackAnother killer intro for this tune. This track screams American rock n roll in my opinion. Springsteen, The Killers, whatever. This song makes you move! It definitely is a contender for a single at some point. Too damn catchy for it not to be I guess. Hopefully it is considered to help promote the album in America. Feels like a spring/summer type of song. What I love about this album overall is, it sounds like Noel is having fun for the first time in years, maybe decades. It reminds me of the happy times of the mid 90s. So much of Oasis was dark and gloomy between 2000 and 2009. I don't sense any of that for Noel in 2015. Or on his debut either for that matter. Ballad of The Mighty IThe hype surrounding this song began to take shape the moment Johnny Marr's name was attached to it (rightfully so). That's a drawing card for sure. I know many of us finally wanted Johnny to feature on a GOOD Gallagher brother composition for once ("Probably All In My Mind" was a real let down). This tune is slick, polished and as modern as Noel is going to sound in the year 2015. It shares some DNA with "AKA...What A Life!" which for me is fine. That was my favorite song off "High Flying Birds" by miles and miles. Johnny's subtle guitar solos really shine for me. Nothing over the top but it hits the mark perfectly. I think this song and the album end in a very cool manner with those strings. Overall I am very happy with the album Noel delivered for us. He sounds recharged, hip and modern. Wait, did I just say that about a Gallagher brother finally? Yes I did. Beady Eye upgraded their sound on "BE" and it really worked for the band. Now Noel has done the same. I'm proud of the strides both outfits made on their second albums. Having the guitar solos back is a great move by Noel. He was right in 2011 when he said "High Flying Birds" had like one guitar solo on the entire album and he regretted that. That mistake was not repeated on "Chasing Yesterday". It contains plenty of good old fashioned rock/pop music. I'm absolutely pumped for the upcoming tour. My show will be at Webster Hall which holds about 1,500 in a general admission style venue. Very club like. He should kill it. I'm also happy Noel decided to produce this record himself. He did a fantastic job. It doesn't sound like a record from 1966. It sounds like the times we live in. I can't wait to see where Noel goes next for this third album. The three year wait starts now......................................................... About fucking time mister! Cheers for the review, great stuff! |
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Post by glider on Feb 17, 2015 20:26:06 GMT -5
Heathen chemistry produced right wouldve been a great album Erm, no. Force of Nature, Probably All In The Mind, Hung in a bad Place, Better Man... all very poor tracks in my opinion, regardless of production. HC is a pretty bad album but Hung in a Bad Place is one of the better songs on the albums for me, and also one of the few songs by Gem that I think is well done. But yeah Probably all in the mind and Better Man are very weak. |
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Post by glider on Feb 17, 2015 20:30:05 GMT -5
"Chasing Yesterday"Ok so after several spins of the album over the last couple days and given it the good old fashioned car test, "Chasing Yesterday" passed with flying colors. I really liked "High Flying Birds". It featured some of the most complete songwriting Noel had done in over 12 years at that time. The man had finally rediscovered his legendary songwriting abilities on a consistent basis. My one knock on that album was that the production seemed very flat and muddled in places. I have never been a big Dave Sardy fan and many of those songs on High Flying Birds don't pop as much as they probably should. For this album I wanted a fresh start production wise. I wanted to see Noel spread his sonic wings a little bit more. Bottom line, I wanted Noel Gallagher to finally sound.............modern. On this album he finally accomplished that in my opinion. The kicker too is that he produced it himself! RivermanNoel wasn't kidding around when he said that this song was one of the best he's written. I can't put it in the same class as "Live Forever" like he did. That song transcended continents and made me first fall in love with the band in late 1994 when I saw the video on MTV's 120 Minutes. Anyways, "Riverman" is an excellent composition. I love the acoustic strumming patterns through out. That David Gilmour guitar solo sounds like it could have easily been off Pink Floyd's album "Wish You Were Here". If you are going to use the saxophone in this day and age, "Riverman" shows how to use it properly. The sax solo at the end almost reminds me of the one at the very end of Beck's "New Pollution" except a lot slower and jazz like. We are off to a roaring start here folks. In The Heat of The MomentThe first single from the album and the track we've all had an opinion on since it came out in November. It obviously has a very modern pop/rock vibe going on. It took a little getting use to the "NaNaNaNaNas" at the start. I never would have guessed Noel would do something like that but now I can't imagine the song without them and they do get stuck in your head. For me this song was the perfect teaser type song for an album that wasn't going to sound anything like "High Flying Birds". Noel talked a lot 2 years ago about how he was blown away by David Bowie's new album "The Next Day". Bowie came back after a decade off and delivered a very modern, hip sounding record. It also contained a ton of saxophone which is something that has clearly rubbed off on Noel on "Chasing Yesterday". I believe all that influenced this song heavily and what was still to come when it premiered in November 2014. This song helped set the stage. The Girl with X-Ray EyesSpeaking of David Bowie....................."The Girl with X-Ray Eyes" is one of the most unique sounding songs Noel has ever written. It definitely has an early 70s Bowie feel. Sure the song starts off with a familiar Oasis style strum but then goes in a completely different direction from a typical Noel Gallagher composition. The slightly psychedelic lyrics are really fun. For me the best part is the Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars style guitar solo in the middle. That's another great thing with "Chasing Yesterday", the guitar solos are finally back! I missed them dearly on "High Flying Birds". Lock All The DoorsThis song got a lot of people excited when it was announced it would be on Noel's new album. It was only 2 years ago this forum joined forces to buy an early bootleg demo that featured "Comin' On Strong (Setting Sun)" and "Lock All The Doors". A real shining moment in this forum's history. We all loved it then and so many of us love it even more now. This tune has a ton of energy and excitement pulsating throughout. Where was this type of song for Oasis between 1998 and 2009? I think only "Shock of The Lightning" comes close to matching the straight forward rocking going on. This is definitely going to be a concert highlight on the upcoming tour. I said recently that "You Know We Can't Go Back" would make an excellent song to play on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon but I've changed my mine. It should be "Lock All The Doors". I think for the next USA radio single, Noel should seriously consider releasing this. For Americans, this is the type of song they remember Oasis could produce. Something Americans have long missed from a Gallagher brother. The Dying of The LightAfter the Dave Sardy fiasco surrounding the butcher job he did on "If I Had A Gun", I feared that this song might suffer a very similar fate of being over produced and amped-up well beyond what the song original nature should be. That's probably why I prefer listening to "Shoot A Hole Into The Sun". I find it more interesting of a listen. Anyways, I digress........I'm very happy to say that "The Dying of The Light" did not suffer the same fate as "If I Had A Gun". The intro and really the whole atmosphere of the song reminds me of how "Alone On A Rope" was produced. Very subtle and a nice simple backbeat. Sorta jazzy. I even dug the slight "Teotihuacan" piano notes that are featured during the song. Someone else pointed it out on the forum a few days ago and I completely agree. I'm not sure if this song screams future single to me. Sounds too mellow for that but that's ok. I think "Chasing Yesterday" features better songs to promote the album to a larger audience. The lyrics are also extremely strong and romantic. Noel hit a home run on this one. The Right StuffThis is pretty much what I expected Noel's failed Amorphous Androgynous album from 2011 to sound like. Except with maybe more liberties taken and stretched out even more. Sorta like what we heard on their "The Cartel Volumes 1 & 2" about a year ago. Nice move by Noel using a female singer that isn't screaming in orgasm for once. It really works for this song because it isn't over the top. It's more reserved in the local department. A good thing. It also features another kick ass David Gilmour guitar solo and more sax crimes. I wonder who the female singer is and I'm glad she wasn't buried in the mix like Beccy Byrne was on "If I Had A Gun". What was the point of Noel having Beccy there? You couldn't even hear her singing unless you had headphone on and cranked up the volume. Anybody could have been singing backup at that point. Noel got it right on this tune however. While the Song Remains the SameThis track's song title made me think it was going to be some Led Zeppelin inspired rock god homage. It is anything but that. The song begins with an ambient wave of sorts. Calling it Brian Eno like isn't far from the mark. The tune then transitions into an acoustic shuffle that channels parts of "Falling Down", "AKA...Broken Arrow" and "Part of The Queue" (Good call jaq515). I love the lyric "We can dance beneath the fireflies on an empty road". It also features more guitar solos. I like this trend on "Chasing Yesterday". The MexicanIn my opinion this is the weakest track on the entire album. It's not that it is a bad song it just doesn't grab me. I had a similar reaction to a track called "Flashbulb Eyes" on Arcade Fire's "Reflektor". That song did nothing for me and neither does this one. I do not like the lyric "You need love just like a kid on crack". It sounds silly and stupid. Noel can certainly write something better than that for that spot right? It sounds like another voice is singing along with him. Perhaps the same woman from "The Right Stuff"? Could be. The best part of this song for me is the guitar solo and the horn section/saxophones at the very end. At leas that's what I think I am hearing. I'm very curious to know what song Noel originally had in this spot on the album's tracklisting. He said he swapped it out to lighten the mood near the end of production. I definitely want to know what the other song potentially was. Hopefully it will be revealed in an upcoming interview. You Know We Can't Go BackAnother killer intro for this tune. This track screams American rock n roll in my opinion. Springsteen, The Killers, whatever. This song makes you move! It definitely is a contender for a single at some point. Too damn catchy for it not to be I guess. Hopefully it is considered to help promote the album in America. Feels like a spring/summer type of song. What I love about this album overall is, it sounds like Noel is having fun for the first time in years, maybe decades. It reminds me of the happy times of the mid 90s. So much of Oasis was dark and gloomy between 2000 and 2009. I don't sense any of that for Noel in 2015. Or on his debut either for that matter. Ballad of The Mighty IThe hype surrounding this song began to take shape the moment Johnny Marr's name was attached to it (rightfully so). That's a drawing card for sure. I know many of us finally wanted Johnny to feature on a GOOD Gallagher brother composition for once ("Probably All In My Mind" was a real let down). This tune is slick, polished and as modern as Noel is going to sound in the year 2015. It shares some DNA with "AKA...What A Life!" which for me is fine. That was my favorite song off "High Flying Birds" by miles and miles. Johnny's subtle guitar solos really shine for me. Nothing over the top but it hits the mark perfectly. I think this song and the album end in a very cool manner with those strings. Overall I am very happy with the album Noel delivered for us. He sounds recharged, hip and modern. Wait, did I just say that about a Gallagher brother finally? Yes I did. Beady Eye upgraded their sound on "BE" and it really worked for the band. Now Noel has done the same. I'm proud of the strides both outfits made on their second albums. Having the guitar solos back is a great move by Noel. He was right in 2011 when he said "High Flying Birds" had like one guitar solo on the entire album and he regretted that. That mistake was not repeated on "Chasing Yesterday". It contains plenty of good old fashioned rock/pop music. I'm absolutely pumped for the upcoming tour. My show will be at Webster Hall which holds about 1,500 in a general admission style venue. Very club like. He should kill it. I'm also happy Noel decided to produce this record himself. He did a fantastic job. It doesn't sound like a record from 1966. It sounds like the times we live in. I can't wait to see where Noel goes next for this third album. The three year wait starts now......................................................... Best review of the album thus far in my opinion. You acknowledge that none of the songs rank in the caliber of DM or WTSMG, even though they are great refreshing ones. |
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Post by johnwesleyharding on Feb 17, 2015 23:29:36 GMT -5
While I am not in a position to take back my review, I will say the Riverman is growing on me quite quickly. I'm open to the idea that stronger sound quality will win me over on this one. It takes a big man to admit when he is wrong and I am not a big man.
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Post by madferit89 on Feb 18, 2015 0:53:21 GMT -5
Riverman 9/10
ITHOTM 3/10
X RAY 7.5/10
LATD 5/10
TDOTL 9/10
TRS 8/10
WTSRTS 8.5/10
Mexican 6/10
YNYCGB 6/10
BOTMI 10/10
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Post by tonethestone1 on Feb 18, 2015 4:19:11 GMT -5
Erm, no. Force of Nature, Probably All In The Mind, Hung in a bad Place, Better Man... all very poor tracks in my opinion, regardless of production. Holy hell, that album is abysmal. The very nadir of Oasis. Just awful. Awful, awful, awful stuff. A few reputable magazines gave it a 1/10 rating. Its a shocking album, absolutely woeful, but which mags gave it 1/10? |
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Post by tonethestone1 on Feb 18, 2015 4:24:04 GMT -5
Had a few more listens, the initial listen hype has gone, what been left with is an absolutely outstanding album imo. Noel level of consistency since going solo is phenomenal. I love HFB1, really solid album 8/10, no real weak tracks on it that I skip either, CY is the same but has more great songs on it.
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Post by icebreath on Feb 18, 2015 4:30:51 GMT -5
Girl with X-RAY Eyes: This song. Wow. I've been listening to it a lot over the past few days. I'm a big Bowie fan, so this is right up my alley. I also think this is one of the best choruses on the album. Love the tones he's playing with and the song is so well structured. It always surprises me that it's just over three minutes long. There's a ton packed into it. I honestly believe it's one of the best songs he's done since DBTT. It's a perfect mid point between Noel as we know him and the one he's edging toward. The Right Stuff: Another wow moment. This the peak of the album for me. He just hits the nail right on the head with this song. It's everything that I've wanted him to try. People have described it as chill and like being in a smokey jazz cafe. That description is pretty apt. The use of the sax really reminds me of Radiohead's National Anthem. There's great bass work on this entire album. Does anyone know if Noel's playing bass on all of the tracks? If he is, then once again he surprises me with how well he is at creating nice bass hooks. The female vocals are a great touch on this and it's some of my favorite lyrics on this album. What I also like about this song is that it really takes its time. It paces it self through the entire five minutes. I barely notice that it's that long. Very good review. These two tracks are the ones that i liked most from the start and they are still enjoyable. So is Riverman but i think the hype for this song was too strong and i think it's very overrated. The chorus is weak and if it wasn't the sax and guitar solo would've been another filler track. My top 3 after 1-2 listens was: 1. Riverman 2. The Right Stuff 3. The Girl With X-Ray Eyes Now after many listens: 1. The Girl With X-Ray Eyes 2. The Right Stuff 3. Riverman |
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Post by tonethestone1 on Feb 18, 2015 5:42:26 GMT -5
Its a shocking album, absolutely woeful, but which mags gave it 1/10? Drowned In Sound gave 1/10 and feckin Pitchfork gave 1.2  wikipedia Ouch. Maybe 1 is harsh, but tbh I wouldn't go above a 3. |
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Post by andymorris on Feb 18, 2015 8:16:53 GMT -5
Riverman, X Ray Girl, Right Stuff, Lock all the Door, while the Songs remain the same ( very underrated), dying of light, Cant go back : those songs get better with every listen, my oh my...
But i still hate Mighty I & The Mexican, and Heat of the moment is dull
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Post by Norbert Gallhager on Feb 18, 2015 8:26:12 GMT -5
I enjoy reading your detailed reviews far more than the "official" ones.
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Post by liamgallagher1992 on Feb 18, 2015 9:51:25 GMT -5
As someone who couldn't understand why DGSS became shit as soon as HFB came out, can someone please explain why this album is being rated as "far better" than HFB but only getting 7 off the same reviewer? So now HFB is Noel "playing it safe and boring" and is a 5 or 6, where as at the time it was superb and best since BHN? Crazy how your lots opinions of former albums change so rapidly because you get new material It always happens with a new release. Excitement kills objectivity. In my opinion HFB is a great album: it's got many excellent tunes in it, even if some of them were partially ruined by poor choices or stale production. I'm not as excited about it as it was when it went out in 2011, but I think it's still better and more solid than any Oasis release post SOTSOG and (yes, knowing your opinion I guess you won't like what I'm saying) any Beady Eye album. While HFB was just Noel being himself again, with this album he decided to step a bit out of his comfort zone and the result is a much more fresh and enjoyable album, at least in my opinion  I don't disagree that both Noel albums are better than both Beady Eye albums but at the time of release of both debuts and for some months after the opinions to now were vastly different to what I am reading here. I don't agree it is a novelty issue either. I think at the time people knew Noels album wasn't as strong as people made out. The problems that were on HFB such as his voice not being strong enough for a whole album, some safe boring moments and some generic pop moments are still very prominent in this record. Don't get me wrong I think that You Know we Can't Go Back, Riverman and ballad of the mighty I are superb songs. But I don't think the right stuff is anything groundbreaking like its being made out. In fact quite the opposite. Lock all the doors lacks Liam so much and is a waste like Record Machine become. While the song remains the same is safe. In the heat of the moment is a great pop song but every noel by numbers. It just isn't as 10/10 as people are making out now. Its the main reason I look forward to a Beady Eye/Liam release more. Okay the quality control is sacrificed but when its on form, its epic. |
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Post by andymorris on Feb 18, 2015 10:22:44 GMT -5
Heathen chemistry produced right wouldve been a great album Erm, no. Force of Nature, Probably All In The Mind, Hung in a bad Place, Better Man... all very poor tracks in my opinion, regardless of production. Well i like HC, even the bsides. It's not best album ever, but it's got good singalongs and the production, well, there's more shocking tracks on Chasing Yesterday, DGSS or HFB 1. It doesn't deserve the shit it's getting. Hell even Heart of a star is cool: it has bagpipes ! |
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Post by batfink30 on Feb 18, 2015 10:33:50 GMT -5
My enthusiasm for the album is being tempered by the fact it's new and might be shite in a few months etc. I had a listen today to some albums from last year, U2,Coldplay, Kasabians last one and Damien Rice. Pains me to say it about U2 as I love them but Noels destroys all of those albums. The only song I dislike on CY is ITHOTM everything else I pretty much love.
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Post by tonethestone1 on Feb 18, 2015 10:39:55 GMT -5
One thing that cannot be denied is the worst song on here is still better than anything Beady Eye released.
Mind keeps changing on which song I like the most. Such a great record.
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Post by spaneli on Feb 18, 2015 11:01:53 GMT -5
One thing that cannot be denied is the worst song on here is still better than anything Beady Eye released. Mind keeps changing on which song I like the most. Such a great record. FOTF and a few others are some damn good songs. That's an iffy iffy statement |
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Post by Rolo on Feb 18, 2015 11:04:34 GMT -5
One thing that cannot be denied is the worst song on here is still better than anything Beady Eye released. Mind keeps changing on which song I like the most. Such a great record. Yes it can. Denied. |
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Post by nutsngum on Feb 18, 2015 11:05:09 GMT -5
Even I wouldn't agree with that, and I'm not Beady Eye's biggest fan. From a few listens there are some very so-so tracks on the new album. Good ones too, naturally, but you're telling me that Wigwam or Flick of the Finger, or even Off at the Next Exit are worse than You Know We Can't Go Back or The Mexican?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 18, 2015 11:06:44 GMT -5
Let's not turn this into yet another Liam VS Noel thread please!
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Nov 4, 2024 5:04:30 GMT -5
Nov 4, 2024 5:04:30 GMT -5