Interesting responses. Definitely think a full AA-style album would be a terrible idea. Maybe 3 or 4 songs in that style, but a full album? Blecch. An ideal album for me would contain a few experiments, couple of beautiful acoustic numbers, a couple rockin anthems, couple of epics and a sprinkle of genius.

But again, as people said, just some damn great songs!

B-)

I voted for change, but maybe I should clarify a little bit.

I think people who are calling the last record "more of the same" are missing the point a little bit and underestimating its significance. Sure, on the surface, all the usual elements of Noel music appear on the album, but there is more to it than that.

To me, Chasing Yesterday was a slight return of the songwriter that conquered the world in 1995. Not with the same consistency, for sure, but clearly the same person that gave us The Masterplan. A track like Riverman alone proves that, a song that seems to have always been existed the first time you listen to it, yet it's not an obvious, utter ripoff of another track. I don't think this happened many times between 1997 and 2011. HFB was the first ray of hope, with great tunes, but it was tainted by some questionable production choices.

My point is, therefore, that Noel had to make the record this way for his own sake, to release songs that could stand up to the classics of the back catalogue and, leaving the whole AA drama aside, to try something more or less on his own.

Having said that, I think it's the time for a change, and Noel seems to agree. Considering how well The Right Stuff was received by most critics and with the whole AA fiasco having left his thirst for creative freedom unfulfilled, I think he might surprise us the next time. Realistically speaking, he's not going to turn into Bowie and do something really polarising, but he might release a record fashioned after recent efforts from Macca or Weller, where you can clearly hear their usual style but there are new touches, mostly on the production and arragement side.

Personally, if he were to follow the direction suggested by some of the tracks from CY, I'd rather he chose Mighty I or TRS as templates than, say, The Girl with X-Ray Eyes (as great as that track is). Especially the former, since he seems to really enjoy that dancy or disco-ish style (or however you want to call it). But I would be the happiest person if he decided to try something utterly crazy and experimental that would polarise his fan base forever. I could do with fewer madferits at gigs.

I wouldn't mind some violin solos. Also more synthesizers. Lay off the Mellotron.

You mean like The Right Stuff?

I thought about that one, but not so much like that, where it is more a case of a backing singer. I thought more like a real duet as in "Let there be love" or even "Acquiesce".

I'm not dying for him to do something like that, I just thought it might be interesting.

Yeah, although that's the least important thing for me, since it's about the music and production. I really liked the DOYS artwork. Something like that would be cool.

More bricks

I really think that the best way to demonstrate where Noel's at creatively right now is to design a cover of him glowering in front of a wall that looks like a mixtape someone's mate kev tries to flog you in the carpark of a Southend Asda

Whatever happens with the next album, I hope the production is fresh and clean in a way that stands out from other stuff out today. I was watching Palladia today for the Glastonbury 2011 Coldplay performance they were airing. Afterwards, they aired three music videos, and I swear, it seemed like all of the songs had a similar quality to them, right down to the music video itself!

If Noel can come out with something that isn't the usual shitty subtle guitars, electronic drums & bass, and overreverbed production, I will be quite happy. Something like ITHOTM was not a bad step for him, as was BOTMI, because it was a little bit of that usual mix I mentioned, and just pure Noel. I think if he can do that, while continuing to move forward, and also get that Oasis spirit into his work, we'll get something awesome.

Am I the only one who likes artwork of Chasing Yesterday?

People keep saying something new is more like "BOTMI". But that's not a new direction at all. He's done that lots before with "setting sun", "let forever be", falling down, aka...what a life and BOTMI. So think that's done to death

I would like to see some interesting collaborations with different artists for a wider exposure to different sets of fans. That's why Chris Martin and Damon Albarn are a little ahead when it comes to creativity....that said I prefer Noel's work.

He will release an epic album.

As always. The all-penned Noel albums is six of the greatest things I have in my life.

I understand that you're not a big fan of BOTMI, which is perfectly fine in my book, but you're clutching at straws here. The only track from the list that is similar in any way to BOTMI is WAL, and that's mostly due to the beat. Unless you're thinking in very wide terms, such as "ballads in the minor mode" or so, but then you could put half of Noel's output in the same bag.

Even when you strip the song down to its essence (namely, melody and harmony), BOTMI is a very unique track among Noel's work. It's got an interesting chord progression, with constant modulations back and forth (very atypical for Noel). The chorus ties in with the bridge in a way that is difficult to determine when one begins and the other ends. I can't think of many examples of this, TDOYAM does a similar trick, but the separation is much clearer in it. The guitar solo uses a unique chord progression in the song that doesn't reappear (Sunday Morning Call does the same). Johnny Marr's contributions are really unlike what we usually find in Noel's songs, and stand out on a track that isn't guitar-centered (drums, bass, keyboards and the orchestral arrangement are the main featured sounds, especially in the verses).

All in all, I would say it's a pretty different song for Noel, and hopefully, for me, a sign of things to come.