Phenomenal.

Changed my mind about Keep On Reaching, it sounds cool. God Help Us All my new weakest track.

Wow, that was a damn good album all around. I hope I can listen to this on Vinyl tomorrow...but here's where I stand after my first listen

Fort Knox - 8/10. This is a great opener and really harkens back to the direction Noel was ready to go down with SOTSG...which makes for a fitting opener for this album.

Holy Mountain - 7/10. This song has grown on me a lot. I haven't changed my initial score, but I agree with Noel. This song feels like a reactionary burst of joy to the mental breakdown Fort Knox seems to communicate. It's an interesting transition.

Keep On Reaching - 5.5/10. I didn't really feel this song upon the first listen. It has interesting elements that kept me interested though. We'll see what happens on the next few spins.

It's A Beautiful World - 9/10. I love this song and the message it has. It's a sarcastic and somewhat angry response to Holy Mountain in a sense. Very smooth and crisp to listen to.

She Taught Me How To Fly - 8.5/10. This song really impressed me for some reason. I love the studio version more than the live verson as it stands. It reminds me of someone I know, a good friend of mine from way back. In any case, this song was really well produced by Holmes.

Be Careful What You Wish For - 6/10. Another song that didn't really jive with me at first. I enjoy the elements, and it reminds me of Pink Floyd somewhat....I enjoy the female vocals, but not enough to really hit me upon first listen.

Black and White Sunshine - 7/10 - I feel this song is kinda grungy in the melody and the way Noel carries himself. Maybe if you took a typical Noel rocker and a mid-90s grunge song, this is the baby that they would produce. It's a nice set-up for the next three songs.

Interlude (Wednesday Part 1) - 7/10. Enjoyable instrumental. I think Noel has had some interesting approaches to instrumentals, like Teotihuacan and Swamp Song, and this carries the tradition I think.

If Love Is The Law - 8.5/10. The sleigh bells! Neverending Story melodies! Some might find this song cringy, but it's so light-hearted it made me smile. Marr really makes this song with the guitar and harmonicas too. I'm going to be enjoying this song for a very long time.

The Man Who Built The Moon - 10/10. WOW! This may be my favorite Noel Gallagher song yet, post-Oasis. This is a true menancing stomper with a widescreen and cinematic feel to it. It's like a space-jazz/space-rock version of Western movie theme. I was breathless after this song. Well done, Noel.

End Credits (Wednesday Part 2) - 7/10. Another enjoyable instrumental and provides a fitting ending for the album, but I'm going to include DITW.

Dead In The Water - 10/10. Classic Noel in one of his most vulnerable and intimate moments we have heard in a long time. The chatter at the end really makes this song a fitting, back down to Earth album closer in all essence.

My review

Wow, an album of real depth. I’ve liked all noels records for various reasons, but there just seems to be far more to this one. The production is faultless.

Fort Knox - Great opener. The female vocal sounds like a chant, very natural, the song would have had a different feel without it. The bass and drum parts really drive the song.

Holy Mountain - I just didn’t initially get this on the first few listens then saw it on Jools Holland show and it’s been in my head ever since. Possibly because I like to see things being played to see how it all fits together

She taught me how to fly - of the first few songs released I thought I was the most accessible, instant.

Beautiful world - love the French spoken bit. Could have been considered as a first single

Keep on reaching - the bass and drums really pull this song along quite quickly. Seems to be based on a whurlitzer piano part.

Black and white sunshine - upbeat and positive. Love the riff and the bass guitar. Great lyric in the chorus about glory days
Sounds a bit like the Rolling Stones in places certainly near the end

Interlude (Wednesday part 1) - first thought is it sounds like Radiohead paranoid android mixed with the band Air. If I heard this in isolation I would not think it was by Noel.

If love is the law - chorus melody reminds me of the jam going underground. Sounds very positive. Love the mouth organ.

The man who built the moon - like John Kennedy said on radio x, very John Barry James Bond theme. Love the stings, epic sounding. Would like to see an orchestra playing the string part.

End credits (Wednesday part 2) - definitely makes me think of the band Air due to that jangly keyboard bit

Dead in the water - vocal sounds great with the reverb. Like mike Rowe’s piano part. Very understated. Thank you to the RTE studio producer for having the foresight to keep recording the whole session. Although technically this song doe not fit the album in some ways ie production, I think it fits due to the story of its spontaneous nature. A hidden gem.

...as regards the whole scissors thing, I love it

My initial thought when hearing it on Tuesday was an 8/10 and I'm sticking by that after a few more listens. Maybe, maybe an 8.5 (but I'd give Be Here Now an 8.5 and I think this record is just short of that).

It's still missing 'something' in the back half imo that would really push it up. I may lob Freaky Teeth in my spotify playlist and have that in as well, as it probably goes with the flow of this album anyway.

But yeh, 8/10. The direction and intention and approach is definitely right and 10/10 for what Noel needs to be doing at this stage in his career imo, even if he doesn't quite pull it off every now and then on this one. Hoping we get a follow-up quickly in the next two years.

Fort Knox - 7.5
Holy Mountain - 8
Keep On Reaching - 7.5
Beautiful World - 8.5
She Taught Me How To Fly - 9
Be Careful... - 7.5
B&WS - 7
Interlude (1) - 6.5
If Love Is The Law - 7
The Man... - 9
Interlude (2) - 7

Dead In The Water - 8.5
God Help Us All - 7.5


To compare, my ratings for AYW, which I'd give a 7.

1. Wall of Glass - 7.5
2. Bold - 8
3. Greedy Soul - 8
4. Paper Crown - 7
5. For What It's Worth - 6
6. When I'm In Need - 7
7. You Better Run - 8
8. I Get By - 6
9. Chinatown - 5
10. Come Back To Me - 7.5
11. Universal Gleam - 7.5
12. I've All I Need - 7.5

13. Doesn't Have To Be That Way - 7.5
14. All My People/All Mankind - 6
15. I Never Wanna Be Like You - 6

Heard it in full only once, but here's what I think so far:

Fort Knox: 8
Holy Mountain: 7
Keep On Reaching: 6
It's A Beautiful World: 4,5
She Taught Me How To Fly: 8
Be Careful What You Wish For: 7
Black & White Sunshine: 8,5(without the post-chorus a solid 9)
Interlude 1: 8
If Love Is The Law: 5,5
The Man Who Built The Moon: 8
End Credits: Don't know, seemed too similair to the interlude

So all in all, four tracks that I really liked (excluding the interlude), and only one (or maybe one and a half) that I didn't like at all. The rest was alright, so I guess I'm feeling quite positive.

I can't see the similarities at all. Is there any particular song you're thinking of?

Awesome record!

Interesting. I can't make it to the end of DITW personally I find it dull, I much prefer the more colourful stuff. 

There you go! Yeah it doesn't work too well as it is. Not a major criticism though. The two parts are so similar also, and hearing them so close together, you just think, well I've already heard this. When you hear the first one you think, OK we're about half way...we've been on a journey, what does the second half hold? Well, not much because you only get 2 more songs. 

I've not heard that but I'll try and find it, I'd like to hear what he said about it. 

A mistake in my opinion. But not a critical one. 

I like Dead in the water. It sounds a lot like late U2 to me. Especially the vocal melodies.
There's some weird effect on Noel's vocals though which I'm not that fond of (no, not talking about the reverb...I love reverb). Kinda makes it sound like he sings with a sock in his mouth or something.