I like the interludes but I think they're placed in awkward places. It should've been one piece (about 3 minutes long) placed in the middle, linking side one and two.

I also struggle to see the point in the interludes, I quite like short bits of instrumental music that add to the flow but these just seem a bit dull and too similar to each other. Fort Knox on the other hand is how an instrumental should sound and I'm still loving it. It all makes the album seem a bit short to me and he ended up having to awkwardly stick a demo on the end of the album. It's almost as if Noel conceded that there isn't enough material for a whole album as it's not as if DITW is a deluxe-only track, which I assumed before I bought the album.

As for the songs, I still don't like Holy Mountain but at least it has some oomph unlike Beautiful World and STMHTF, which I think Noel could have vastly improved if he'd worked on more at home. Really not a huge fan of those three songs. Not too keen on Love Is The Law but the others are decent. I'm just a bit disappointed as much as anything.

Keep on Reaching has grown on me. Upon first listen, I thought it was a good filler song but it's exciting and really drives home the point it makes. Like someone else said, it's a good morning song to get you going. I'd rate it as a 7.5 or 8/10 now.

I'm not a fan of the 2nd interlude being the closer. For an interlude to be a closer for, it would need to smash it out of the park and be something nuts like Fort Knox part 2 or Fort Knox in reverse! Taht would tie the album up nicely. Otherwise, just make The Man Who Built the Moon the closer.

I'm all for the closer to go out on a bang rather than a whisper. A song like Married with Children is nice but not a closer for me. I also consider Runaway Cities Houses Clouds and Nothing That Has Happened So Far Has Been Anything We Can Control the closers over I don't Really Mind and Sun's Coming Up as an example.

Listening to the man who built the moon and it's really good but after noticing that he rhymes horse with of course, now I can't help singing the Mr Ed theme tune in my head.

Imagine both Liam and Noel singing the ‘holding on’ bits on Fort Knox. Massive

I just can't get into that.

The lyrics are noticeably atrocious and the mix might be the worst on the album. Everything gets far too clogged up in the chorus. It chokes the momentum of the track.

The two interludes should have been melted into one long instrumental and placed in the middle of the album.

Nice cover indeed

Fort Knox - I love it but it's one of the weaker opening tracks from Noel/Oasis. It keeps the tradition of making big promises for the rest of the album, but the pace may be a little too slow. It kind of has the same flaw, to a lesser as DYKWIM? of just droning on and promising a bit more substance than the album actually delivers.
Holy Mountain - I guess the best thing I can say is there's no accounting for taste. I'm glad so many people like it, and it's fun to see Noel try something different, but the track does nothing else for me personally.
Keep On Reaching - Love it and love that a song like this that flies so far from Noel's typical fare is now in his catalog. Exciting pairing of drums and vocals.
It's a Beautiful World - It will be interesting to see how often in the future I skip over this song. The music makes me want to keep hearing it but the near-spoken word vocals don't.
She Taught Me How to Fly - This was by far the song I was most eager to hear in its entirety when watching the trailer. It's probably my favorite on the album. Possibly even my favorite HFB album track. I want to go speeding through the desert in a convertible with this on.
Be Careful What You Wish For - This may be the finest attempt Noel has yet made at true blue sixties psychedelia. And that's a bit frustrating, because it's still derivative. But as always he does a good take on what he borrows.
Black and White Sunshine - It sounds kind of interesting now because it's new. Bet it gets boring and a little tedious to sit through over time.
Interlude (Wednesday Part 1) - Hard to rate these fragments on their own because they're just instrumentals and thrive or fail depending on how you feel about the two songs they're bookending.
If Love is The Law - I'm not feeling this one right now. I don't like how it changes so much during the chorus. Seems inconsistent and rushed. I don't see what's so different about this song and I bet most people on this site would be slagging it off as a weak ballad if it were on an Oasis album. My hope is he plays it when I see him live and I'll go home with a new appreciation for it.
The Man Who Built The Moon - I guess I'm going to have to go listen to some Pulp, as others have said they did this sort of thing better. I would hope so, because I don't know, I just don't really buy into Noel when he tries to be super serious and dramatic like this. As with ILITL, I hope it comes off better live. Don't mind saying it begs for Liam's voice, either.
End Credits (Wednesday Part 2) - See Wednesday Part 1. I don't know, I always liked the Swamp Song interludes because they were short but I don't think I like full-ish length songs that are just there to support other songs.

Overall, I'm very pleased with it. It has its misses, but it's exactly the sort of the album I'd have him make at this point in his career. I'd happily check out anything he does in the future that goes back to down and dirty guitar based rock 'n roll if and when he really has something, but for now that's in the past and I want to see him keep going in this direction. It's better than NGHFB and at least on par with Chasing Yesterday.

I don't usually comment on production, but this seems to have been very well produced. I wouldn't want Definitely Maybe to have been produced like this, but for what this album is, it works.

Really glad he finally got some decent artwork. The artwork for the first two HFB albums were unsightly. Stay in touch with that postman.

I have to say I really love how mixed the reactions are. Some of you are taking the words right out of my mouth, some of you sound like you must be smoking crack to me, and every opinion in between has someone expressing it.

I little too late but here is my impressions.



Great album, this is the album Noel always wanted to do since he fell in love with Amorphous Androgynous back in late noughties, it sounds like an evolution of that DOYS sound. On the fisrt two albums Noel wanted to stablish himself as a solo artist, but now he can do whatever he want with his music.

Far more adventurous and busier than ever, the WBTM? is dense and full of details, Noel imput his DNA even without doing his trademark athemic songs, It is even hard to imagine Liam singing them, Noel has really pushed himself into new grounds.

There is not an istant hit here and some songs take some time to grow on you, the only problem for me is that the two interludes should have been melted into one long instrumental, but that's still fine.



Fort Knox: The call to arms, opening with an instrumental It recalls FITB and it is as good, those female backing vocals elevates the song even higher. 9/10

Holy Mountain: Weird song, weird melody and weird chorus, but it all comes togheter so well to form a very cohesive song, not a favourite of mine. 7.5/10

Keep On Reaching: The beginning sounds like something from a Donkey Kong videogame, I liked the sense of urgency proportioned by the horns, a bit clumsy overall. 7/10

It's A Beaultiful World: Good verses but it’s the U2-ish chorus that takes the song to another level, however the french speech is too Sting-ish for me. 8,5/10

She Taught Me How To Fly: With some New Order influences, angular instrumentation, a highlight here, the best song for me. 9/10

Be Careful What You Ask For: A weirder version of The Right Stuff, I really liked it, Noel lay his slow seductive vocals over some climatic instrumentation, sounds like something Gorillaz would do. 8/10

Black & White Sunshine: The most Oasisy thing, could have been on the past two solo albums, it’s maybe the most accessible song here. 7.5/10

Interlude: This and End Credits should have been one long instrumental piece, but as an interlude is ok. 6/10

If Love Is The Law: The While The Song Remains The Same sister song, nice harmonica work, it will probably be the overlooked song here. 8/10

The Man Who Built The Moon: Maybe the best song here, very cinematic number, sounds like a 007 movie theme, but it lacks something to reach the levels of his greatest solo songs IMO. 8.5/10

End Credits: Same as Interlude. 6/10



Overall: 8,5/10

She taught me how to fly = Run by New Order. Definately has that Technique era sound to it.

Which reminds me that John Denver has a writing credit on that tune after suing NO.