Not gonna lie, the never ending love for WBTM never ceases to amaze me. But I guess that’s a topic for another discussions

It was always suppsed to be divisive, as it's different than what Noel's done before either solo or with Oasis
Personally I just think it aged miles better than the others, I still go back to it often and it flows perfectly as an album from start to finish, the sound is fresh and the songs themselves are not bad to begin with, the only one I'd skip if it came on shuffle is B&WS, maybe Holy Mountain but I've mellowed to it with time
It's probably my favourite Gallagher-related release after the first two Oasis albums,but everyone's entitled to his own opinion after all

Chill out! I'm talking about his debut here, not WBTM - I said they're all good songs on the first album, not sure how that is making it out to be 'shite'.

And a bit of advice, maybe just try to ignore posts you don't like (or rather, read them properly) and let others write their opinions without getting into a hissy fit perhaps?

CY has my favourite Noel solo songs on it. Half they record is brilliant, half is okay.

HFB is a much more consistent record, solid songs throughout but the production brings it down.

WBTM has the best production and is a very exciting record but it doesn’t have the highs that CY does IMO.

One first release what was really striking about it was Noel had put more effort into every song being quality more than he had bothered to for years.

On first listen I thought his voice isnt strong enough or indeed interesting enough for a whole album and I still think that now.

The Beady Eye comparisons were always going to be made but I thought the narrative was almost made before anyone listened to anything. The Death Of You and Me certainly didn't deserve all the "better than Beady Eye" comments it instantly got on NME.

But where as Beady Eye wrongly assumed they could rehash a 60s feel through every song, Noel quite rightly made sure he went for a mature and fresh sound. Appealed exactly to his market and What A Life did the job for him externally.

A lot should be made of the fact he was also plugging an Oasis void he had created himself. He was creating top quality Oasis sounding songs and playing half Oasis songs in his set. A massive pull while the rest of Oasis were naively thinking they could go under a new name and play just new stuff.

Say what you want about Sardy as well buy Sardy + Noel = massive success. Nothing about the songs seems amazing production wise but something about that team creates amazing results sales wise and appealing to a wider audience. It doesn't sound ground-breaking or extremely inventive but it undeoubetedly allowed Noel to hit the ground running.

7/10

I never used to think it was a problem but as I get older, just what makes Oasis special is that voice of Liam's. Noel is a fine singer but he's not a standout one - Liam's one of the rare voices that you can listen to an album entirely without getting over familiarised and bored with. It's one reason why I like Who Built The Moon - Noel's voice is often effects laden (with reverb or distortion) which keeps things fresh, again using the studio to bring more life to things (it's fine live as most folk are singing his songs anyway).

But make no mistake, if Liam was singing that debut Noel album, it would be consistently the best Oasis album since Be Here Now. Would have been reaching Be Here Now levels if he ditched Dave Sardy for a top producer (Mike Stent would have done fine with songs like Stop The Clocks).

I also think it would have been the best Oasis album since BHN, but i also still feel like it would have got the usual reaction from the critics. I think having that new start under his name and even telling us until he's blue in the face that stuff like What A Life was "out there" just seemed to strike a chord. When Noel says stuff like that, enough people listen. It's as time goes on we look back and go oh yeah that wasn't really some new direction.

As much as i do think Noel's albums are better in quality than Beady Eye's, i do also feel like a wider audience were willing to accept Noel as the talented one who's been able to have his creativeness unleashed now he doesn't have his dickhead brother around. Noel also tried to emphasise this by saying certain songs would never have been allowed on an Oasis record (like Liam ever had a say).

So i do think the songs lacked Liam and as time has gone on we appreciate that more, but at the time i think strangely Noel benefitted from it being under his name and the whole perspective for critics changed instantly. Similar to how there was a new wave of people willing to accept Liam again after Supersonic etc. If As You Were is Beady Eye's 3rd album it sells even less than BE and Liam goes into hiding forever. 

Thought WAL was one of the most improved live actually
It's by no means bad on the record, but it sound mega live
Agreed about TDOYAM tho, they got it right and could never quite match it during gigs

This is my favourite of Noel’s albums. For me these are the best crafted collection of songs of his solo career. Chasing yesterday is pretty good but, apart from a couple, the songs aren’t quite as well crafted. Who built the moon? Who gives a fuck. (I’m joking!) But its too short and only half of it is any good.

Of course it is

Honestly, think if you include the b-sides like I have done - it's a perfect double album. I think all great bands have an epic double album in their back catalogue. Its a shame oasis never did this. I think 'Be here now' is the 'white album' of a different generation and could have been the epic 'missing' album if done differently and included b-sides etc. I don't understand it when people say "it's too long". I mean I love 'be here now' but it could have been an epic masterpiece. As I said before, to me, NGHFB is Noel's answer to George Harrison's 'All things must pass'. Pure elegance.