Album review: Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds 'Chasing Yesterday'

Image: Noel Gallagher

After a vociferous media tirade against just about anything and everyone in the lead up to the release of Chasing Yesterday - not forgetting the telling of a full on night of debauchery in LA with Morrissey and Russel Brand - you'd hope that the album lived up to all expectations. Because, well, a backlash from Ed Sheeran and Maroon 5 would just be ludicrous wouldn't it?

Of course it was always going to and it's everything we expected - an overcast, imposing saunter through Noel's accomplished songbook, ridding the shackles of Oasis' legacy that loomed so largely over his debut foray with his High Flying Birds. 

Meandering through the various guitar propelled ballads and arena informed anthems that Noel could effectively write with his eyes closed, you get the sense that this is a man with nothing left to prove, which adequately lends itself to the breeziness that caresses the album throughout. 

Cloaked with jazzier notes and dabs of psychedelia, the album begins with 'Riverman', speculatively a nod to Nick Drake that opens up to a ostentatious sax solo before fading out to great effect. 

Sing a-long stadium stompers arrive in the form of 'In The Heat Of The Moment' and 'Ballad Of The Mighty I', the latter featuring the fine finesse of Johnny Marr on guitar. They're both lyrically astute pieces, something that we have became accustomed to from Noel, and will be received in open arms throughout his tour.  

Flecks of Oasis' are of course still ingrained somewhere, 'The Dying Of The Light' chorus could effortlessly break into 'Don't Go Away' if it wanted to, and 'Lock All Of The Doors' is resurfaced from the band's era displaying all of the grit and raw edge from that time. 

For every right turn though, there's a sashay left with 'The Mexican' carrying the brunt of that. A fresh take on the palette, riff laden number that resurrects an aura of The Who or The Rolling Stones, essentially epitomising the album for what it is - a bridge in the gap between the former rock n roll and Brit pop years to the new wave of British music.    

Want to catch Noel Gallagher and his High Flying Birds in action? He plays at Calling Festival on Saturday 4th July and Latitude Festival.