Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Council Skies

Oasis may have split 14 years ago, but there is still a sense of anticipation when either Gallagher brother releases new music with all of Liam’s solo efforts and Noel’s High Flying Birds records ascending to the top of the charts. The Mancunian singer-songwriter returns with his first full studio album in nearly six years although he has released several EPs in the interim. Council Skies is a departure from the psychedelic, expansive sounds of Who Built the Moon; while acoustic guitars and strings are more prominent, there certainly isn’t a shortage of epic singalong moments fans will surely lap up in their droves, perfect for the festival season.

From the opening acoustic I’m Not Giving Up Tonight, it’s clear that this is a project that Gallagher has poured his heart into, slowly building into an anthemic chorus. It is a welcome return from the Britpop prodigy. What’s immediately evident is the strength of his vocals, something that has become a frequent highlight of the High Flying Birds era, and something that was not tapped into enough during the Oasis days.

The album’s lead single Pretty Boy recalls The Cure’s A Forest with Robert Smith even providing a remix, yet Gallagher seems at home in this style, it is a slight departure from the more melancholic moments, showing the range of styles he can tap into, freed from the shackles of Oasis. Dead to the World, is one of the most haunting, beautiful tracks that Gallagher has released post Oasis, showing the ability to continue to surprise after three decades.

The title track reflects the feeling of introspection and looking back at his childhood in Manchester. It’s one of the more out-and-out rock efforts, marrying the new elements of this record with the soaring scale of his previous work, with the guitars and strings fading in and out to perfection. Easy Now is a proper Gallagher ballad, that sits well alongside his finest, cut from the same cloth as the likes of Talk Tonight.

Council Skies captures Gallagher in a soul-searching, reflective mood, complimenting some of the more radical departures from his series of EPs in 2019 and his previous studio album. Ultimately these 11 tracks show an artist at ease with himself and still with plenty of stories to tell. Looking back has produced some of his most beautiful and urgent work in recent years, adding to an already impressive back catalogue away from Oasis. Noel shows us why he is still an important cog in the UK music landscape close to 30 years after Definitely Maybe’s release.

Christopher Connor

Council Skies is released on 2^nd June 2023. For further information or to order the album visit Noel Gallagher’s website here.

Watch the video for Dead to the World here: