Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds

With his solo release Noel Gallagher has brought back to light all of those age old Oasis arguments. There's a basic timeline of how most Oasis superfan's attitude toward Liam vs. Noel goes... At first it is all about Liam. His voice, his look, his style, his swagger. Then you realize the songs that are the grandest, most bombastic and most memorable are Noel's songs, either the ones he sings or the ones that are the most autobiographical. After discovering the b-sides from the first 2-3 records cements it, Noel is now your favorite. But then, after seeing them live, you remember how much of a presence Liam really is, and how the live Oasis experience is always focused on Liam. No matter how little he moved or talked, Noel's witty quips are no contest. So in the end you try to reconcile everything, and settle on the fact that it takes them both to create the magic.

So now, with Beady Eye's debut and Noel's first solo effort, the knee-jerk judgement is easy: Noel wins. Beady Eye's flimsy lyrics and post-modern pastiche melodies are paint by numbers, while NGHFB is pretty much a modern classic. I won't say it's perfect, ("Soldier Boys and Jesus Freaks" and "Stop the Clocks" are definitely filler that should have been scrapped), but song for song there is no contest. NGHFB has much of the best of the last few Oasis records: the "Mucky Fingers" 12-bar blues of "The Death of You and Me," the soaring "Let There be Love" moments in "Dream On" and "Record Machine," and a couple of unexpected rockers including "Stranded On the Wrong Beach" and "AKA...What a Life." Even more unexpected is the fact that for the first time in his career, I can actually say that his lyrics finally caught up to the standard that his melodies have always reached. This debut is at times smart, romantic and utterly compelling in ways Noel's work has never been before.

But now, even while the glow of this record still shines, I am still 100% sure I still prefer Oasis. Not the last few records, but the platonic ideal that is Oasis. Noel's best songs, Liam's best vocals and the brick wall of sound that the best rock band of the last 20 years years produced. But I can wait. Enjoy the freedom, boys, and come back when you're ready.

If I Had A Gun... by noelgallagher

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Beady Eye

While listening to Beady Eye isn't a difficult task, passing judgement on it is. It's problematic because I want to avoid my preconceived notions about the members of the band and how that affects the actual songs. But it's impossible to do so. I want to divorce this music from all of the Oasis output that came before it and judge it on it's own merits, but there will always be that nagging feeling...



At it's worst and at it's best, Beady Eye sounds like a trip through the British music canon. In terms of song writing, melody and technical prowess, it's obvious that Same Gear, Still Speeding is a work created by consummate professionals. It's tight and punchy, and plenty catchy. There are some greater than yours singles with swooping moments of grandeur and the sing-along choruses to match.



Overall, though, and this goes very much to my personal taste and preferences, it lacks that killer instinct. It never veers into the red zone. Even with moments like "Four Letter Word," this is not a brick wall of rock and roll intensity. Perhaps it's simply that rock and roll is a young man's game, but vigor is the most glaring missing link here. Any vocal appearance by Liam Gallagher sans a snarl is a missed opportunity and there just aren't enough of those here. I understand that it's a mature record by mature musicians, but that change the fact that when it comes to rock and roll, I prefer mine louder, faster and angrier than than this.



But here's my quick read breakdown of every knee jerk angle re: the New Beady Eye that will come to your mind:

Q. Is Beady Eye better than Oasis?
A. No and that's a dumb question.

Q. Are the other members of Oasis better songwriters than Noel?
A. No, but there are some very very good songs on this record that rival plenty of Oasis' 00s output.

Q. Does it just sound like Oasis 2.0?
A. Not really. The instrumentation and production alone set Beady Eye apart from its predecessor. It's definitely a different sounding band.

Q. Does Beady Eye sound at all like Ride or Heavy Stereo?
A. If you ask that question then to your ears definitely not.

Q. Should I buy this record?
A. Yes. Contextually, this is one of the best rock and roll records out right now. It draws from everything from John Lennon (obviously) to The La's, The Who, Wings, Tarantula-era Ride, T. Rex, and of course the Beatles. It's well retro, but then again, isn't rock and roll?