Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Council Skies (Album Review)
Tuesday, 13 June 2023
Written by Graeme Marsh
Photo: Matt Crockett
While the tedious will-they-won’t-they Oasis reunion rumours continue to swirl—along with talk of eye-watering sums available should the Gallagher brothers bury the hatchet long enough to tour—Noel has rolled on with his High Flying Birds and their fourth album ‘Council Skies’.
It is the first recording laid down at his new Lone Star studio in London and, just like another great will-they-won’t-they reunion story in the Verve, it’s awash with strings that, unfortunately in his case, are more of a hindrance than tick in the plus column. Thankfully, though, a recent blasphemous cover of Joy Division’s classic Love Will Tear Us Apart does not feature.
The acoustic-led opener I’m Not Giving Up Tonight represents a rather dull curtain raiser, its deliberate trudge carrying it along slowly but surely.
There are worse songs out there but there are also many, many better ones. The dreamy Dead to the World is even less exciting and Open the Door, See What You Find is also uninspiring, with both shrouded in those limp strings.
Easy Now will please many fans, sounding like several generic, laid-back Oasis songs. It isn’t a bad thing, it’s just been done so many times before, and Trying to Find a World That’s Been and Gone aims to be a slow-burning epic in the vein of Champagne Supernova but never catches alight.
The more upbeat Love is a Rich Man is better, especially if you’re a dad-rock fan, and in truth, ‘Council Skies’ never ventures far outside this comfort zone. When it does, though, the results stand out like a lion in a field of kittens. Single Pretty Boy is excellent, its motorik beat becoming addictive in no time at all, and closer Think Of a Number declares “there’s nothing more to say” providing an all-too-rare moment of intrigue in a sea of predictability.
‘Council Skies’, while not terrible, does seem to be lacking in ambition, which makes you wonder if there’s something more to those Oasis reunion rumours. It would probably be a better bet than launching any further attempts to cover uncoverable classics, though, as well as producing another High Flying Birds effort.
Noel Gallagher Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Fri July 21 2023 - PENN Big Park
Sun July 23 2023 - NOTTINGHAM Wollaton Park
Fri July 28 2023 - LONDON Crystal Palace Bowl
Sun July 30 2023 - BRIGHTON Beach
Sat August 05 2023 - SAFFRON WALDEN Audley End
Sat August 19 2023 - MONMOUTHSHIRE Caldicot Castle
Sun August 20 2023 - SEDGEFIELD Hardwick Hall
Thu August 24 2023 - TAUNTON Vivary Park
Sat August 26 2023 - MANCHESTER Wythenshawe Park
Sun August 27 2023 - DUBLIN Royal Hospital Kilmainham
Wed August 30 2023 - HULL Bonus Arena
Fri September 01 2023 - SHEFFIELD Don Valley Bowl
Thu December 14 2023 - LONDON OVO Arena Wembley
Fri December 15 2023 - BIRMINGHAM Utilita Arena
Sun December 17 2023 - CARDIFF CIA
Mon December 18 2023 - LEEDS first direct Arena
Wed December 20 2023 - GLASGOW OVO Hydro
Thu December 21 2023 - LIVERPOOL M&S Bank Arena
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