New Noel Gallagher album in 2017, "Who Built the Moon"*

Noel's voice has always been a problem for me, even on the Oasis songs! I do like his voice on the new single though, he's seems to be taking more chances with it!

 

Noel has improved as a musician since his Oasis days. I think he's a better guitar player these days.

 

It's not that long (only having 9 proper songs and 2 "interludes" on it) but the way the songs have been written in the studio with no preparation beforehand means (to me anyway) they're just the same riff banging away throughout with very few changes. "Fort Knox", "Be Careful What You Wish For" and "Keep On Reaching" being the biggest culprits.

 

Loving "Dead in the Water".

Noel's still wasting away brilliant songs as B-sides/bonus tracks even now.

 

I really don't like it.
Noel's strength has always been the songs, to deny that is simply wrong. Here he actively denies himself of it by the process he used to make the album.

There are also too many 'U2'isms to be a co-incidence with his current PR campaign. He's always been a name-dropper, often to very funny results, but the recent glut of Bono stories just seems too blatnat attempt to set himself up as some kind of international rock royalty at a higher level that he actually commands. Even his recent cat story involved U2...

'Dead n the Water' sounds like Coldplay. 'God Help Us All' is an old demo that I believe comes from Oasis times, and it's the only real song here.

And how bad is the production (and I say that as a big Holmes fan)? Just the pure sound - listen to anything of this back to back with 'Let the Lord Shine a light' or 'Simple Game Of Genius' - the difference is there and undeniable.

Overall, for all the fawnng reviews, it sounds dated and like a 50 year old man thinking he's done something cutting edge, when Weller has been doing similar stuff for years and managed to make it sound far more 'out there' in the process.

 

I'm so relieved that this is a good album! Some of the songs perhaps feel a little overlong, I think resulting out the fact they were written in the studio so are built around one riff/two chords for the whole song, but there are some real gems on it too and as a whole album, I think it works. Just such a relief thst this album hasn't been a flop

 

God this is such a gem of a song! it's like the highflying birds "talk tonight". I really cannot wait to listen to this album now!

 

Interesting PR strategy from Noel's team in that they have just put the whole album onto youtube
Seems odd to me, but then what do I know

 

Anyone else think the cover of the Holy Mountain single is better than the actual album's cover? I'm thinking about using that one as the cover for my digital copy of the album.

 

Oddly enough, they haven't actually put the whole album up on YouTube. Just 9/12 tracks. "Keep On Reaching", "Be Careful What You Wish For" and "The Man Who Built The Moon" haven't been uploaded at the time of me writing this (which ironically were the tracks I was most looking forward to hearing!). Why only upload 3/4ths of the album? Perhaps the other 3 just aren't available in my country...

 

Dead In The Water is a beautiful song. I do wonder what it would sound like sung by Liam.

 

Absolutely, really don’t like the album cover but the Holy Mountain cover looks great. The women on the front of the album sleeve is noels wife. He said to her the night before, what are you up too tomorrow, fancy being on the album cover.

 

Coldplay and Weller are great at what they do but I’m sure both would love to write a song like Dead In The Water. Sounds nothing like Coldplay to me either.

The new album is far better than the last effort, songs like the Mexican on Chasing Yesterday were quite poor I thought, still amazing how he is coming up with songs like Dead In The Water.

 

Would be interesting but I don’t think it would suit Liam’s voice ? Apparently he said he’s never going to perform or record it again, very strange there choice of songs for track lists , this only making a bonus track, same for A Simple Game Of Genius on the bonus Japanese track for the first album.

 

Yeah, I agree I don't think Liam's voice is well suited for "Dead in the Water" especially now. I really hope Noel plays this song on tour in February.

 

I finally listened to the album. I liked it but it'll take me a few more listens to properly judge it.

Is it Noel's best album since Be Here Now? I don't know.

 

I listened to the album once and enjoyed it, but not as much as the first two albums (both of which I loved from the very first listen). Hopefully the album will grow on me with subsequent listens, but after listening I had the urge to listen to songs like "Riverman" or "Stranded On The Wrong Beach" instead of any from the new album. I'm not sure that's a good sign.

One thing I did notice though, is that the album seems to be divided into two halves. The first half (tracks 1-5) is more experimental and ventures into unfamiliar territory, while the second half (6-11, plus Dead In The Water), is more conventional Noel songs.

 

Didn’t care for the singles released, but really enjoyed the album as a whole when I listened to it on Spotify this morning. Will definitely pick up the CD. Like the fact the album is relatively short.

 

I thought this about the first song he released from it. It would have soared with Liam's huge voice. Its so upbeat and uplifting, but singing like that isn't Noel's forte.

Anyway, back to Dead in the Water. Nearly any other band would be selling themselves on the back of it

 

take it you are an Oasis/Gallaghers fan now then!

 

On the vinyl tracks 1-5 are “Earth side” and 6-11 are “Dark side” and side 2 especially is darker

 

Can't stop listening to this song:



Sounds very Christmassy to me. It actually reminds me a bit of "Wonderful Christmastime".

 

Why is he releasing a record right along when he's brother does? Sounds very petty to me. He rushed that release to give two fingers to his bro.

 

I dig this. Way more interesting than his last two...