In Noel Gallagher‘s second solo outing with his High Flying Birds, ‘Chasing Yesterday’ might be a particularly apt title for an artist so fond of overt references to music of the past.
Opening with ‘Riverman’, a song that immediately harks back to the likes of ‘Wonderwall‘ but with a title of a Nick Drake song… which also pinches an opening line from George Harrison… ‘Chasing Yesterday’ doesn’t immediately slap you with its creativity and ambition. Following with ‘In The Heat Of The Moment’, the ex-Oasis star forges a somewhat dated dance groove which is ultimately redeemed by its anthemic chorus.
‘The Girl With The X-Ray Eyes’ is a spooky, intense affair (so long as you can overlook its similarities to Bowie’s ‘Moonage Daydream‘) as Noel Gallagher’s vocals soar and colour this otherworldly affair. ‘Lock All The Doors’ feels like the true start to ‘Chasing Yesterday’, though I’m suspicious that this may just be because Noel Gallagher isn’t so obviously wearing his influences on his sleeve. It pulses with the energy of a band half his age, yet with all the tricks of a seasoned veteran. ‘The Dying Of The Light’ is unequivocally chilled though you may wish to forget you ever heard the line: “Gonna try my best to get there/But I can’t afford the bus fare” from Noel Gallagher’s mouth. Harnessing a jazz-like groove and a hypnotic bassline, ‘The Right Stuff’ is a five minute journey that soothes the soul before throttling you with a kickass guitar solo. It’s one of the first tracks on ‘Chasing Yesterday’ that finally unveils Noel Gallagher’s true creative potential.
‘While The Song Remains The Same’ picks up the pace in a tribute to his Manc hometown as he sings:
“Take me down to the town where I was born, ‘cus I’m tired of being a stranger many miles from home.”
Whilst ‘The Mexican’ reverberates with attitude and crunchy guitar riffs, it’s sadly somewhat repetitive in its execution. Penultimate track ‘You Know We Can’t Go Back’ is the most upbeat track on ‘Chasing Yesterday’, but it inevitably falls short of being a truly memorable affair. That just leaves ‘Ballad Of The Mighty I’ to conclude proceedings with a little help from Johnny Marr.
Overall, ‘Chasing Yesterday’ isn’t the most cohesive album, but it undeniably showcases some of the spark Noel Gallagher had 20 years ago on the release of ‘(What’s The Story) Morning Glory?‘ in 1995. A handful of tracks struggle to blend his influences under close scrutiny but if you can look past that, there’s a set of songs to be truly cherished.
ALBUM REVIEW: Noel Gallagher"s High Flying Birds "Chasing Yesterday"
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