The Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds Albums Ranked
As with his brother Liam, who I’ve written about before, Noel Gallagher is quite annoying. Oasis may have been a big deal and made some good music, but the brothers’ feuds and constant whinging (as the Brits would put it) almost overrides their artistic contributions. Indeed, much of the music both have made together and apart is in sharp contrast to their meathead personas. That’s the case with Noel’s band formed in the wake of Oasis’ disbandment, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. Operating in an alternative and pop rock mode that isn’t too far off from his previous work, Gallagher has fronted a relatively stable band since their formation in 2010. In the nearly 12 years since 2011, the High Flying Birds have released four full-fledged albums, in addition to EPs like SONGS FROM THE GREAT WHITE NORTH… (2012), BLACK STAR DANCING (2019), THIS IS THE PLACE (2019), and BLUE MOON RISING (2023), among others. Generally, these works have been pleasant enough listens, and my ranking of the High Flying Birds’ discography is pretty straightforward.
#4 — NOEL GALLAGHER’S HIGH FLYING BIRDS (2011)
Favorite track: “The Death of You and Me”
To some extent, I believe Noel’s post-Oasis career has sounded more like the humongous Britpop band than Liam’s. It makes sense that would be evident on the debut album closest in proximity to the brothers’ collaborative era. NOEL GALLAGHER’S HIGH FLYING BIRDS, however, sound a bit watered down. There’s a polish and poppiness to the rock that is pleasant to listen to, but it all kind of blends into a general malaise of softness. Malaise might be too negative a word because it’s not like the self-titled record is wholly boring or offensive, as there is an amped up energy that comes through here and there, as on “The Death of You and Me.” NOEL GALLAGHER’S HIGH FLYING BIRDS, at the very least, proved that one of the Oasis brothers could have a fruitful career after that band’s breakup, even if it highlighted more potential than remarkable execution.
#3 — CHASING YESTERDAY (2015)
Favorite track: “Riverman”
CHASING YESTERDAY has been described as a definite Oasis throwback, but I think that describes almost all of the High Flying Birds’ work. It is true, however, that this second album from the band more effectively continues a catchiness and moodiness that can be heard on Oasis’ records. CHASING YESTERDAY doesn’t always hit the same highs, though. To be fair, it does slightly evolve Gallagher’s sound with a looser production and jammy moments. CHASING YESTERDAY is certainly a more interesting, reflective, and expansive sonic experience than the High Flying Birds’ self-titled.
#2 — WHO BUILT THE MOON? (2017)
Favorite track: “Holy Mountain”
Described as the High Flying Birds’ psychedelic album, complete with a grimier and more experimental sound, WHO BUILT THE MOON? isn’t like some kind of Kyuss or Captain Beefheart album, or however I would interpret the word “psychedelic.” It’s true that this third album is a greater leap for Gallagher and that his band’s dive into spacey-er sounds is mostly successful. But WHO BUILT THE MOON? has a little bit too much structure (good pop structure, I should make clear) to be truly psychedelic and not quite bright enough to reflect the more mainstream iterations of the concept in the 1960s. I do like how the record often feels sun-drenched (perhaps an image conjured up with help from the album cover) and swerves from meditative to fun. WHO BUILT THE MOON? was a sign that the High Flying Birds’ ability to improve on both the concepts behind the music and the engagement offered by said music itself could be consistent.
#1 — COUNCIL SKIES (2023)
Favorite track: “Dead to the World”
That ability has culminated so far in the latest High Flying Birds release at the time of this writing and the impetus for this piece: COUNCIL SKIES. It also comes after the biggest gap between the band’s records, at about five and a half years since WHO BUILT THE MOON?, although there was a run of EPs in between as described in the intro. Although COUNCIL SKIES in a sense relapses to the Oasis paradigm, it’s pulled off well and offers more fun and emotional experiences than any other album in the High Flying Birds’ admittedly relatively small discography. There’s a wistfulness to the whole record that is so at odds with Gallagher’s continuing bad takes expressed through interviews, including that The 1975 aren’t rock enough to win a rock award. I don’t even like The 1975 but has Gallagher heard his own music? Anyways, that conflict between the man and his music is peripheral to the fact that his band’s latest album is a sensitive work of often ethereal, at times lively, pop rock. COUNCIL SKIES sits at the top of a body of work that has improved time and again, so there’s hope that the next album from the High Flying Birds continues that trend.
