I've always liked Noel Gallagher. Along with lead singing sibling Liam, he was the driving force behind the seminal Britpop band Oasis. An all-too-common scenario, the Beatlesque band was hugely successful in their native England, less so in the US.
More popular stateside than their chief Britpop rivals Blur, the band nonetheless never quite achieved the level of popularity in the US, nor the critical acclaim seven studio albums of largely memorable, catchy pop rock might indicate. Could very well be that the tabloid feeding frenzy that was the brothers' frequently violent and vitriolic relationship eclipsed their notable music accomplishments.
Whatever the reason, the brothers split up two years ago, with lead singer Liam branching off with the current lineup of Oasis, and Noel venturing out as a solo act. The Noel-less Oasis wisely renamed themselves Beady Eye, with Noel adopting the moniker Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds.
UK-only single "AKA... What a Life" was released in September as a digital-only release, and the eponymous debut album just a few weeks ago. Not surprisingly, the single was a rapid seller, as the song resembles Oasis. Noel not only wrote the vast majority of Oasis' songs, he also played lead guitar and was a vocalist. Brother Liam, on the other hand, was the band's lead singer and tambourine player.
Their voices are clearly similar, yet Noel has a slightly more introverted, yearning voice that has a certain vulnerability that Liam's more powerful voice occasionally lacked. Since smart money is usually on the fortunes of the chief songwriter whenever a band splits, it augers well for Noel and his new solo career that he is not only a gifted songwriter, but a solid guitarist and distinctive singer to boot.
The book of brothers in rock is a slim tome, with the more prominent chapters including those on the Beach Boys and the Kinks, both formed in the 1960's. Like the Kinks, the Gallaghers were known to devolve into physical altercations on-as-well-as-offstage. The difference is that Ray Davies not only wrote all but a handful of Kinks originals, but was lead singer as well as a talented pianist and rhythm guitarist. Brother Dave, on the other hand, was an innovative guitarist, but neither a particularly gifted lyricist nor notable singer.
"AKA... What a Life" is definitely a grower of a song. The submerged strings mixed down with the piano are reminiscent of John Paul Jones' oft astonishing arrangements during his Led Zeppelin days. If the sound is a bit compressed, it could well be that is a deliberate attempt to evoke the '60s, always a favorite reference point for Oasis. With his solid writing, memorable singing, and instrumental skills, it is clear he is off to a promising start as a belated solo act.
The evocative production is by frequent Oasis collaborator Dave Sardy, and is on Gallagher's own Sour Mash Records.
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