Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
by Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
  • Record Label: Island
  • Release Date: Nov 8, 2011
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 146 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 122 out of 146
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 146
  3. Negative: 15 out of 146
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  1. woodsie100
    Nov 8, 2011
    6
    First off, the newspapers journallists that are friends with Noel should be ashamed with themselves. This is not a 10/10 or 5/5 album. I've always believed that Noel was the one with the real talent so have been eagerly waiting for a classic to blow Beady Eye away. But it hasn't happened. Truth is there's no bad songs on here but only three good ones and a very good song in "Stop theFirst off, the newspapers journallists that are friends with Noel should be ashamed with themselves. This is not a 10/10 or 5/5 album. I've always believed that Noel was the one with the real talent so have been eagerly waiting for a classic to blow Beady Eye away. But it hasn't happened. Truth is there's no bad songs on here but only three good ones and a very good song in "Stop the clocks" which is a decade old. It's early days in Noel's solo career so I can't write him off yet but my gut is telling me that his best years were 94-96 when he was off his face most of the time. Pipe and slippers for Mr Gallagher please!… Expand
  2. axelkoch
    May 16, 2013
    5
    Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds is not only Noel Gallagher’s first post-Oasis album, but also the first of all his albums to have an at least slightly cohesive narrative. He’s insisting that he hadn’t planned on doing so while writing the songs, but it turned out to be something that you could find a connection in if you’re searching for one. But does that automatically make it betterNoel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds is not only Noel Gallagher’s first post-Oasis album, but also the first of all his albums to have an at least slightly cohesive narrative. He’s insisting that he hadn’t planned on doing so while writing the songs, but it turned out to be something that you could find a connection in if you’re searching for one. But does that automatically make it better than the last four disappointing Oasis releases? It may seem so at the start, but after the finale Stop The Clocks a fake reinterpretation of classic Oasis song Champagne Supernova that has been bubbling around in Noel’s had already before the release of 2005’s Don’t Believe The Truth it’s another unfulfilling record. Noel Gallagher surprises with one fantastic song, entitled If I Had A Gun, that combines well-written and poetic lyrics with interesting instrument experiments, but most of NGHFB is plain vanilla. There’s actually no bad song on the album, but the whole vibe is a bit boring after all. Gallagher succeeded in making a new sort of music and getting away from the Oasis style, but didn’t succeed in making the music more special and interesting than in the recent Oasis albums. It may be a bit rash to say that there is no future for this new project of Noel, but I guess that he will soon realize that is days are over.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

42
#42 Most Discussed Album of 2011
5
#5 Most Shared Album of 2011

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
69

Generally favorable reviews - based on 33 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 33
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 33
  3. Negative: 0 out of 33
  1. Mojo
    Dec 22, 2011
    80
    Here, for the first time in years, the primetime Gallagher swagger is back, in a more mature form. [Nov 2011, p.94]
  2. Prefix Magazine
    Nov 28, 2011
    65
    The fact that this debut hews closer to the Noel we know certainly shouldn't be a disappointment.
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  3. Rolling Stone
    Nov 22, 2011
    70
    Wrapped in guitars, strings, brass and reverb like a psychedelic Union Jack, he's in full flashback mode.
    Read full review
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