1. Few, really? It isn't a perfect album, and it isn't as mind blowing as Noel takes it to be. But I find it really, really good. Black & White Sunshine and the title track are also excellent, I think. And I also really like Keep on reaching and Fort Knox. Dead in the water doesn't really belong to the album, but it's there, and it is a little gem.

    He's in fine form, enjoying himself, without trying to follow the zeitgeist (these are dark times anyway). I wish U2 could borrow a bit more of that attitude sometimes.
  2. for me just a few hilights too...
    Fort Knox (best Noels solo song), It's A Beautiful World and The Man Who Built The Moon are my highlights with honorable mention for Be Careful What You Wish For...
    rest is medicore, but something could grow on me...
    (so similar like previous albums: a few stand out tracks, rest ok)
  3. Originally posted by JuJuman:[..]
    Few, really? It isn't a perfect album, and it isn't as mind blowing as Noel takes it to be. But I find it really, really good. Black & White Sunshine and the title track are also excellent, I think. And I also really like Keep on reaching and Fort Knox. Dead in the water doesn't really belong to the album, but it's there, and it is a little gem.

    He's in fine form, enjoying himself, without trying to follow the zeitgeist (these are dark times anyway). I wish U2 could borrow a bit more of that attitude sometimes.


    yes. I really liked his previous albums, and I also like that he's trying new directions, but this record doesn't really hold up. Fort Know and Holy Mountain are good, as are She Taught Me How to Fly, If Love is the Law and The Man Who Built the Moon, but the rest is just...meh. He shouldn't make 'artistic' things such as Wednesday Part 1, just as pretentious as these bits on Whats the Story. Black & White Sunshine is just so cliche. And most of the lyrics are just there to rhyme, they don't make any sense (I know that they never do in his case, but on this album they're blatantly lazy)
  4. Originally posted by dieder:[..]


    yes. I really liked his previous albums, and I also like that he's trying new directions, but this record doesn't really hold up. Fort Know and Holy Mountain are good, as are She Taught Me How to Fly, If Love is the Law and The Man Who Built the Moon, but the rest is just...meh. He shouldn't make 'artistic' things such as Wednesday Part 1, just as pretentious as these bits on Whats the Story. Black & White Sunshine is just so cliche. And most of the lyrics are just there to rhyme, they don't make any sense (I know that they never do in this case, but on this album they're blatantly lazy)
    ^^
  5. I’ve never found him to even be a halfway decent lyricist. This album hits me right in a good place. It’s finky enough, it’s rocky enough and it’s marginally experimental enough

    I half agree with Wednesday. He said he was desperate to turn it into something but couldn’t come up with a lyric or melody to suit it so just spit it into an interlude and closer. A little lazy I thought but again I don’t dislike it.

    Definitely one of the albums of the year for me and I’m stoked for his gig in May. I didn’t rate him on tour with U2 this year but I also don’t like his first two albums so to be expected.
  6. yeah... lyrically it's not as bad as Liam, but Noel was never great lyricist.
    Btw some of his best tracks are instrumentals
    I've already mentioned Fort Knox and also his Teotihuacan (from 1998 X-Files soundtrack) is awesome... (+ some Oasis like Fuckin In The Bushes, Swamp Song...)
  7. Originally posted by dieder:[..]


    yes. I really liked his previous albums, and I also like that he's trying new directions, but this record doesn't really hold up. Fort Know and Holy Mountain are good, as are She Taught Me How to Fly, If Love is the Law and The Man Who Built the Moon, but the rest is just...meh. He shouldn't make 'artistic' things such as Wednesday Part 1, just as pretentious as these bits on Whats the Story. Black & White Sunshine is just so cliche. And most of the lyrics are just there to rhyme, they don't make any sense (I know that they never do in his case, but on this album they're blatantly lazy)
    Oh yes, the lyrics totally suck. Cliché and lazy, as you say. But then again many of his lyrics can be.

    Indeed, the first two records a more consistent. I also agree about the instrumental fillers. They occupy the space of two songs in an already short record. Not so good. I really like Black & White Sunshine, though. A nod to the Stones, and a happy poppy song. Why not.

    The album isn't really that experimental either. All the songs sound like Noel G, or like something we've heard before (keep on reaching sounds like it was stolen from some 70's record). But yes, if his next album isn't more consistent and if Liam keeps finding good songwriters for his next album... he'll find himself chasing Liam, for once.
  8. Re: the lyrics, I actually don't mind at all. They're better than Liam's (not hard). And who cares about the lyrics. I never understood them until I was 20 or so! And I definitely enjoyed music before then

    Noel also thinks that you're not really meant to hear the lyrics either. His voice his mixed relatively low in the new record.
  9. Originally posted by JuJuman:Re: the lyrics, I actually don't mind at all. They're better than Liam's (not hard). And who cares about the lyrics. I never understood them until I was 20 or so! And I definitely enjoyed music before then

    Noel also thinks that you're not really meant to hear the lyrics either. His voice his mixed relatively low in the new record.
    Another reason why I don't like this album that much is due to the terrible mix/production


  10. 09:52 Don't look back in anger
    20:18 AKA... What A Life!
    28:07 It's a beautiful world
    39:37 Holy Mountain.