Noel Gallagher, ‘Council Skies’ – Single Review ★★★★☆

‘Council Skies’ by Noel Gallagher – Single Rating: 5/5 ★★★★★

Since ending Oasis in 2009, Noel Gallagher has done exactly what he wants when he wants. He is one of the few British artists round today that can do that. Being able to release new music through his own label, developed in his own studio must be liberating. One can only hope the creative output continues, as just over a decade into his solo career Noel Gallagher continues to set the bar in terms of songwriting and he is undoubtedly one of the greatest writers this country has ever seen.

Latest Album

‘Council Skies’ is the fourth single from NGHFB’S latest album of the same name. It is out on the 2^nd June. While first single ‘Pretty Boy’ stayed closer in experimental style to the bands more recent releases (Who Built The Moon – 2017) and the 2019 EP’s ‘Black Star Dancing’ and ‘This Is The Place’, ‘Council Skies’ is a return to a more traditional sound of Noel Gallagher’s craft more reminiscent of his self-titled debut album in 2011 or ‘Chasing Yesterday’, released to the world in 2015.

The work the band produced with David Holmes on ‘Who Built The Moon’ took NGHFB in another more dance orientated direction, which sounded great. But, the majority of the releases so far from ‘Council Skies’ have seen the group return to a familiar sound. A sound that the more traditional Oasis/NGHFB fans will relish.

‘Council Skies’ opens with a Joy Division/New Order styled intro, acoustic guitar led with an unusual percussion backbeat. Noel Gallagher’s vocal sounds better than ever. It is backed with lush strings and Burt Bacharach- esque horn lines and subtle female backing vocals.

While the singles chart remains a complicated arena to navigate these days for Noel Gallagher, there will be no doubt that by the second week of June he and the band will achieve their fifth UK number one album. That chart history, plussed with the past achievements in Oasis make ‘The Chief’ one of the greatest ever.