Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Chasing Yesterday | Album Review

British music legend Noel Gallagher and his High Flying Birds are back for album number two. The self entitled previous album was a major success which saw Noel cement himself as an acclaimed solo artist as well as being part of legendary band Oasis.

The freshness and diversity of his debut album was always going to be a tough act to follow, and Chasing Yesterday does have its brilliant, typical Noel Gallagher moments. However as a whole, the album lacks the finesse that the first album was notorious for.

It is apparent that Noel really is chasing yesterday in certain songs, which have a true likeness to some Oasis tracks. The Girl With The X-Ray Eyes is a prime example of a flashback to The Masterplan, with those minor, semi-tonal progressions and slow pace.

Granted this is the style he is comfortable with, but the more experimental moments is what makes Noel's solo output exciting. The Right Stuff is a laid-back track, but the animation of the syncopated drum pattern and the occasional brass outbursts make it stay lodged in your brain.

Another standout track is The Mexican, which embraces Noel's contagious vocal lines and musically is unlike anything he's done before.

Any music that Noel makes is always welcome with open arms and for the most part Chasing Yesterday is entertaining and captivating, it just lacks a little spark that the debut had. It certainly continues to marks Noel Gallagher as a phenomenal songwriter and lyricist and for only his second solo album, you can see he still has many years left in him.

Rating: 7 out of 10