Noel Gallagher has today released ‘This Is The Place’ the title track of his third from a set of High Flying Birds EPs – with the full 5 track EP dropping on September 27 and available digitally as well as on coloured vinyl and picture disc.
This is the place is a stylistically logical follow on from the more dance-floor-centric (for the high flying birds at least) Black Star Dancing – which gave us a glimpse of the Ex Oasis songwriters dance club period of musical education. The song title is taken from the poem by Manchester wordsmith Tony ‘Longfella’ Walsh, made famous after Walsh’s passionate performance of it at the remembrance ceremony for the victims of the city’s Ariana Grande concert bombing in 2017.
This reviewer personally likes this latest re-invention of Gallagher, I get where he is coming from, being the same age and experiencing the same musical movements at the same time and in the same city. Its also a shrewd move.. the first two high flying birds singles were a refreshing change from Oasis and these initial more dance influenced offerings are a refreshing change from the usual high flying birds.
The guy isn’t afraid to stick his neck out a bit and that has to be applauded. While some of us may not agree with everything he says – and there can be a whiff of the Morrissey about him at times – he still knows how to write a tune and create a stir when releasing it.
The latest stir being his recent Guardian interview where younger sibling Liam comes in for his de rigeur drubbing, with Noel widdening the net a bit this time to include his brother’s two sons Lennon and Gene’s recent twitter pops at his and Meg Matthew’s daughter Anais. You have to wonder at times whether the Gallaghers are staking a claim for their own Osbournes / Kardashian type TV series.
The single itself is a slightly more trippy affair than the more disco infused Black Star Dancing and more reminiscent of the pop psychedelia of the likes of 90’s short stays Kula Shaker (a reference he will hate) or a spliffed out Jesus Jones (another he will hate) or something more 90’s Primal Scream / Andy Weatherall-ish (a reference he is more likely to approve of).
With a funky, rolling guitar (or high bass?) riff throughout, analogue arpeggios and bubbly spaced out synths and accompanying female vocals -including a sisters of Mercy-esque Dominion wailing female vocal breakdown (he’ll hate that reference for sure) there is a definite 90’s vibe going on.
Its doesn’t quite hit the spot that BSD did, but that’s just personal opinion, I like it, quite a lot actually and look forward to hearing the whole EP on the back of it. Keep em coming Noel.
Check out This Is The Place below:
