9 Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds

Chasing Yesterday SOUR MASH 2015, £6.89 You say: “Hits the sweet spot between Oasis nostalgia and a new direction for Noel.” The Joshua Treehugger, Twitter On release of his second solo record, Noel recalled how he and Gem Archer would reflect on critiques of late-Oasis stodginess, wondering, “What do they expect – space-jazz?” This, clearly, was to prepare the troops for Chasing Yesterday’s expansion on solo Noel’s first freedoms, to include sax solos (hear blissful, West Coast-ish opener Riverman) and two revised outtakes from a shelved collaboration with cosmic ’90s dance troupe Amorphous Androgynous. Themes of middle-aged ravers regaining the old magic, and an appearance by Johnny Marr on wonderfully dreamy disco-pumping closer Ballad Of The Mighty I, sealed another chart-topping victory.