One doesn’t order a record off the Noel Gallagher menu and expect to be served a pretentious fine dining experience that includes things you can barely pronounce. Instead, Gallagher is a well seasoned steak served with a bed of rice and veggies you can get at your local supermarket; and in this age of ‘pop’ bullshit where the radio plays only songs that are written by committee, a good old fashioned rock ‘n’ roll record is welcome.

Gallagher’s greatest gift has always been a recognizable hook backed with hummable lyrics and melody that could have been lifted from the Fab Four in ’65. Since Oasis bid adieu, NGHFB’s sound has been a little beefier than the previous band and comes without the let down of huge expectations. You get the feeling that Gallagher is enjoying himself again without the baggage that came with his former band and the sibling tension that rode with it. If he isn’t, he certainly is exorcizing the past. Like the Beatles post break-up, there seems to be messages littered throughout Chasing Dreams to the glorious past. Along with the obvious album title, songs “The Dying Of The Light”, “While The Song Remains The Same” and “You Know We Can’t Go Back” all play to the theme of times gone by, while other songs go back to Gallagher’s bread winning formula of songs for life affirmation.

As formula as one might accuse him of being, no one quite does it as well as Noel Gallagher. When he rocks out on “In The Heat Of The Moment”, “The Mexican” and “The Ballad Of The Mighty I” you can’t help but smile. Sure, like the song said, “you can’t go back”, but that doesn’t mean you can’t appreciate what you have in the here and now.

If you pick this up on vinyl it also comes with a CD. Enjoy!