Council Skies

Last updated

Council Skies
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Council Skies.png
Studio album by
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
Released2 June 2023 (2023-06-02)
Recorded2021–2022
Studio
Genre Alternative rock
Length42:31
Label Sour Mash
Producer
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds chronology
Back the Way We Came: Vol. 1 (2011–2021)
(2021)		Council Skies
(2023)
Singles from Council Skies
  1. "Pretty Boy"
    Released: 31 October 2022
  2. "Easy Now"
    Released: 17 January 2023
  3. "Dead to the World"
    Released: 23 March 2023
  4. "Council Skies"
    Released: 20 April 2023
  5. "Open the Door, See What You Find"
    Released: 31 May 2023

Council Skies is the fourth studio album by English rock band Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds. Produced by Noel Gallagher and longtime engineer Paul Stacey, it was released on 2 June 2023, through Gallagher's label Sour Mash Records. [1] It is the first album Gallagher has recorded in his own recording studio: Lone Star Studios with string sessions taking place at Abbey Road Studios in April 2022. Five singles were released from the album: "Pretty Boy", "Easy Now", "Dead to the World", "Open the Door, See What You Find" and the title track "Council Skies".

Contents

Background

Gallagher began demoing the album in late 2021 with sessions commencing at Lone Star Studios in January 2022. Johnny Marr features on three tracks on the album, including lead single: "Pretty Boy". [2]

Gallagher has described the album as "going back to the beginning. Daydreaming, looking up at the sky and wondering about what life could be...". When discussing the album title, Gallagher said "The title comes from a book by the artist Pete McKee. I was writing the song which was to become Council Skies, but it wasn't called Council Skies. There's a bit in the song when I was writing it, where a phrase was missing - I didn't know what that phrase was gonna be." He went on to say: "Pete's book happened to be on my coffee table at home. So I called him up and said, Can I use this title? And he said yeah. And I rewrote the song and then subsequently a lot of other things started to fall into place.". [3]

Artwork and cover

The artwork is taken by Kevin Cummins and features the band's live equipment set up on the original centre spot of where Manchester City's Maine Road football stadium once stood.

Singles

On 31 October 2022, the song "Pretty Boy" was released as the first single. On 17 January 2023, "Easy Now" was released as the album's second single. On 23 March 2023, "Dead to the World" was released as the album's third single. On 20 April 2023, "Council Skies" was released as the album's fourth single. On 31 May 2023, "Open the Door, See What You Find" was released as the album's fifth single.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.6/10 [4]
Metacritic 81/100 [5]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [6]
American Songwriter Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [7]
Clash 8/10 [8]
Classic Rock 8/10 [9]
The Independent Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [10]
Mojo Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [11]
NME Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [12]
Record Collector Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [13]
Rolling Stone UK Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [14]
Uncut 8/10 [15]

Council Skies received critical acclaim from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from publications, the album received an average score of 81 based on 11 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". [5]

Emma Harrison of Clash wrote of Council Skies that it was "Surefooted, revelatory, well-rounded and emotionally deep, 'Council Skies' cements his reputation as one of the best songwriters the UK has ever produced. This collection of songs is one of his finest post-Oasis offerings, and it feels like the album that Noel and his High Flying Birds have been aching to make". [8]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Noel Gallagher, except tracks 3 and 13 of the bonus CD, written by John Lennon and Bob Dylan respectively [16]

Council Skies track listing
No.TitleLength
1."I'm Not Giving Up Tonight"4:06
2."Pretty Boy"4:48
3."Dead to the World"4:09
4."Open the Door, See What You Find"3:59
5."Trying to Find a World That's Been and Gone: Part 1"2:57
6."Easy Now"3:52
7."Council Skies"4:39
8."There She Blows!"3:56
9."Love Is a Rich Man"4:21
10."Think of a Number"5:41
Total length:43:00
Limited edition CD bonus track
No.TitleLength
11."We're Gonna Get There In the End"4:13
Total length:47:13
Japanese CD bonus track
No.TitleLength
11."Easy Now" (Acoustic)3:36
Total length:46:36
Bonus 7" on the limited LP edition
No.TitleLength
1."We're Gonna Get There In the End"4:13
2."Pretty Boy" (Acoustic)4:47
Deluxe edition bonus CD
No.TitleLength
1."Don't Stop..."4:45
2."We're Gonna Get There In the End"4:13
3."Mind Games"4:32
4."Pretty Boy" (Instrumental)4:50
5."Dead to the World" (Instrumental)4:13
6."Council Skies" (Instrumental)4:42
7."Think of a Number" (Instrumental)5:46
8."I'm Not Giving Up Tonight" (David Holmes Remix)5:42
9."Think of a Number" (Pet Shop Boys Magic Eye 12" Remix)5:12
10."Pretty Boy" (Robert Smith Remix)5:43
11."Council Skies" (The Reflex Revision)5:25
12."Flying on the Ground" (Radio 2 Session, 08/09/21)3:14
13."You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" (Radio 2 Session, 08/09/21)2:17
14."Live Forever" (Radio 2 Session, 08/09/21)4:49
Total length:108:00

Personnel

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds

Additional musicians

Backing vocalists

Production

Design

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [39] Silver60,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<i>Heathen Chemistry</i> 2002 studio album by Oasis

Heathen Chemistry is the fifth studio album by English rock band Oasis. It was released on 1 July 2002 by Big Brother Recordings. It is the first Oasis studio album recorded with guitarist Gem Archer and bassist Andy Bell, who both joined the band after work on previous album Standing on the Shoulder of Giants had been completed. It is the last album to feature longtime drummer, Alan White, who left in early 2004, with Noel Gallagher citing White's lack of commitment to the band as the reason for leaving.

<i>The Masterplan</i> (album) 1998 compilation album by Oasis

The Masterplan is a compilation album by the English rock band Oasis. It was released on 2 November 1998 by Creation Records and was the band's final release through the label. The album comprises B-sides that the band had not previously included on an album. Initially intended for release only in regions such as the United States and Japan, where the tracks were previously available only on expensive European-import singles, The Masterplan reached number 2 in the UK, where it initially went platinum, and number 51 in the United States. However, it reached the Top 20 in various charts worldwide, selling 3 million copies. It has since been certified triple platinum in the UK. Four songs from the album appear on the 2006 compilation album Stop the Clocks.

<i>Standing on the Shoulder of Giants</i> 2000 studio album by Oasis

Standing on the Shoulder of Giants is the fourth studio album by English rock band Oasis, released on 28 February 2000. It was the band's first album under their new record label Big Brother Recordings. In the year preceding the album's release, Alan McGee closed Creation Records, and Oasis had lost two founding members and hired new producer Mark "Spike" Stent to replace Owen Morris.

<i>Dont Believe the Truth</i> 2005 studio album by Oasis

Don't Believe the Truth is the sixth studio album by English rock band Oasis. It was released on 30 May 2005 by Big Brother Recordings. It reached number one in the UK Albums Chart with first week sales of 237,865, and is the 32nd fastest selling album ever in the UK. The album entered the US charts at number 12, with 65,000 copies sold in the first week, the highest any Oasis album had reached there since 1997's Be Here Now, although its chart stay was brief. Don't Believe the Truth went triple platinum in the UK in the first week of 2006, and in the US has sold more than 200,000 copies.

<i>Never Gone</i> 2005 studio album by Backstreet Boys

Never Gone is the fifth studio album released by American vocal group Backstreet Boys as the follow-up to their fourth studio album Black & Blue (2000), after a short hiatus. Never Gone was originally due for release in 2004, but the release date for the album was pushed to June 14, 2005, for unknown reasons.

<i>Dance into the Light</i> 1996 studio album by Phil Collins

Dance into the Light is the sixth solo studio album by English drummer and singer-songwriter Phil Collins, released on 21 October 1996 in the United Kingdom by Face Value Records. It features guest backing vocals from some of Collins' touring accompanists, including Arnold McCuller and Amy Keys. It was the first album that Collins released as a full-time solo artist, having left Genesis earlier that year.

<i>Stop the Clocks</i> 2006 greatest hits album by Oasis

Stop the Clocks is a compilation album by English rock band Oasis. It was released on 20 November 2006 by Big Brother Recordings. The "retrospective collection" is an 18-track double album with the featured songs chosen by Noel Gallagher. It was certified 5× Platinum in the United Kingdom.

<i>But Here We Are</i> 2023 studio album by Foo Fighters

But Here We Are is the eleventh studio album by American rock band Foo Fighters, released on June 2, 2023. Produced by Greg Kurstin and the band itself, it is their first studio album since the death of their longtime drummer Taylor Hawkins on March 25, 2022. Frontman Dave Grohl performed and recorded the entirety of the album's drum tracks in Hawkins' absence. Two singles, "Rescued" and "Under You", were released ahead of the album, as well as "Show Me How" and "The Teacher" which were released as promotional singles. Drummer Josh Freese was announced as the band's new drummer for the supporting tour.

<i>22 Dreams</i> 2008 studio album by Paul Weller

22 Dreams is the ninth solo studio album by Paul Weller. It was released on 2 June 2008.

<i>Time Flies... 1994–2009</i> 2010 greatest hits album by Oasis

Time Flies... 1994–2009 is a compilation album by English rock band Oasis. Released on 14 June 2010 by Big Brother Recordings, the album contains all 27 UK singles released by the band between 1994 and 2009, including "Whatever" and "Lord Don't Slow Me Down", which had previously never appeared on an Oasis studio album. "Sunday Morning Call" is not listed anywhere on the artwork but appears as a hidden track on track 14 of the second disc.

<i>Noel Gallaghers High Flying Birds</i> (album) 2011 studio album by Noel Gallaghers High Flying Birds

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds is the debut studio album by English rock band Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds. Released on 17 October 2011, it is the first studio album released by frontman Noel Gallagher since his departure from Oasis in August 2009 and the group's eventual dissolution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds</span> British alternative rock band

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds are an English rock band formed in 2010 as the solo moniker of Oasis songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist Noel Gallagher. The touring band consists of former Oasis members Gem Archer (guitar), Mike Rowe (piano), and Chris Sharrock (drums), as well as former Zutons bassist Russell Pritchard. The band has also had a variety of guests contribute to albums such as the Crouch End Festival Chorus, Amorphous Androgynous, Johnny Marr, and Paul Weller.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds discography</span>

The English rock band Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds have released four studio albums, one compilation album, four extended plays (EPs), one box set, twenty-one singles and thirteen music videos. Originally formed by eponymous frontman Noel Gallagher in 2010 following his departure from Oasis, the band released their self-titled debut album in October 2011. It topped the UK Albums Chart and has since sold over 820,000 copies in the UK. Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds was supported by five singles, two of which reached the top 20 of the UK Singles Chart. B-sides from the first four of these were released in April 2012 as Songs from the Great White North...

<i>Be</i> (Beady Eye album) 2013 studio album by Beady Eye

Be is the second and final studio album by English rock band Beady Eye, released on 10 June 2013. It was recorded between November 2012 and March 2013. The album was produced by Dave Sitek who has previously produced records for Yeah Yeah Yeahs, TV on the Radio and Jane's Addiction. Be debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart behind Black Sabbath's 13. Despite receiving mixed reviews from contemporary critics, Be is considered by many fans to be an improvement from their debut album, Different Gear, Still Speeding and is notable for showcasing a rare experimental approach which departs from the sound of previous Beady Eye and Oasis albums.

<i>Chasing Yesterday</i> (album) 2015 studio album by Noel Gallaghers High Flying Birds

Chasing Yesterday is the second studio album by English rock band Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds. Written and produced by frontman Noel Gallagher, the album was recorded from 2012 to 2014 at Strangeways and Abbey Road Studios in London. It was released on 2 March 2015 by Gallagher's record label Sour Mash Records, preceded by the singles "In the Heat of the Moment" and "Ballad of the Mighty I". Chasing Yesterday topped the UK Albums Chart in its first week of release.

<i>Good Times!</i> 2016 studio album by the Monkees

Good Times! is the twelfth studio album by the American pop rock band the Monkees, released in 2016 by Rhino Records. Produced primarily by Adam Schlesinger, the album was recorded to commemorate the band's 50th anniversary. It was the first Monkees studio album since Justus (1996), marking the longest gap between releases to date, and the first since the death of band member Davy Jones. The album features surviving Monkees Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork, as well as a posthumous contribution from Jones.

<i>Who Built the Moon?</i> 2017 studio album by Noel Gallaghers High Flying Birds

Who Built the Moon? is the third studio album by English rock band Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds. Produced by David Holmes, it was released on 24 November 2017, through Gallagher's label Sour Mash Records. Four singles were released from the album; "Holy Mountain", "It's a Beautiful World", "She Taught Me How to Fly" and "If Love Is the Law".

<i>Back the Way We Came: Vol. 1 (2011–2021)</i> 2021 greatest hits album by Noel Gallaghers High Flying Birds

Back the Way We Came: Vol. 1 (2011–2021) is a compilation album by English rock band Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds. It was released on 11 June 2021 by Sour Mash Records. The album was curated and compiled by Noel Gallagher. The standard 2-CD version of the album includes tracks from the band's first three albums, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds (2011), Chasing Yesterday (2015) and Who Built the Moon? (2017), and the three EPs Black Star Dancing (2019), This Is the Place (2019) and Blue Moon Rising (2020), plus two previously unreleased tracks, "We're on Our Way Now" and "Flying on the Ground", the former of which was released as a single the same day as the announcement of the album, on 29 April 2021. A deluxe edition includes a third CD of alternative versions, instrumental versions and remixes of various tracks.

<i>Cmon You Know</i> 2022 studio album by Liam Gallagher

C'mon You Know is the third solo studio album by English musician Liam Gallagher, released on 27 May 2022 through Warner Records. Andrew Wyatt served as the album's primary producer and co-writer. It was preceded by lead single "Everything's Electric", co-written by Dave Grohl, which charted at #18 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming Gallagher's first solo single to reach the UK Top 20. "C'mon You Know", "Better Days","Diamond in the Dark", "Too Good for Giving Up" and "More Power" were also subsequently released as singles. The album was released the same day as Gallagher's second live album Down by the River Thames. Gallagher toured Europe, Oceania and Latin America in support of the album.

<i>66</i> (album) 2024 studio album by Paul Weller

66 is the seventeenth solo studio album by the English singer-songwriter Paul Weller. It was released on 24 May 2024 through Polydor Records and Solid Bond. The title is a reference to his 66th birthday, just a day after the release.

References

  1. ↑ "Noel Gallagher goes back to his roots on new album". RTÉ . 17 January 2023. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  2. ↑ Skinner, Tom (17 January 2023). "Noel Gallagher announces new album 'Council Skies', shares single 'Easy Now'". NME. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  3. ↑ "Where did Noel Gallagher get the album title Council Skies from?". Radio X . 17 January 2023.
  4. ↑ "Council Skies by Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  5. 1 2 "Council Skies by Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic . Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  6. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2 June 2023). "Noel Gallagher, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds – Council Skies Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic . Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  7. ↑ Horowitz, Hal (1 June 2023). "Review: Who Needs an Oasis Reunion When You Have Noel Gallagher's 'Council Skies'?". American Songwriter . Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  8. 1 2 Harrison, Emma (31 May 2023). "Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds – Council Skies". Clash. Archived from the original on 31 May 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  9. ↑ "Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds – Council Skies". Classic Rock . No. 315. July 2023. p. 84.
  10. ↑ Brown, Helen (1 June 2023). "Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, Council Skies review: Oasis brother relaxes into big, bittersweet tunes". The Independent . Archived from the original on 2 June 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  11. ↑ Doyle, Tom (2 June 2023). "Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds – Council Skies". Mojo . Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  12. ↑ Smith, Thomas (2 June 2023). "Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds – 'Council Skies' review: brighter than before". NME . Archived from the original on 2 June 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  13. ↑ Earls, John (21 May 2023). "Council Skies: Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds". Record Collector . Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  14. ↑ Reilly, Nick (1 June 2023). "Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds 'Council Skies' review: some of the best post-Oasis songs yet". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 12 June 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  15. ↑ Hasted, Nick (July 2023). "Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds – Council Skies". Uncut . No. 167. p. 27. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  16. ↑ "Council Skies Track Listing". 17 January 2023.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  17. ↑ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 12 June 2023". The ARIA Report. No. 1736. Australian Recording Industry Association. 12 June 2023. p. 6.
  18. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds – Council Skies" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  19. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds – Council Skies" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  20. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds – Council Skies" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  21. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds – Council Skies" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  22. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds – Council Skies". Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
  23. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds – Council Skies" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  24. ↑ "Official Irish Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  25. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds – Council Skies". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  26. ↑ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2023-06-12" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  27. ↑ "Oricon Top 50 Combined Albums: 2023-06-12" (in Japanese). Oricon . Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  28. ↑ "Billboard Japan Hot Albums: Week of June 7, 2023". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  29. ↑ "Weekly ROCK Album Ranking". Oricon. 6 June 2023. Archived from the original on 9 June 2023. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  30. ↑ "Charts.nz – Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds – Council Skies". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  31. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  32. ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds – Council Skies". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  33. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds – Council Skies". Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  34. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  35. ↑ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  36. ↑ "Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  37. ↑ "Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds Chart History (Top Tastemaker Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  38. ↑ "End of Year Albums Chart – 2023". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  39. ↑ "British album certifications – Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds – Council Skies". British Phonographic Industry.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.