Noel Gallagher (Official Facebook)

Time has undoubtedly flown by, as over a decade has passed since the inception of Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds. Yet, the ex-Oasis chief songwriter, guitarist, and occasional lead singer continues to exude an unrelenting passion for his craft. This sentiment rings true with the arrival of his latest musical offering, "Council Skies." For their fourth album, "Council Skies," Noel Gallagher and producer Paul Stacey pull out all the stops on 11 tracks for the original album release. Starting with the soulful and feel-good 90s Brit-pop vibe of "I'm Not Giving Up Tonight," where Noel Gallagher's knack for vivid and introspective lyrics is on full display. Gallagher effortlessly combines imagery with snatches of oft-used phrases, which remains his strength. Here he writes, "The good lady said she's waiting for me, she's up on her bed as high as she can be. She's grooving to the sound of the music is all, I'm up in her room with silver and gold. The good lady said it's to free my soul," and sings it over a driving beat, rising strings, and hook melodies. On "Pretty Boy," Gallagher sets a mood as he vibes over drum-machine beats, pronounced basslines, and key-synths, channeling a definite early The Cure vibe. Joining Gallagher on this track is U.K. new wave royalty, guitarist Johnny Marr (The Smiths), who supplies additional guitar work. Meanwhile, the introspective "Dead To The World" features some truly captivating melodies to complement Gallagher's contemplative lyrics. As a band, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds is as tight as any rock band can be. Over the years, Gallagher, along with guitarist Gem Archer, drummer Chris Sharrock, bassist Russ Pritchard, percussionist Charlotte Marionneau, keyboardist Mikey Rowe, and backing vocalist Jessica Greenfield, guitarist Paul Stacey (the current album lineup), has established a sound that is uniquely theirs. Listen to "Open The Door, See What You Find," and you'll understand what the High Flying Birds are all about. Johnny Marr's added guitar definitely enhances the experience.

'Council Skies' by Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds official album art

Gallagher characterizes "Council Skies" as a nostalgic return to his roots, evoking innocent musings of daydreaming, gazing at the boundless sky, and contemplating what life holds. This sentiment is woven into the fabric of the album, evident in the gradual crescendo and elegant simplicity of "Trying To Find A World That's Been And Gone." The enchanting pop-psychedelia of "Easy Now" resonates as it encourages and assures that the future will manifest and lingering fears will dissipate as long as you move forward with what you are truly meant to do. It's genuinely good advice to take. The title track, "Council Skies," is another standout for Gallagher on this album, with its early 80s new wave vibe, driving rhythm, and hook guitar work. Marr is in the house! Gallagher delivers a series of impressive songs throughout the album, including tracks such as "There She Blows" (with its familiar opening melody line that recalls The Kinks' "All Day And All Of The Night"), the rousing "Love Is A Rich Man," and the equally memorable "Thinking Of A Number." NGHFB finishes with a flourish with the excellent "We're Gonna Get There In The End." Undoubtedly one of, if not the best, of Noel Gallagher's solo career. The Deluxe version of the album features a whopping 24 tracks, including live versions, covers, and guest appearances such as The Pet Shop Boys with the club track electronica of "Think Of A Number," the Robert Smith remix of "Pretty Boy," a concert version of "Live Forever," a cover of John Lennon's "Mind Games," and the Noel Gallagher-sung Oasis song "Don't Stop..."