Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds To Release Anniversary ‘Best Of’ Package

To celebrate their first ten years, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds release Back The Way We Came: Vol 1 (2011-2021), a definitive 18 track best of package, on 11 June via Sour Mash Records. Back The Way We Came is a timely reminder of the breadth and depth of classic songs from the of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds’ first decade.

Curated and compiled entirely by Noel, the track listing for Back The Way We Came: Vol 1 (2011-2021) encompasses songs from High Flying Birds’ three UK Number One albums Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Chasing Yesterday and Who Built The Moon? together with the three acclaimed EPs Black Star Dancing, This Is The Place and Blue Moon Rising. Back The Way We Came: Vol 1 (2011-2021) also features two brand new songs produced by Noel Gallagher & Paul ‘Strangeboy’ Stacey: We’re On Our Way Now and Flying On The Ground.

We’re On Our Way Now is the first of the two new singles to be released as a music video and is directed by Dan Cadan & Jonathan Mowatt (aka Scully) for Rankin. The video was inspired by French New Wave cinema and stars actors Matt Smith and Gala Gordon, alongside a cameo appearance from Noel Gallagher himself.

Speaking about the single’s influence, Noel said: “It’s a song about not getting to say goodbye and the frustration of things left unsaid.”

“It was Scully’s genius idea to pay homage to French New Wave cinema,” said director Dan Cadan. “He cut together a brilliant video using footage from the Jean-Luc Godard game-changer A Bout De Souffle (Breathless) to show how it would work. Everyone was convinced and so we set about writing a treatment that would pay homage to the movement, paying particular attention to that film and another Godard classic, Band A Part. Renowned for rejecting convention and tradition, French New Wave cinema has a timeless aesthetic that boldly favours experimentation and an iconoclastic spirit. NG embodies all of the above, so it’s the perfect fit.”

“Doing a music video with the greatest songwriter me and my mates have ever seen, bar none – it’s a decent day at the office!” added Matt Smith. “I thank you, NG.”

As well as standard editions, Back The Way We Came: Vol 1 (2011-2021) will also be available on limited edition deluxe formats with a bonus disc including previously unreleased acoustic versions, remixes, instrumentals and an unheard demo. There will also be a limited edition numbered, hand-pressed, coloured double LP with exclusive art print released for Record Store Day on 12^th June 2021, of which Noel Gallagher has been announced as the official ambassador for this year’s celebrations.

With his long history of supporting indie record stores and five Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds’ Record Store Day releases amongst the event’s best-selling vinyl, Noel Gallagher is undeniably the perfect artist to take on this year’s ambassador role.

Since establishing Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, successors to the legendary Oasis, Gallagher has never sat still creatively. He’s mastered the art of embracing an instinctive sonic evolution and creative freedom whilst never neglecting the songcraft. From the New Orleans brass powered blast of debut single The Death Of You And Me to the self-produced psych-pop and space bound experimentation of Chasing Yesterday and the disco saturated, sonic veer of Who Built The Moon? Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds have proven time and time again to be unshackled by genre and expectation.

Gallagher has successfully married this bold and blistering approach with huge commercial success with over 2.4 million albums sold internationally, including three UK Number One albums, making a record breaking ten UK consecutive Number One studio albums across his career. Coupled with relentless touring, globally, this is testament to Gallagher’s unerring ability to marry laser guided melodies and fearless creativity.

Speaking of the timings of High Flying Birds’ Best Of, Noel says: “10 years of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds??  Blimey! … Just think of all the things I could have done in that time!”

Back The Way We Came: Vol 1 (2011-2021) is available to pre order now on the in Standard 2 CD, Deluxe 3 CD and Double heavyweight LP formats, a limited edition Deluxe Box Set including deluxe vinyl LP, etched 7” plus 12” coffee table photo book and deluxe CD set, online store exclusive of Double LP picture disc and cassette formats and a limited edition numbered, hand pressed, coloured double LP with exclusive art print also released for Record Store Day.

Back The Way We Came: Vol 1 (2011-2021) track listing:

Disc 1

1. Everybody’s On The Run

2. The Death Of You And Me

3. AKA … What A Life!

4. If I Had A Gun …

5. In The Heat Of The Moment

6. Riverman

7. Lock All The Doors

8. The Dying Of The Light

9. Ballad Of The Mighty I

10. We’re On Our Way Now

Disc 2

1. Black Star Dancing

2. Holy Mountain (Remastered)

3. A Dream Is All I Need To Get By

4. This Is The Place

5. It’s A Beautiful World

6. Blue Moon Rising

7. Dead In The Water (Live At RTÉ 2FM Studios, Dublin)

8. Flying On The Ground

Bonus Disc

1. It’s A Beautiful World (Instrumental)

2. If I Had A Gun … (Acoustic Version)

3. Black Star Dancing (Skeleton Key Remix)

4. Black Star Dancing (12” Mix Instrumental)

5. The Man Who Built The Moon (Acoustic Version)

6. International Magic (Demo)

7. Blue Moon Rising (Sons Of The Desert Remix)

8. The Dying Of The Light (Acoustic Version)

9. This Is The Place (Skeleton Key Remix)

10. This Is The Place (Instrumental)

11. Black Star Dancing (The Reflex Revision)

12. Be Careful What You Wish For (Instrumental)

Back The Way We Came: Vol 1 (2011-2021) is released on 11 June. For more information, and to pre-order, please visit https://noelgallagher.lnk.to/btwwcpr