Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds - ‘We’re Gonna Get There In The End’ (Demo) Review

Lately, Noel Gallagher has been, in his own words, “writing and noodling”, resulting in a new demo, ‘We’re Gonna Get There In The End’. Released in the last hours of 2020, this upbeat anthem of resilience and positive thinking is an unlikely – but welcome – summation of an unprecedented year, a sort of trophy at the end of a marathon. It is also Noel’s striking return to his original form, which will delight the critics and his fans alike. Reminiscent of hits such as “Don’t Look Back In Anger” and “Champagne Supernova”, this demo could easily be mistaken for an Oasis track, or at least Noel’s first solo titular album, “Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds”.

Full of that classic Oasis sound, with its rousing seventh chords and defiant attitude, this demo seems to be an already perfectly crafted song, that would only suffer from over-production if developed further. Lyrically, it is a simple yet effective ballad of hope for better times ahead. Directly addressing the audience with a plea – “give it half a chance and the world might find a way” – Noel reassures us, his friends, that “we’re gonna get there in the end”.  A clear reference to the current pandemic and the abrupt halt to our normal existence, this song equally reminds us of the fleetingness of life – “life is trip that you don’t take twice” – and its value, reaffirmed by the possibilities of the future.

 

The accompanying music video presents a view of the world that is dominated by empty streets and landscapes – no people, no traffic, not even Noel himself. Yet the world is not falling apart; it is merely lying in expectation for our return. This is depicted at the end of the video with people’s re-emergence on the crosswalk, as we are told, “you are spending too long inside, take a walk outside”. Although it may go against current government guidelines – do you reeeaaally need to take a walk outside? – this command speaks more of the regenerative message of the song. It encourages us to not remain insular in the current time of division, but to connect to others, since we all share the same feelings of frustration and alienation, and could all benefit from a bit of hope.

 

This moment of connection is clearly present in the YouTube comments section for this demo, with Noel not only managing to reunite his fans through a shared uplifting message, but also by returning to the kind of song-writing he is loved for; long may it continue!

Liza Kupreeva

@lizakupreeva

Image: https://www.spin.com/2020/12/noel-gallagher-high-flying-birds-demo-were-gonna-get-there-end/