SOUND BITES

Noel Gallagher's second solo disc is aptly named, as the opening seconds and their none-too-subtle callback to Wonderwall will attest to; Riverman practically screams to be inserted into the Wonderwall/Boulevard of Broken Dreams mashup, but stands as a decent enough song on its own. Elsewhere, Gallagher displays a general tendency to recall his glory days through various lyrical and musical cues; it's even written in song titles like While the Song Remains the Same and You Know We Can't Go Back.  Chasing Yesterday does boast some strong songs, notably lead single In the Heat of the Moment , slow burner The Dying of the Light (which also features some of that Wonderwall vibe), and the thumping, majestic album closer Ballad of the Mighty I . Elsewhere, there are flashes of Sgt. Pepper-era Beatles ( The Girl With X-Ray Eyes ), nods to Stone Roses psych-soul ( The Right Stuff ) and ill-fated attempts at muscular rock ( The Mexican , an even more puzzling album inclusion...

Having already posted 50 songs that turned my crank in 2011, I realized just before writing this post that I need help.  My intention was to give honourable mention to five additional artists that, for various reasons, were omitted from the main list.  So, naturally, here are ten more.  I think this is the sign I'm a music addict.  If you ever see a guy walk into a hotel room on A&E's Intervention to find his family gathered to show concern over his growing music collection, that'll probably be me giving them the stink eye as I back into the corridor.