Noel Gallagher surprises fans with a brand new single

IT’S not even November, but for many in bucket hats and parkas Christmas has already come early.

I can reveal Oasis star Noel Gallagher will unveil his return today with a new single — the lead track from a fourth studio album with his band High Flying Birds five years after their previous effort.

I’ve already heard Pretty Boy, which hits radio for the first time this morning, featuring Noel’s pal and rock supremo Johnny Marr on lead guitar.

It marks a change in direction from the band’s sound to explore new styles, with haunting echoing vocals reminiscent of Noel’s early records combining with a grinding bass line and oscillating guitar riffs.

It’s an instant hook, which those close to Noel tell me will be the precursor to a full record early next year.

The record is also the first full album Noel has recorded at his own North London studio ­complex, Lone Star Sound, where I was lucky enough to be given a tour as it opened.

He told me how excited he was to produce new music in the custom space, which is ­littered with artwork and memorabilia from his career.

Speaking about the debut track, Noel explains: “For this new record it was the first thing I wrote, the first thing I demoed and the first thing I finished, so it’s only right that it’s the first thing people get to hear.

“Massive shout out to my mainest man Johnny Marr for taking it somewhere special!”

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds’ previous studio album Who Built The Moon?, was released in 2017, charting at No1 in the Official Albums Chart on release — their third to do so — while in June 2021 he released a Best Of anthology of the band’s ten years together.

And he crowned a bumper 12 months with a brilliant appearance on Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage — one of the festival’s highlights.

Check out Pretty Boy from this morning, where it will be played for the first time on Radio 2 around 8.30am.

You’ll be glad you did.