Also known as the slightly less irritating half of Oasis' brotherly duo, Noel Gallagher was the main writing force behind the band. Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds ($12) is the eponymous debut from his new solo project, packed with songs that sound familiar, yet somehow different — and we're guessing it's due to the lack of Liam's nasally voice overpowering the proceedings. Not exactly a classic, but perfectly listenable — and that counts for a lot during a season of crappy Xmas pop.