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Beady Eye, ‘Different Gear, Still Speeding’ (Dangerbird)

On their first two albums, Oasis aimed to conquer the world. Then, having done that, the Manchester quintet began to believe their own headlines. Now minus main songwriter and driving force Noel Gallagher, the renamed others (frontman sibling Liam, guitarists Andy Bell and Gem Archer, drummer Chris Sharrock) have something to prove, and the result is their most eager-to-please music in years. Despite some substandard dross (“Wigwam” lolls on pointlessly for almost seven minutes) and cringe-inducing lyrics (“Millionaire”), high points like “The Roller” are almost unrecognizably bouncy. Getting away from his brother really does seem to make Liam happy.