LIAM GALLAGHER / JOHN SQUIRE
self-titled
[WEA - 2024]
There
are instances of things that occur without warning that make sense once
they do but not before. For instance, I didn’t have this particular
collaboration on my bingo card but it made sense as soon as it made
news. Two legendary Mancs who complement each other on a basic
level—Gallagher’s need for a proven songwriting guitarist and Squire, a
guitar hero looking for a voice for his tunes—make for an intriguing if
not not necessarily enticing pairing.
While there’s no Oasis or Stone Roses here, a strong reverence for music of the past is quite present: a bit of Merseybeat; a touch of psychedelic Beatles; some Hendrix and Page-influenced guitar licks, on what in essence is a 21st century classic rock record. Interestingly, its warm production comes from Greg Kurstin, the Grammy Award-winning producer and multi-instrumentalist best known for working with the likes of Adele, All Saints, Pink, Sia and Jessica Simpson.
But at the end of the day, the songwriting is what has to carry the heavy load. And in this regard, the album is a decent but somewhat tentative affair. It ably showcases the talents of both these gentlemen, but feels like a nice opening salvo for a collaboration which might bear sweeter fruit down the road.
Released March 1, 2024.
While there’s no Oasis or Stone Roses here, a strong reverence for music of the past is quite present: a bit of Merseybeat; a touch of psychedelic Beatles; some Hendrix and Page-influenced guitar licks, on what in essence is a 21st century classic rock record. Interestingly, its warm production comes from Greg Kurstin, the Grammy Award-winning producer and multi-instrumentalist best known for working with the likes of Adele, All Saints, Pink, Sia and Jessica Simpson.
But at the end of the day, the songwriting is what has to carry the heavy load. And in this regard, the album is a decent but somewhat tentative affair. It ably showcases the talents of both these gentlemen, but feels like a nice opening salvo for a collaboration which might bear sweeter fruit down the road.
Released March 1, 2024.
