Why Me? Why Not.

Description

desertcart Exclusive Slipcase Edition Good things come to those who wait: and so, this summer, Liam Gallagher returns with a new single, a documentary film, a Glastonbury performance, and, most importantly, a second solo album called Why Me? Why Not. looming on the Autumn horizon. It looks like the rest of 2019 will be a bonanza for fans of the one-time Oasis singer. One man is very happy about that. “I’m buzzing,” says Liam. “Buzzing to be alive, buzzing to be making tunes, raring to go. It’s nice to be back with some new music because it means I can get out there, play some gigs and give some people some stick because that is what I do. Let’s face it, it’s boring without me.” The first notification of his return is the mammoth single Shockwave. A beast of a riff announces it, channeling The Who and T Rex, before Liam bursts in on the incessant hook with typical venom and punch. ‘You sold me right down the river, you had to hold me back,’ he sings, ‘you could’ve looked for the sunshine, but you had to paint the whole thing black…’. You’ll be the singing the chorus for the rest of the year: “It’s coming round like a shockwave!” Like all of Why Me? Why Not, Shockwave was written by Liam with producers Greg Kurstin and Andrew Wyatt, and recorded in Los Angeles and at RAK Studios in London. Kurstin and Wyatt also contributed writing and production to Liam’s 2017 hugely-successful first solo album in 2017, As You Were, and Liam was keen to get even deeper with them this time. “I wrote some songs on my own for the last album, but this time it’s all co-writes,” he explains. “Reason being is I want it to be even better than As You Were. I know my strengths and I know my limitations. I’m an ok songwriter, but I’m a great singer and frontman. I want the second album to be a step-up because the hardest thing to do is to make something the same, only better. So that’s what we’ve done. It’s a better record than As You Were. Which is saying something, as that was epic, wasn’t it?” It was. Not just a critical hit, As You Were was a breath-taking commercial smash too, debuting at number one in the UK album charts, out-selling the other nine albums in the top ten combined and hitting gold in its first week. It has since comfortably been certified platinum. “It did ok,” says Liam, modestly, “but I can’t rest on my laurels. I need to be smashing it. I want to get bigger. I want even more people to be getting into it. I want to sell out huge fields, that’s what I want. I don’t want to be playing pubs. I always want to look forward. That’s my whole thing.” So Why Me? Why Not is subsequently a clear upgrade on As You Were, but not a radical departure, which will come as a relief to Liam’s loyal fans. “The most radical thing I can do – as if I’d ever say radical normally! – but the most radical thing I can do is do it better every time. Some other bands and singers want to try it! It’s harder than doing a new South American opera disco song, that’s for sure.” Highlights include the soulful One Of Us, which includes Liam’s son Gene Gallagher’s debut on bongos (“he nailed it!”), the aching balladry of Once (“got a bit of Pink Floyd’s The Wall about it”), the raw guitar bounce of Be Still, and the title track, Why Me? Why not, which Liam describes as “having a Beatles on Come Together vibe.” Perhaps the most immediate song on the album is Now That I Found You, a slice of insistent, upbeat paisley-guitar pop that also features Liam’s voice in supreme, yearning form. He’s rarely sounded better. “It’s probably all that Guinness I’ve been walloping down in the boozer,” he reveals. “No, I feel good. To be honest, I always sing well if the songs are good. If the songs are good, then I am – and these songs are great.” Liam Gallagher: both eyes firmly fixed on the horizon, as ever. Because he knows, the best is still come. Review: Liam's finest post-Oasis album so far. - I very nearly didn't buy this album. I've been fairly underwhelmed by Liam's post-Oasis career and tend to hold the opinion that if Liam hadn't have been part of the biggest band of the nineties, there's probably no way his work would have ever been released on its own merits. Sure, there have been quite a few decent songs, but there haven't been any years when I've been looking at my favourite albums of the year and either Beady Eye or Liam Gallagher solo albums have made the top twenty... or even perhaps top fifty. Liam's solo (and Beady Eye) albums are generally quite decent affairs, often featuring heavy Lennon or Beatle-esque influences and yet never coming close to hitting the kind of heights that Liam's heroes managed in the sixties and seventies, and the only people who give them rave reviews tend to be Oasis die-hards who still follow Noel and Liam in the 21st century the way Status Quo fans did in the nineties, with their double denims and sewn-on patches, locked in their loyalty and rabid fandom (or as Liam refers to his fans, his “Parka Monkeys”). They're no longer as relevant as they once were, but stick with them and you'll get the occasional rewarding few songs or above average album... which brings me on to Why Me? Why Not. Why Me? Why Not. is my favourite thing Liam has done since Oasis split in 2009. From the opening guitar riff and harmonica howl of the stomping Shockwave (file under: songs about Noel by Liam), the album is immediately likeable; a strong and catchy opening gambit. One Of Us is slightly unremarkable, although the strings arrangement in the latter part of the song is rather enjoyable and elevates the song somewhat. Once is Liam trying to make another early seventies John Lennon song (and starts a little like Jealous Guy too), but I willingly admit that it's a rather brilliant song and extremely uplifting. Now That I've Found You is a positive, upbeat and catchy enough composition and Halo has a winning piano riff and driving tempo (although I'm really not sure about the dodgy “we can bang a gong forever” or “she's teaching me that two plus two is four” lyrics); in music terms it's very pleasing, but lyrically very much in the “could do better” category. The title track of the album borrows the musical feel of I Am The Walrus (the drum beat, cello strokes and orchestral flourishes) and, honestly, I genuinely love it. Had this been released by ELO in the early seventies, it'd probably be a track I'd rave about, so I'm not going to be hypocritically sniffy about it just because it's a Liam Gallagher track. The follow track, Be Still, is a little forgettable; a bit of a B-side composition that adds nothing to the album. Alright Now is a very pleasant, slightly dreamy composition with very nice guitar solo; shame about the lazy fade out at the end, though. Meadow is a beautiful ballad with a distorted organ background and some George Harrison-esque guitar work that kicks in around the middle of the song; it's honestly the sort of subtle, beautifully understated track I'd be enthusing about if someone such as Neil Finn had written it, so it's only right that I enthuse about it now, as it's another excellent album highlight. The River is a swampy rock song with the kind of persistent drum beat and dirty guitars Oasis employed a few times; enjoyable enough yet perhaps lacking in a little originality. Gone is fairly decent and has the feel of a theme song to a modern western; the arrangements and instrumentation perhaps elevate this composition beyond its bare bones. The powerful relentless rock drums and drone vocals of Invisible Sun combined with the frantic drums and winding guitar work of the chorus prove to be a pleasing, enjoyable combination whereas Misunderstood is one of the lesser ballads on the album; there's simply not enough to make it stand out and yet it is certainly very listenable (there's even a cheeky borrow of the refrain from All Around The World's chords during the bridge). Glimmer ends the album on a high and it's a very upbeat, cheery song with a deft, light touch that is perhaps a little uncharacteristic of Gallagher, reminding me strongly of early Stone Roses. It's a smile-inducing curveball that adds the icing to the album's Mancunian cake. This is, unmistakably, a Liam Gallagher album and I imagine existing fans will absolutely love it and it may even win over those old Oasis fans who have been sceptical of Liam's career so far. Will it win him any new admirers? I very much doubt it. This isn't an album for people who prefer their music to be a bit more complex and I'd be surprised if there are more than four or five chords per song. Add to this fact that Liam's vocal lines aren't any more creative than anything we've previously heard from him before, but - and it's a substantial but - there are masterful touches in terms of arrangement, production and instrumentation that make this album cohesive, very listenable and immensely enjoyable. The musicianship on this album is genuinely wonderful and Liam has surrounded himself with co-writers and players who can elevate his music to higher plains than anyone would reasonably expect from a Liam Gallagher album. For those looking for fantastic lyrics, I suppose this album falls short a little too, as virtually every song is either lovingly or scathingly about other people or about relationships. However, as an enjoyable piece of indie-pop, steeped in sixties seventies influences, it's difficult to fault, other than it could probably have been a few tracks shorter and better as a result. It's certainly at least on a par with the last couple of Oasis albums. As a non-music related grumble, I have to admit that I found the lyrics in the CD booklet as well as the musician credits extremely difficult to read, as the print is so small; if you're going to print all the information about the record, it helps if it's of a size that your average person with pretty decent eyesight can actually read without the aid of a magnifying glass. Oasis fans are starting to get on a bit, y'know. Review: Comeback of the Rock 'n Roll King - When Liam Gallagher released his solo debut in 2017, no one could have expected it to sound so faithful to the Oasis sound of old, whilst taking on a more raw, modern edge. In short, it was a great modern rock record. And when he released his sophmore effort, 'Why Me? Why Not.', he did it again. The album has many, many highlights of just awesome rock music, distorted guitars and 'I don't care' attitude. The album's opener and lead single, 'Shockwave' is a pumping anthem lashing out a former lover who just wasn't a good person. It's got a great riff and big chorus, with Gallagher's vocals once again on full form. 'Once' is a good acoustic driven song that builds, and shows another side of Liam. 'Why Me? Why Not' is a good, egotistical track you'd expect from him, too, a pulsing title piece. 'Be Still' is a personal favourite with electrifying guitar and catchy chorus, matched only by 'Gone', with almost Western-style chorus and instrumental. The lyrics generally deal with Liam being independent and free, and honestly, how awesome it is that he is. And making this. The other tracks as well are certainly not filler, establishing a clear catalogue of softer and harder tracks, with clear inspirations from many artists - recent and new - which sound great. The desertcart Exclusive Edition comes with more tracks, but the only difference from the standard deluxe version is a nice slipcase. Which looks great but doesn't add a whole amount. Up to you if it's worth it. Either way, I highly recommend the record.