Cmon You Know＜限定盤/Blue Vinyl＞

Cmon You Know opens with children singing the chorus to "More Power," a sound thats not necessarily unheard on rock records but one that often conveys a sweetness so cloying its saccharine. To Liam Gallaghers credit, "More Power" is a place where he avoids sentimentality: the childrens chorus is intended to convey a broadened musical range, instead. Cmon You Know winds up covering a fair amount of musical ground, balancing stately power ballads and heavy-footed rockers -- the core elements of Gallaghers style -- with such unpredictable left turns as the trippy Bo Diddley strut "Worlds in Need" and the teatime psychedelia of "Moscow Rules." The latter was written in conjunction with Vampire Weekends Ezra Koenig, and he and his frequent collaborator Ariel Rechtshaid co-produce the track with Andrew Wyatt, who produces the lions share of Cmon You Know, as he has on every Liam album since 2017s As You Were. The Koenig co-write along with "Everythings Electric" -- written in conjunction with Dave Grohl and Greg Kurstin, whose sound dominated 2019s Why Me? Why Not. -- hint at a riskier record than CMon You Know often is, yet the slight flair Wyatt layers throughout the comfort food Gallagher offers does make a difference, as does the commitment of Liam. Nearly three decades into his career, Gallagher retains a slight edge to his voice that enlivens even staid settings, but this gift isnt necessarily necessary as his urgent delivery does give the album a driving force. Hes working in a tonier setting, relying heavily on studio wizardry and polish, yet Liam Gallagher remains a rock & roll star, the kind who turns generic material into something worth a listen. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

ジャケも最高なサード・アルバムが完成! ソロ転向後の2作がいずれも全英1位を獲得し、若い世代も取り込んでアイコニックな存在感を改めて確立してきたマンチェスターのロックンロール・スターだが、今回も引き続きグレッグ・カースティンやアンドリュー・ワイアットを起用して現代的な音像を無理なく己の掌中に手繰り寄せている。デイヴ・グロールが共作/参加した先行シングル"Everything's Electric"ではクラシック・ロックの普遍性をフレッシュに奏でる一方、あの人の絡んだあの曲を連想させるサイケなビッグビート風味の"Better Days"もあるなど、屈託のなさが楽しい。
bounce (C)大原かおり