Liam Gallagher & John Squire＜限定盤/Picture Vinyl＞

Its a pairing that, in retrospect, was inevitable. Liam Gallagher and John Squire, two titans of Mancunian modern rock, underwent a severed alliance with their chief collaborators that proved irreparable. Gallagher parted ways with his brother Noel once their infighting became too much to bear in Oasis, while Squire gamely attempted to mend fences with Ian Brown within the confines of the Stone Roses, but their 2010s reunion frayed before the completion of a new album. Squire chose to retreat in this defeat, while Gallagher carved out his own identity outside of Oasis, one that adhered to the groups traditionalism while also embracing contemporary sounds by working with a variety of big-name producers who doubled as co-writers, developing a particular kinship with Greg Kurstin. After Gallagher invited Squire to appear on-stage on his headlining show at the Knebworth Festival in 2022, the pair eased into a partnership recognizing that each filled a respective need: Squire needed a singer, Gallagher needed guitars. After establishing their musical parameters -- Bee Gees, Sex Pistols, Faces; everything youd expect, nothing you wouldnt -- the singer let the guitarist write all the songs, just as Squire did back in the glory days of the Stone Roses. The process and touchstones may be the same, but theres no denying that times have changed. Imaginative retro revivals have been codified into classicism, and the youthful roar has mellowed, taking along with it the desire to dabble in fashionable sounds. Theres nary a hint of acid house to be found on Liam Gallagher & John Squire, nor is there a sense of hungry abandon, leaving the focus squarely on the duos craft and musicianship. The pairs taste and attitude mesh seamlessly, not only in how they favor hooks every bit as catchy as the melodies but in how Gallaghers inherent sneer brings Squires latent defiance to the forefront while also adding emotional complexity; witness how he layers a hint of regret in the profane kiss-off of "you shouldve f*cked me when you had the chance" on "One Day at a Time," nuance Brown never wouldve been able to manage. Although Liam Gallagher & John Squire feels familiar, neither party is operating on cruise control. Squire pushes Gallagher into bluesier territory, a challenge the vocalist embraces with grit and glee, while the presence of Gallaghers chosen producer Kurstin forces Squire to abandon his obsessive tendencies. Kurstin gives the album a bright pop that helps steer the ten songs away from nostalgia. Theres no denying the sensibilities of Liam Gallagher & John Squire lie in 20th century guitar rock, but theres a freshness in how the duos sensibilities intertwine that gives the record a warm, welcoming pulse. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine