Liam Gallagher John Squire – Liam Gallagher John Squire

Britpop and Madchester titans Liam Gallagher and John Squire, of respective Oasis and Stone Roses fame, come together in what may be the first big surprise release of 2024 with the aptly titled album Liam Gallagher John Squire: a bluesy, occasionally psychedelic, guitar-fuelled joyride through all things rock ’n’ roll that, sometimes, plays it a bit too safe.

The album begins with Raise Your Hands: a characteristically Britpop-y opener propelled forward with the bounce of percussion, warm guitar threads and the instantly recognisable Gallagher snarl. It is a chanty call to arms for potential live audiences that, while being an undeniably rocky entry, runs at a slightly lengthy four minutes, and after a few rounds of Gallagher calling out “na-na-naa”, Raise Your Hands begins to border on repetitive.

I’m a Wheel sees Squire sling Stevie Ray Vaughan-inspired blues riffs in a soulful, blistering number. Imagine SRV’s Texas Flood, but infused with Gallagher’s trademark vocal twang. 

With its swaggering rhythms, full-bodied guitar tones and the sharp edge of Gallagher’s vocals that drive the track forward, it’s hard not to imagine that this was not designed with live performance in mind, and that becomes apparent throughout the entire album – from the glassy piano bars of You’re Not the Only One, to the manic guitar solos of I’m So Bored and the thumping Jimi Hendrix-esque guitar-work of Love You Forever.

Just Another Rainbow, the pair’s lead single, is where we begin to enter “Stone Roses” territory: tumbling basslines laying the groundwork, cut with slashing, spiralling guitar lines and deep shades of Beatles-inspired psychedelic melodies. Like much of Liam Gallagher John Squire, the closing track Mother Nature’s Song is a fusion of the duo’s musical influences – here they channel George Harrison where thick, swirly slide guitar floats above a surprisingly calm, acoustic-driven melody. Sometimes, these influences can be overwhelmingly self-aware, the John Lennon influence, in particular, cannot be more apparent, from Gallagher crooning “I got a candy coloured tangerine…” in Make It Up As You Go Along to his low growl of “There’s blood in my custard…” in I’m a Wheel. It’s Sgt Peppers in appearance, but without the substance that made Lennon’s lyrics so endearing.

For those expecting a Britpop/Madchester hybrid super-album that unites the tones of Stone Roses and Oasis, then this release may come as a bit of a shock. Gallagher’s sharp vocals are still here (there are some things you just can’t change), and Squire’s guitar prowess comfortably takes centre stage, but Liam Gallagher John Squire is more Rolling Stones than Stone Roses, where meaty guitar lines are given free rein and lively, Bayou-born rhythms take control. While Squire is a joy to listen to as he lets loose, hurling expertly-devised guitar solos at his audience, and Gallagher’s spikey vocals are sharper than ever, occasionally the record can begin to feel a bit “by-the-numbers”; an exercise in varying interpretations of rock, from classic blues to the psychedelic that, while piecing together all the crucial elements, rarely leaves us guessing.

Ronan Fawsitt
Image: Tom Oxley

Liam Gallagher John Squire is released on 1^st March 2024. For further information or to order the album visit Liam Gallagher John Squire’s website here.

Watch the video for the single Just Another Rainbow here: