Liam 2nd album news

My review is imminent.

Shockwave - It combines elements of BMRC, glam & blues to pretty good effect, even if it is a bit of a plodder. It's impact on me probably diminished a little over time but I can't deny its a fun little romper and a good choice for a comeback single.
7/10

One of Us - Manages to sound modern and fresh while also sounding a bit like Ian Brown and a bit like The Verve in places. Love the way the bass bounces along.  The strings are great then there's that gorgeous gospel-tinged outro. Unlike Shockwave, this actually grew on me more as the weeks rolled by.
8/10

Once - Beautiful track. I'd say it's arguably the best ballad Liam has done. His voice sounds powerful yet somehow delicate. Musically, I like how it just gradually builds until the drums kick in on the second verse, then the orchestration starts creeping in. I'm also a fan of the spoken "Once, Once, Once" interlude. Gives it a bit of a modern feel, and I love the way the drums work their way into a gallop.
8.5/10

Now That I've Found You - It's so unshamefully joyful and twee and bouncy; sickly sweet and sugar coated. I feel like I should hate it but like an absolute sugar junkie, I can't get enough, It makes me bob my head and smile, and honestly, the sheer joyfulness of the music fits the narrative of the song.
9/10

Halo - Another once that really makes me smile, and really, what more do you want from a song than that? And honestly, I'm not just smiling because of some of the silly lyrics; I actually they work well with lunacy and oddness of the music backing them up. Can see why it has been likened to Bring The Light with the 50s/60s blues piano that drives the song in parts. It's just heaps of fun.
8/10

Why Me, Why Not - Big fan of this too. Verses keep it simple and feel a bit dramatic and moody. The bridge bit leading up to the chorus is very Beatles/Lennon, then the chorus comes in which is very modern sounding and laid back, just sweeping along. Somehow, all 3 elements come together very well.
8/10

Be Still - It reminds me so much of something else but I can't quite put my finger on what it is. Lyrically, probably the strongest so far. It's got a bit of swagger about it and really, just a very cool vibe, It's all quite simple really but I enjoy it immensely.
8/10

Alright Now - Man, I just absolutely love this. So much. First time iI heard it, for the first 5-10 seconds I thought it was going to some kind of joke. By the end of the song, I had to go back and start it again. It's just so different for Liam. He delivers it absolutely beautifully. The vocal melody and harmonies are so good, lyrics are good, the playing is tight, and that transition into the bit that goes; "By the pinball lights..." oh my, it's just delightful. And then there is the small matter of that Harrison-esque solo about half way through that goes back into the above mentioned transition. Even the fade out, I absolutely love, mainly because he's singing; "At time I wonder if you hear me..." as it fades. I love everything about this and dislike nothing.
10/10

Meadow - I'm getting Beatles in the verses, Pink Floyd in the chorus. Really like the Harrison-esque, All Things Must Pass type solo that starts in the second chours. It all sounds lovely, and has a nice vibe and just breezes along. Overall, its not completely mind blowing or amazing but it's pleasant and I think its placement on the album makes the next track sound huge.
6.5/10

The River - Yeah, so, having just been floating along listening to Meadow, when this comes on, it sounds massive. I think it's very cleverly placed on the album. Having after Meadow really accentuates how much of a romp it is. Love the bass and the drums. Just an enjoyable, dark and moody modern-sounding rocker.
7.5/10

Gone - Quite a cinematic finish that sounds like a distant cousin of D'You Know What I Mean, at least to my ears. Loving the whole vibe of this track, and the orchestration is particularly impressive. I'm also a fan of the Liam spoken word bit. Strong finish.
8/10


Overall, I'm gonna give Why Me, Why Not a well deserved 8/10.

No shame in saying I am a pretty big Liam fanboi and I'd probably enjoy him trying to sing the sound of a thousand farts for 3 minutes, so perhaps that impacts the scores I'm giving these tracks and this album, but what will be will be.

For me, it's a step up from As You Were. Liam sounds better, it's got better production and it's more consistent. There are genuinely no songs I feel the need to skip (When I'm In Need & I Get By were ones I would often skip on As You Were) I like how the album is sequenced, particular the run from Alright Now through to Gone. The orchestration throughout is top notch and they've done a great job at getting Liam's Beatles/Lennon obsession peppered throughout the album without it being embarrassing or pastiche. I also admire some of the braver tracks on this album. One of Us is very modern and fresh, Now That I Found You is pure sugary pop rock and Alright Now (even with the Harrison-esque solo) is 70s balladry all over.

I assume this album is going to be a commercial success which means we should at least get a 3rd Liam solo record. I'd be happy if he stuck with Wyatt & Kurstin because he seems to have found the winning formula but I would definitely like to hear Liam get more adventurous. I wonder what they could come up with if Liam got Dave Sitek back into the mix. I think production-wise, that second Beady Eye album had some good ideas but for the most part, the songs just weren't good enough. With Liam writing with Wyatt & Kurstin, and Sitek producing, we might get something more sonically daring.

Some thoughts on first listen:

- There's no clunkers (maybe Meadow is a bit unnecessary), the flow is fine but the last songs are weaker.
- The rockers don't do much to me, they're better than some of his previous attempts but far from special.
- Production is less great than expected and a bit strange: Shockwave sounds to me like some parts were glued together, the start of One of Us is confusing, Halo is a total mess imo, Meadow is too reverb-soaked.
- His voice is amazing throughout (except maybe the start of Now That I Found You?), the falsettos are glorious.
- Now That I Found You is catchy as fuck and Once is a fantastic ballad.
- Was really looking forward to Alright Now, as it seemed quite controversial. Disappointed on 1st listen but it might be due to the expectations.

Glimmer is quite great, but I believe I've liked EVERY.SINGLE.SONG with that kind of Strokish drums

Meadow should have been replaced by Invisible Sun. Because Meadow is utterly terrible and Invisible Sun is great - sounds like Gas Panic, Go Let It Out and Who Feels Love stood in a circle giving eachother hand jobs.

I think the sole purpose of Meadow is to make The River sound big. Its weird they released The River because I think if the first time I heard it was after Meadow, the impact would have been greater.

Having said that, I don't mind Meadow at all.

Just decided....

Best moment of the album....

"When the lights go down on Broadwaaay"

Alright Now been the biggest suprise for me. what a song.

Well alright now, fuck, I’m now blown away by “alright now”

Thought it was fun filler at first, but it’s actually one of the most profound moments on the album. The outro is genuinely moving.

I’m really really really really enjoying this album. Looking forward to blasting the vinyl at the weekend hopefully? Pre-ordered the collectors edition months ago through the official store but haven’t received any despatch emails yet though? Anyone else in the same boat ?

Yes, yes, yes. Alright Now is spectacular.

I saw something on Twitter other day and thought everyone received there vinyl early? Might have just been Amazon tho

Alright Now and Meadow are my favourites outside of Once which is the best track. Misunderstood and Glimmer are better than some of the album tracks. The two sounds that seem to be combined in terms of the production across these songs is solo Lennon/Harrison, and 90/00s soft rock. All good things.

I cant get past "when I get too cold shes my mittens and my coat, when I get too warm shes my lager nuts and coke"...sorry they kill the best song for me. Pretty solid record though, as you were part2, which is no bad thing. Fun record, always nice to hear liam singing, wont change the world. 6/10

I thought it was "nice and cold".

Interesting that the closer, Gone, has that same kind of spaghetti western vibe as the closer on Noel's last album (The man who built the moon).

It might be tbf, still naff tho

I really don't mind those Halo lyrics at all. I think it fits the jauntiness of the song quite nicely tbh. It's definitely not so bad that it spoils the song for me.

I also don't get how this is As You Were: Part 2. The whole album has got a completely different feel to it IMO. A little more care-free and laid back.

I'm probably an outlier in that for me Be Still is probably my least favourite track - the vocal is pretty rough, but even the instrumentation is very fake-rock pop. Like Kelly Clarkson as rock-chick stuff.

Playing the album on repeat so I'm now back on Alright Now - Elton John was what I thought of when I first heard it; it's very 70s - Todd Rundgren and whatnot, but by the "pinball lights" stuff it's Lennon/Harrison. And then that guitar (?) solo hammers it home. The fade out adds to the retro feel.

And now Meadow is, yeah - Beatles intro (Blue Jay Way throughout, really), very McCartney-ish bouncy bassline, and a standout vocal. The lyric is a bit pedestrian but the sound/production/feel is really quite great.

This is abit special

Very nice. Think I probably prefer that to the album version tbh.