Released: March 1
Liam Gallagher and John Squire prove themselves to be the ultimate supergroup as they unleash their epic self-titled debut album.
The Oasis frontman and Stone Roses guitarist were a dream pairing from the off, arriving last month with their debut single, Just Another Rainbow, showcasing Gallagher’s attitude-heavy vocals and Squire’s impeccable guitar skills. It’s one of 10 songs on the equally glorious record that offers the very best of the Manchester icons.
“I can’t wait for people to hear the album. I think the people that are into the Stone Roses and Oasis and that kinda thing, I think they’ll fucking love it. It’s spiritual, it’s crucial,” says the vocalist of the collection, which arrives 30 years on from his debut and came to life after the pair collaborated on stage at Knebworth.
Far from recreating the sounds of their respective acts, the record sees the duo present a sonic landscape all of their own; the stomping Raise Your Hands bears echoes of The Rolling Stones, channeling ‘60s and ‘70s rock, while Love You Forever is a stadium-sized anthem with a stunning display from Squire and I’m So Bored nods to the southern rock of Tom Petty in parts.
But songs like One Day At A Time slow things down and bring Gallagher’s emotive vocals to the fore. “It was a case of trying to steer it away from all being too rocky, and trying to mix up the sentiments,” adds Squire of the writing and recording process. “I like the way that in some parts, it’s quite melancholic and it can make you well up, but there are other parts that are kind of irreverent, rude or crude. There’s a little bit of everything in there, I think it’s a really good mix. I had a hunch that we’d sound good together, but I wasn’t prepared for it to be such a good fit.”
Arriving so soon into their collaborative process, the album touches on numerous references and is a creative sandbox for the pair to experiment and find their mutual sound. In doing so, it makes for a set that brings out the best of both musicians and, while the concise tracklist offers a smörgåsbord by way of sounds, it’s without question a highlight from both’s catalogues and the beginning of a potentially groundbreaking collaboration in British music.
