Liam Gallagher
C'mon You Know

LA RECENSIONE

If the first solo album was the big comeback and the second the (well-deserved) victory lap, the third record for Liam Gallagher can and must mean one thing: turning point.

With his older brother slightly behind schedule and a mega concert/comeback at Knebworth (this time, obviously, as a solo artist) on the horizon, the former Oasis frontman had no choice; to the usual roster of writers and producers who have helped him over the past five years (top-tier names like Andrew Wyatt, Simon Aldred of Cherry Ghost, and especially the king Midas Greg Kurstin), additional absolute-level names are added such as Tove Lo, Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend, and especially Dave Grohl, on drums in the super single "Everything Electric" which was released as the first track from this new "C’Mon You Know."

In the twelve tracks that make up the setlist, Liam this time almost completely abandons the usual Beatles legacy (Lennon side), Stones, and of course Oasis; after all, an opener like "More Power," which begins with a children's choir and ends with a melody that could be something by the Brian Jonestown Massacre, says a lot. And it gets even better with the double "Diamond In The Dark" / "Don’t Go Halfway"; if the first launches into a funk/blues reminiscent of the Arctic Monkeys’ "AM" era, the second drowns Liam's usual fierce vocals in a sea of fuzzy guitars.

The second single and title track starts as a homage to the singer’s previous band, Beady Eye, only to surprise with an acid instrumental ending, and it's one of the few tracks on the album to align with Gallagher's recent past, along with the inevitable mega ballad and potential hit "Too Good For Giving Up" (widely recognized, rightly, as a direct heir to "Stop Crying Your Heart Out") and the crystal clear 90's britpop of "It Was Not Meant To Be."

If "The World’s In Need" updates the classic U2's "Desire" to today's indie scene, "Moscow Rules" is indisputably the brainchild of the aforementioned Koenig, who designs a high-fashion suit around Liam's voice aiming for subtle soundtrack-like atmospheres, complete with sax and a highly refined and suave arrangement. "I’m Free" starts like a punch in the face in Stooges style and then dissolves into a languid dub, the third single "Better Days" (with Tove Lo's influence here) recalls the best nineties Chemical Brothers (those around "Let Forever Be" height, more or less, where Noel's voice was no coincidence) and "Oh Sweet Children" closes aiming not for the usual Lennon, but for the more baroque and charming McCartney.

A decisive step forward for Liam. And now everything is truly ready for the new triumph of Knebworth.

Best track: Diamond In The Dark