It's 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.
chose to retreat in this defeat, while
carved out his own identity outside of
, one that adhered to the group's 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
invited
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:
needed a singer,
needed guitars. After establishing their musical parameters --
Bee Gees
,
Sex Pistols
Faces
; everything you'd expect, nothing you wouldn't -- the singer let the guitarist write all the songs, just as
did back in the glory days of
. The process and touchstones may be the same, but there's 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. There's 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 duo's craft and musicianship. The pair's taste and attitude mesh seamlessly, not only in how they favor hooks every bit as catchy as the melodies but in how
's inherent sneer brings
's 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 should've f*cked me when you had the chance" on "One Day at a Time," nuance
Brown
never would've been able to manage. Although
feels familiar, neither party is operating on cruise control.
pushes
into bluesier territory, a challenge the vocalist embraces with grit and glee, while the presence of
's chosen producer
Kurstin
forces
to abandon his obsessive tendencies.
gives the album a bright pop that helps steer the ten songs away from nostalgia. There's no denying the sensibilities of
lie in 20th century guitar rock, but there's a freshness in how the duo's sensibilities intertwine that gives the record a warm, welcoming pulse. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine