As the drums became distant and the melody began to fade, I couldn’t help but feel stunned by the music I had just listened to.
Singer Liam Gallagher and guitarist John Squire collaborated to produce the music album, “Liam Gallagher John Squire,” which was released on March 1, 2024. The album includes 10 singles, each of which add to its engaging flow. Gallagher is known for his incredible vocals and work in Oasis and Squire for his great guitar melodies, and their album met my high-set expectations.
The production of the album was a process involving many amazing musicians and masterful instrumentation. While Gallagher sang the vocals of all the songs, Squire was the one who composed the pieces in the album. The production team also included bassist Greg Kurstin and drummer Joey Waronker.
The album is characterized by an indie rock style of music, and it experiments with various harmonies and instruments throughout. Most songs featured a slow paced, but sharp melody and were composed of only guitar, drums and vocals. The slow intros were followed by powerful choruses and dramatic outros, which kept me engaged throughout the entire album.
My favorite song was “Raise Your Hands,” which has proved to be one of the album’s most successful singles. The intro of the track immediately captured my attention with its slow yet suspenseful distorted guitar chords. Squire’s guitar harmonized perfectly with Gallagher’s voice in this song, while the drums kept the song flowing. The piece has a surprising addition of a piano during the outro, which provided a perfect and smooth way to close out the song.
Another single that stood out was “Mars to Liverpool,” which was the most unique piece of the album. The minor chords throughout the song create a sense of striking uneasiness. The lack of heavy instrumentation is crucial as it allows Gallagher’s voice to shine and play a significant role in the melody. The song created a suspenseful transition within songs by changing the tempo and providing something new for the listener. The dramatic tone and carefully constructed rhythm changes made the song distinct from the rest of the album.
A song that I didn’t enjoy as much was the album’s fourth single, “I’m A Wheel.” As soon as I started listening to it, I realized that the intro was pretty similar to a lot of other songs in the album. The same guitar chords were playing in the background as a slow paced melody started playing. The drums also bored me, as they had little variation throughout the piece. While Gallagher’s vocals remained amazing as usual, after the chorus there was a section of a big pause with no lyrics. That transition only distracted me from the rest of the song.
Besides the musical side of this album, there was a lot to learn from the lyrics of the album: the powerful message of always holding on to hope when times are hard. The song with the most impactful lyrics was “Raise Your Hands,” as it demonstrated the importance of never giving up. A part of the lyrics I liked was “If you are sinking in the sand, raise your hands, I can see you.” This is a metaphor that highlights the importance of continuing to fight. In this song Gallagher sings that there will always be people around you who care and support you, which I believe is an impactful message for our society today.
Overall, I really enjoyed listening to this album. Its musical composition and genre provided for something different that I hadn’t heard in a while, and Gallagher’s vocals never fail to impress me.