Liam Gallagher: Knebworth 22 (digital outlets)

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Liam Gallagher: Knebworth 22 (digital outlets)

Like him or not, Liam Gallagher possessed one of the most distinctive voices (Lydon Lennon, if you will) and fronted one of the biggest British bands in recent rock.

Oasis' career skidded to a halt over their final few albums and Liam's first solo work (as Beady Eye) got off to a faltering start.

But as the one who kept the sound of his former band alive, things started to come right with his 2017 album As You Were and '19's Why Me? Why Not.

Things took a dip again with last year's half-hearted C'Mon You Know . . . which hardly troubled the thousands who turned out to his Knebworth show last June where he and his rowdy but disciplined band cherry-picked some of his better material – including the ELO-styled Lennonesque ballad Roll It Over and the self-reflective More Power (pretty horrible vocal however) to slow the pace.

He may sometimes play the clown – with a sharper wit and understanding of his audience than many might credit – but he's also smart enough to have delivered a different set than appeared on his fairly recent – and also live – Down By The River Thames.

With Oasis' Rock'n'Roll Star up early (dedicated to Oasis' Bonehead), a smattering of his stadium shaking solo material and then a swag of his former band's hits at the end (Cigarettes and Alcohol, Some Might Say, Supersonic, Wonderwall and Champagne Supernova), Liam Gallagher knew how to construct a set which was crowd-pleasing and sometimes exciting . . . if not much else.

As he says on More Power, “is this what you came for?”

The crowd response would suggest a very loud, “yes”.

Rowdy British football-terraces rock'n'roll from a former star whose light hasn't diminished in the ears of his loyal following.

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You can hear this album at Spotify here


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