LIAM GALLAGHER Vinyl & CDs

Review: Ah Liam Gallagher - a man who never seems to grow old or fully out of touch. Well, depending on your opinions on absolutely everything, of course. The Manchester icon and former-Oasis enfant terrible has spoken from his heart on a range of subjects, from "dance music can fuck right off" to "I am not an entertainer", and understandably his off-the-cuff honesty resonates with both the die hard disciples and sceptics alike. Simply put, nobody can accuse him of not wearing heart on sleeve.

In many ways, that approach guides his latest solo offering, C'Mon You Know. Back in February 2022, three months before this record's release, he told NME "I'm quite happy with the formula... I look cool. I sound good. I talk from the heart." If that's not evidence we're not ranting rubbish we don't know what is. As for the record's sound, think timeless British indie that has one foot in a 1990s glory era of British rock 'n' roll, and another in li-fi contemporary noise, all delivered with operatic drama.

Review: Whether or not you expected Liam Gallagher to turn his attention to the notoriously unpredictable world of Christmas music - there be demons - here the Mancunian icon gives it all he's got for the most messed up festive season in recent history.

With all proceeds going to Action for Children, Gallagher's point is pretty clear. Cutting to the chase as ever, the chorus asks us to consider what love really means. Here, it's the question of whether it can survive the worst of the world, phrasing that will resonate with many after a turbulent pandemic year. But fundamentally this can only make us consider what 2020 has been like without support, nurturing relationships or stability. With vocals soaring over simple piano chords, building to a rousing crescendo, here's hoping it's loud enough for people to remember the message long after the crisis has passed.

Review: There's almost no point writing about this one - an album that already has legions of disciples waiting to embrace it, with pretty much everyone who knows the names Liam Gallagher and John Squire guaranteed to be interested in what their self-titled LP is about. More so, without even hitting play we all kind of know what it's about, with two of the biggest names to come out of Manchester's 1990s indie rock breeding ground coming together for a record that sounds every bit the sum of its parts. Squire's incredible guitar playing - a centrepiece of The Stone Roses' sound - is incredible as ever, sending riffs soaring over the dilapidated rooftops of North West England and out into the stratosphere. Meanwhile, Gallagher's elongated but gruff vocal style remains steadfast across ten anthems-in-the-making. Powerhouse stuff, but like we said, nobody expected less.

Review: For indie heads of a certain vintage, this album - a first full-length collaboration between Oasis lead singer Liam Gallagher and former Stone Roses guitar-slinger John Squire - is one of the most hotly anticipated of the year. It was recorded in Los Angeles over a three-week period last year, with former Foo Fighters and Gorillaz studio don Greg Kurstin handling production. As you'd expect, the album is undeniably nostalgic, with Squire's variously funky, raw and bluesy guitar licks and Beatles-esque backing tracks providing a fitting vehicle for Gallagher's distinctive lead vocals. For proof, check recent singles 'From Mars To Liverpool' - where Squires' solos towards the end seemingly soar above reverb-laden backing vocals that accurately pay tribute to the Fab Four - and the more psychedelic Roses-meets-Oasis flex of 'Just Another Rainbow'. There are no surprises, but fans will love it.

Review: Two of the likeliest lads from Manchester team up for the first day release of their new collaborative project. And its something of a full circle moment, with Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher previously citing Stone Roses hero John Squire in a list of formative teenage musical inspirations, who, in turn, first encountered the former when both bands were working the same studio, respectively recording Definitely Maybe and The Second Coming. The pair first shared honours three years after that, co-writing 'Love Me & Leave Me' for Squire's relatively short-lived outfit, The Seahorses, in 1997. Skip forward to 2022 and Squire joined the Gallaghers et al on stage at Knebworth, reprising his appearances for renditions of 'Champagne Supernova' at the band's 1996 shows, spurring the idea to do something together again. Here's the result - and it's precisely what the duo should sound like together.