Liam Gallagher is back and graces us in true LG style with his newest solo album Why Me? Why Not.
The album is full of nostalgia, heavy guitar, basslines, drums and of course mischievous and rebellious lyrics. The album includes songs such as Shockwave and The River which were well received before the album's full release. So sit back, grab a nice cold lager and enjoy some LG.
Shockwave kicks off the album in classic LG style - punchy rock n' roll. The opener is filled the nostalgic 90s melodies that we were used to with Oasis but with a modern and refreshing twist. One of Us follows and is a lot slower than Shockwave, and Gallagher has stated the song is about “Family, friendship and a sense of belonging.” There are elements of northern soul and groove to the song making it extremely easy to listen to. One can only infer that Noel Gallagher may have been a source of inspiration for the song, with the lyrics even harking back to the Oasis staple Live Forever.
"Why Me? Why Not. is full of nostalgia and has traces of tried-and-true 90s melodies."
Once takes an acoustic twist with a heavy bassline and soulful vocals, with lyrics filled with nostalgia and reflection on his childhood and adolescence; reflection seems to be a major theme of the album with lyrics such as “I remember how you used to shine.” The track harks the principle of only having one life and needing to live our lives to the fullest we can whilst we can.
Now That I’ve Found You has been reported to be written about LG’s estranged daughter Molly, who he only met for the first time last year. The song includes lyrics such as “Now that I have found you, I can lay down with my ghost.” Again, there is this reoccurring theme of reminiscence within the album, suggesting the guilty conscience would be likely to sit with Gallagher until his passing.
Why Me? Why Not. is once again driven by drums and guitar and is one of the more motivational songs on the album. Again, I think it comes from a place of reminiscence for LG. There’s nothing like a bit of ancient wisdom combined with a good beat! Alright Now seems to focus on Liam’s relationship with his brother Noel, featuring lines such as "You could try and change, but you just stay strange" recalling Champagne Supernova. We are all aware of the deterioration of the Gallagher brothers' relationship and listening closely to the lyrics makes it even more heart-breaking with Gallagher singing “I wonder if you’re listening, I wonder if you hear me.”
As for the more conscious tracks, The River is screaming revolution and recalls times where rock music was influenced so heavily by the politics of the time, while Misunderstood seems to be a song about Gallagher reflecting on his own personal image, even if he does sing in the second person. Liam also uses some religious metaphors such as "Waiting for a sign from above" but throughout the song, there is a realisation that there is nothing to wait for, there is no need to change, people just don’t understand him as an individual. Why Me? Why Not. is full of nostalgia and has traces of tried-and-true 90s melodies.
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