exploremusic.com/new-releases/liam-gallaghers-beady-eye-first-listen-first-impressions-of-different-gear-still-speeding/

Shortly after Radiohead jumped into the spotlight with the release of The King of Limbs, I was given (legal) access to all of Different Gear, Still Speeding from Liam Gallagher’s post-Oasis project, Beady Eye. Coincidence? I think not.

Beady Eye is Our Kid’s chance to show that he can make it without his not-s0-benevolent dictator older brother calling all the shots. And considering that the line-up of the band can be expressed in the equation “Oasis – Noel = BeadyEye,” we’re offered a rare opportunity of an apples-to-apples comparison. What follows is a stream-of-consciousness first list to the album without the benefit of liner notes, lyric sheets or songwriting credits.

1. Four Letter Word (4:19): One of the pre-release teases comes on strong with an intro that somehow makes me think of a James Bond movie from the 60s…This is a proper driving rock song, one that gets better with repeated listens…Big drum sound from Chris Sharrock…Gem busts out with a solid solo around 1:30…”A four letter word really gets my meaning/Nothing ever lasts forever.” I’ll take that as a statement about Oasis…Gpod hooks, lots of attitude. Off to a good start, then.

2. Millionaire (3:23): Kinks-ish guitar strumming made slightly exotic by a sitar in the mix. The band’s inner George Harrison?…More singing, less snarling from Liam…I’ll need to listen a few more times before I can discern all the lyrics.

3. The Roller (3:37): Stomping Lennon-esque first single, with strong echoes of “Instant Karma” in the first verse…I can hear the concert singalongs already when the chorus comes along…Liberal use of piano in the arrangement. Did Oasis ever use this much piano in any song?…Obvious choice for a first single, especially given that it’s been heard in Oasis rehearsals as long ago as 2001.

4. Beatles and Stones (2:59): Odd that a song with this title starts with a bassline that makes me think of the Who’s “My Generation”…Amateur psychologists will have fun with this line: “I’m going to stand the test of time/Like Beatles and Stones.” The “Rock and Roll Star” of Liam’s post-Noel career…More piano augmenting a very standard and traditional three-chord progression…Did those closing bits echo the riff in “Four Letter Word?”

5. Wind Up Dreams (3:31): Bluesy beginnings seque into a Lennon-esque verse that devolves into a pretty ordinary sort of song that doesn’t seem to go anywhere…Wait: harmonica solos? That’s an interesting choice. Noel would have never stood for that…The weakest song so far.

6. Bring the Light (3:42): The two-chord barrelhouse piano stomper that served as the first teaser for the album late last year…I didn’t like it much the first time I heard it, but its 50s vibe grown on me…Sounds like something that might have evolved out of a warm-up jam in a rehearsal space…Soulful female back-up singers. Noel would not approve. D’you know what I mean?

7. For Anyone (2:18): The shortest track on the album…Easygoing guitar strumming behind Liam singing a high melody–not as high as Lennon, but he’s reaching in that direction… “I know it’s going to be all right/Forever I’ll be by your side.” Not horribly profound, innit? A throwaway.

8. Kill for a Dream (4:42): Violin over Gem’s acoustic guitar strumming through the intro. I feel a “Champagne Supernova” vibe coming on…Liam starts singing. I’m right… “We opened the door/And let out the sound/All that we had was a dream rebound/I’d kill for a dream tonight”…Gem’s guitars sound very Noel-ish. Is that a Gibson SG or an Epiphone?…Still waiting for “Champagne”-style majesty. It threatens but never arrives at the door…Lots of “na-na-nas” that will have the punters swaying along at gigs…More female background singers.

9. Standing on the Edge of the Noise (2:55): Back to rock…Paul McCartney might have written something like this with Wings c.1976. Listen carefully and you can even hear a little “Live and Let Die.” A little…Wait: maybe I’m hearing the DNA of “Get Back”…Vocals drenched in echo and slightly distorted. Or is that snarl?…The mix sounds muddy. Or is that just the failing of this MP3?

10. Wigwam (6:41): The mix clears up…Oh, dear: “Sha-la-las” instead of lyrics in the chorus…An attempt at majesty with an instrumental break starting around 2:30…Same kind of feel-g00d major chord progression that the Stone Roses used in the last half of “I Am the Resurrection,” but without the big rhythm section interplay. Another comparision: when the Verve lost themselves in the moment–but again without the rhythm section to make it truly interesting… I’d like to know why they called this song “Wigwam.” Did I miss something?…They come very close here to some kind of greatness but fall just short.

11. Three Ring Circus (3:11): Semi-shuffle beat eventually leads in to a very Oasis-like chorus. Not that this is a bad thing….Good enough for an Oasis bonus track in the old days. Which reminds me: there haven’t been any “Little James” clunkers so far. Accentuate the positive!

12. The Beat Goes On (4:48): A song with that title? Really?…Beatles-esque (in a McCartney way, I think) from around Magical Mystery Tour… “Somewhere in my heart/The beat goes on.”

13. The Morning Sun (4:48): We start with seagulls, then more acoutic guitar strumming…Liam: did you really need to put this much reverb and echo on your voice on this album?…Naff stream-of-consciousness blatherings that reek of a beach vacation…Singalong ending an obvious album closer. Okay, so maybe I should just turn it up and get lost in the groove. Maybe on the second time through.

Bonus Tracks: The Japanese version will come with two bonus tracks: “Sons of the Stage” (a cover) and ”World Outside My Room.” Those who buy the album on iTunes will get “Sons of the Stage” and “Man of Misery.” There will be a couple of deluxe sets, too, one of which will contain a DVD with a documentary entitled RAK Them Out.

Conclusions:

About what I expected. Competent but hardly groundbreaking and not a one-for-one substitute for what Oasis was at their peak.

The mix sounds muddy on many songs, surprises me given that Steve Lillywhite produced the record. What happened in the mastering process? Then again, maybe it’s just the MP3s I (legally) received. On the plus side, Liam’s vocals aren’t buried in walls and walls of guitars. He’s brought forward in the mix and doesn’t sound like he’s fighting with the arrangments.

If this were an Oasis album proper, it would be trashed because those first two albums showed true greatness. If this were a first release from a brand new indie band, we might be more forgiving. But given the band (and especially Liam) had to prove that they did not need Noel–after all, what was the formation of this band other than a mutiny against their captain?–it falls short of the mark in that regard.

However, we really should judge this record on its own merits. Liam’s singing is strong and the band is tight. While there are a couple of mid-album weak spots, those who appreciate Beatles-derived modern rock will find much to like. I wanted more, but because I’m an Oasis fan and I really want Beady Eye to succeed, I’ll be generous: 3/5.