Album Review: Liam Gallagher - As You Were

In case you haven't noticed the '90s are back in a big, trendy, way.

The X-Files was reborn on the small screen last year, preceding a Twin Peaks sequel for 2017. Dad hats have replaced those emblazoned with US sporting team logos and your cousin's old Planet Hollywood T-shirt is cool again. And now, Liam Gallagher, the Mancunian Britpop star is back; albeit without any retro-laced irony.

Instead, As You Were, Gallagher's solo debut 20 years after he burst onto the scene with Oasis, retains the heavy Beatles influences his former band were renowned for. He's even ignored any semblance of subtlety as he overtly references Helter Skelter during the up-tempo You Better Run, and reminds the world happiness is a warm gun in Chinatown. Beatlemania aside, For What It's Worth is a piano-driven song good enough to have appeared on any Oasis album, while Wall Of Glass and the acoustic-heavy Paper Crown are a credit to his overshadowed and underrated ballad writing.

In all, As You Were is not a departure from Gallagher's oeuvre and screams solipsism at times. Yet still marks his high point since Oasis' 2009 implosion and is strong enough to suit the current '90s revival just fine.