Liam Gallagher
For What It’s Worth
Warner
The Oasis frontman’s 2017 solo venture has surprised even his most stubborn of critics – the songs are good, the singing is his best in years and there’s still no better quote-provider in all of rock n roll save his brother, Noel. Yesterday brand new single For What It’s Worth was unsheathed to the world and is a front-runner for the best thing he’s done since the 1990s. Co-written with Cherry Ghost’s Simon Aldred and produced by Greg Kurstin (Adele, Paul McCartney), the track is an audio apology letter to ex-wife Nicole Appleton.
The more gullible of critics will attribute the lyrics to the long standing brotherly feud with Noel – but that’s just playing to the deftly executed 23 year old PR stunt the two have successfully curated. This song delivers Liam‘s best vocal since 1997 with a soaring chorus that declares “for what It’s worth i’m sorry for the hurt, I’ll be the first to say I’ve made my own mistakes”.
The vibe is wistful early seventies Lennon with ELO strings and a touch of Elton John (well, it wasn’t going to be Aztec Camera was it). The results are something very modern and fresh in an era when the art of the song is dying, where armies of clones wear guitars as necklaces rather than weavers of powerful, resonating emotions.
BEN PATTISON
