More power (Liam Gallagher) (LP 2609 - 2611)

Liam Gallagher  C'mon You Know (CD, Warner Records, 2022) ***  

Rory Gallagher Transmission Impossible (3CD, Eat To The Beat Records, 2022) **** 

Crowded House Gravity Stairs (Vinyl, BMG Records, 2024) **** 

Genre: Rock

Places I remember: JB Hi Fi

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Everything's Electric (C'mon You Know)

Gear costume: Black Water, White Circle (Gravity Stairs)

Active compensatory factors: A recent trip to Palmerston North resulted in these purchases (these and more but we'll get to them in due course).

C'mon You Know is Liam's fourth solo outing and probably the weakest, if truth be told. However, given I gave all of the others four stars, this is a three-star (pretty fine) album.

Opening track (More Power) has a kids' choral group introducing the song's opening lyrics. It's cheesy and doesn't bear repeat listens. But then Liam's vocals kick in and all is (mostly) forgiven. He is unique and he sings with real authority.

The rest of the album is good but not great and certainly not a patch on his first solo album which is untouchable.

Rory's triple CD pack collects up songs not on his BBC Sessions double set. The first CD features Taste in BBC sessions from 1968-1969. The power trio is a great setting for Rory. This is raw and in your face. So - good, in other words.

CD 2 and 3 feature sessions from 1971 to 1974 and Rory delivers every time. Some great slide guitar on Could Have Had Religion from a John Peel 1971 session. There are tons of other highlights.

Crowded House's latest iteration have just released their new album - Gravity Stairs. Its sound harks back to the dream-pop of Liam and Neil's Lightsleeper project from four years ago. That's good news, I love that album.

Neil's voice lends itself to this kind of music and he's ably supported by his sons, Mitchell Froom and Nick Seymour. Even Tim and Sharon make appearances, so at times it has a Woodface feel to it. I'll be playing this one often I suspect.

Great Revolver style cover too!

Where do they all belong? Other purchases to come along the way.