MTV Unplugged

by Liam Gallagher

Overview

Back at the height of their reign in 1996, Oasis agreed to record an episode of MTV Unplugged at London's Royal Festival Hall. Hours before the taping, the band announced Liam Gallagher would not be singing that evening due to a "sore throat," so his brother Noel wound up singing the set. At the time, the excuse seemed thin and Noel later claimed his sibling "turned up absolutely sh**faced," an assessment that jibes with how Liam proceeded to take a seat in the audience so he could booze and heckle his bandmates. It all amounted to the stuff of legend, but it did mean Liam Gallagher had a bit of a blackmark on his resume in terms of MTV Unplugged. Recorded in Hull during the supporting tour for 2019's Why Me? Why Not. MTV Unplugged showcases the cleaned-up, professional, middle-aged incarnation of Liam Gallagher, one who is healthy, punctual, and just a bit cranky. That hint of grit can be heard in his phasing -- his sneer is still here, it's merely modulated with aplomb -- and in his patter, but the individual performances are executed with precision and the desire to please. Liam chose a set list that's heavy on ballads -- after the dual openers of "Wall of Glass" and "Some Might Say," the tempos remain firmly in the mid-range -- and that gives plenty of space for the Urban Soul Orchestra to add color, but the real noteworthy guest is Bonehead, the guitarist who stood alongside the Gallaghers during the supernova '90s. Those days are far enough in the past to make this entire MTV Unplugged an exercise in nostalgia, a sentiment underscored by the rose-colored solo song "Once," but Liam is still in fine form, making this record an endearing and entertaining listen for anybody who shares fond memories of the glory days of Cool Britannia. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	06/12/2020
Label:	Warner Bros. / Warner Records
UPC:	0190295279363

Tracks

1. Wall of Glass
2. Some Might Say
3. Now That I've Found You
4. One of Us
5. Stand by Me
6. Sad Song
7. Cast No Shadow
8. Once
9. Gone
10. Champagne Supernova

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Liam Gallagher   Primary Artist,Vocals
Alex Afia   Violin
Mandhira De Saram   Violin
Neil Broadbent   Cello
Jay Mehler   Guitar
Helen Sanders-Hewett   Viola
Dan McDougall   Drums,Percussion,Vocals (Background)
Eugene Feygelson   Violin
Rebekah Reid   Violin
Andy Marshall   Double Bass
Hazel Ross   Violin
Klara Schumann   Cello
Frida Touray   Vocals (Background)
Helena Logah   Viola
Natalie Leaver   Violin
Maia Colette   Cello
Phoebe Snelling   Violin
Rhiannon James   Viola
Sally Potterton   Violin
Paul Arthurs   Guitar
Helenah Logah   Viola
Patrick Roberts   Violin
Drew McConnell   Bass,Guitar,Vocals (Background)
Lizzie Ball   Violin
Christian Madden   Keyboards
Jonathan Hill   Violin
Andy Waterworth   Double Bass
Gareth Griffiths   Violin
Holly Quin-Ankrah   Vocals (Background)
Urban Soul Orchestra   Strings
Rakhi Singh   Violin
Rhianna Kenny   Vocals (Background)
Llinos Richards   Cello
Vince Greene   Viola
Paloma Deike   Violin
Mike Moore   Guitar

Technical Credits

Jake Green   Photography
Eduardo Puhl   Assistant Engineer
Andrew Sidney Fox   Composer
Liam Gallagher   Design,Composer,Art Direction
Chris Elliott   Arranger
Damon McMahon   Composer
Noel Gallagher   Composer
Greg Kurstin   Composer
Lizzie Ball   Leader
Michael Tighe   Composer
Adam Noble   Mixing
Tim Summerhayes   Engineer,Recording
Stephen Hussey   Arranger
Andrew Wyatt   Composer
Ollie Nesham   Engineer,Recording
Simon Aldred   Composer
Robin Schmidt   Mastering
Richard Welland   Design,Art Direction