It’s 1994, and with his first band to promote, Liam Gallagher is telling the world of his lofty ambitions and how Oasis, already the best band in the world, were about to become the biggest. The target for his disdain? Just about every other band in Britain. The ace in Liam’s pack is brother Noel, armed with an arsenal of rock n roll that would go on to comfortably back up his brother’s confident assertions.
16 years on, and Liam Gallagher has his new band, Beady Eye, to promote. Not much has changed, except this time the target is brother Noel himself. The world is being told of how Noel, apparently ‘the most overrated man ever’, will come crawling back to the band after their new album sweeps all before it. Strong words. The question is, can Beady Eye back up the bravado as emphatically as Oasis once did?
On first listen, Beady Eye’s first taster, ‘Bring The Light‘, doesn’t present many surprises. With no songwriting credit as yet, it points to previous Liam Gallagher efforts, such as the sub-2 minute ‘Meaning Of Soul‘, and Dig Out Your Soul’s instantly disposable album track ‘Aint Got Nothin‘. Gradually however, the track does begin to offer more. The Fifties drum/keys-led melody, together with the looped lyrics, helps to career the track along at breakneck speed. The short, sharp guitar breaks add to the retro vibe, while the extented ‘Baby come on’ refrain provides an accomplished, well worked conclusion.
When taken with the short clip released last week, what ‘Bring The Light‘ seems to be showing is Beady Eye are to release a clean, crisp rock n roll album, stripped of any unnecessary fat, one which will leave no note to waste. It’s a path which is unlikely to provide the smack in the face needed to back up Liam’s gasconism and have his new rival shuddering in quite the same way they did in 1994.
Above all, ‘Bring The Light‘ does more than enough to suggest an understated, tightly-honed album awaits. Now, if Liam Gallagher can just begin to mirror the new LP’s production by cutting back on the bullshit, he could find Beady Eye achieving the success he’s already so loudly predicted.
(Dave Smith)
Don’t forget to check out the passionate fan debates currently going on on our Beady Eye board
This new single is just terrible. If they keep up this type of substandard songwriting they ought to change their name to Stink eye. No, I’m not jealous, and, yea- I have written better songs.