Is Liam Gallagher's "As You Were" Hypocritical?

Liam Gallagher doesn't exactly have the greatest reputation in music today. Once, he and Noel Gallagher were the brother duo that led Oasis. Now, the two are locked in conflict, and Liam is renowned for his willingness to speak his mind. That being said, there are a lot of things Liam talks about on his new album, which begs the question: is Liam Gallagher's As You Were hypocritical?

Musically, As You Were is a pretty standard record. Gallagher channels the sound he knows best, which is the upbeat 90s alternative rock vibe, with each song having a introspective meaning. Opening track 'Wall Of Glass' brings the record to a nice and easy start, 'Bold' following through with a softer sound. By 'Greedy Soul' you come to accept that nothing on As You Were will really be challenging any of the norms, but become content with the fact that the sound isn't really intolerable. There are plenty of nice moments, like the groovy and big 'I Get By.'

The questions about the album really rise about his morals. Gallagher stays very steadfast about his opinions, and it feels a bit weird that he sings about trying to reconcile for past problems. There's nothing wrong with wishing to change, but when he sings about actively trying to change his character as if he's been doing it for a long time, you get a bit skeptical. The main song in question is 'For What It's Worth,' the chorus chanting "for what it's worth, I'm sorry for the hurt / I'll be the first to say I've made my own mistakes." It just doesn't seem to be of his character and stands out like a sore thumb. Closing track 'I've All I Need' is a pretty poppy track to, which isn't necessarily beyond him, but it feels like problems would arise with the way he sees how today's "rock" bands use guitars.

With the way he acts on social media, this album begs the question: is Liam Gallagher's As You Were hypocritical? Perhaps its a reflection of the person he wishes to be, or the person he really is beyond what the media makes him out to be. Whether it is hypocritical or not is tough to say, but it feels like its intentions are in the right place. It could be the first step forward for him to start adopting some of the messages he sings about, and if so, more power to him. And if he really does embody these, perhaps we'll start seeing more of it come out of hiding.

Favorite Track: I Get By

Least Favorite Track: Chinatown

Rating: 73 / 100

Stream or buy As You Were on Apple Music: