Liam Gallagher Delivers on Emotional MTV Unplugged Acoustic Album
“Liam Gallagher” and “acoustic” are two things that aren’t typically associated together. The former-Oasis-frontman-turned-solo-artist is renowned for his unique nasally snarl which cuts through loud, distorted guitars and heavy drum beats. Aside from a couple acoustic tunes scattered across his discography, such as the 1995 hit “Wonderwall,” the loudmouthed rockstar prefers his band to keep the amps cranked and tear the roofs off of the arenas they headline worldwide.
However, Gallagher and his band set aside their electric guitars in favor for acoustic guitars, pianos, an organ, and a twenty-four-piece string orchestra when the MTV Unplugged television series came calling, joining music royalty such as Nirvana, Paul McCartney, and Eric Clapton to play an intimate, stripped-back set on the show.
The release of his MTV Unplugged album on Friday, June 12 showed the world a vulnerable and emotional side to the arrogant bad boy of Britpop that we all knew was there but had hardly ever seen and heard, and, without a doubt, it defied all the odds.
The album, which runs for forty-three minutes and thirty seconds, was recorded at Hull City Hall in Hull, England last August, and it features five Oasis classics (no, “Wonderwall” didn’t make the cut) and five tunes from Gallagher’s solo work. The forty-seven-year-old was forced to stray away from his typical live set that usually leaves your ears ringing for a day or two, and, instead, selected songs which better suited the occasion.
The record opens with the sound of 2,700 fans cheering as the beloved frontman takes the stage and immediately begins to perform “Wall of Glass,” the groovy lead single from the Englishman’s chart-topping debut solo album, As You Were. Surprisingly, it almost sounds as if it was written to be performed with the acoustic guitar driving the band and the organ playing the lead guitar lines.
The Mancunian wastes no time getting into the Oasis hit “Some Might Say” from the band’s sophomore album, (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? Gallagher’s confidence and execution in this is mind blowing as he flawlessly reaches every note in the song’s original key—a feat he historically hasn’t been able to achieve, resulting in the song being played in a different key in Oasis’ later years.
Gallagher’s bad boy aesthetic crumbles as his compassionate side occasionally takes over throughout the set, such as during “Now That I’ve Found You.” This track from his sophomore solo record, Why Me? Why Not?, was written about his daughter, “the lovely Molly,” whom he recently developed a relationship with, and the love he has for her is certainly felt in this bright variation. This theme continues during the sing-along ballad “Stand By Me” from Oasis’ 1997 junior album, Be Here Now.
Liam digs even deeper into his emotions while performing “One of Us,” written about his estranged brother and ex-bandmate, Noel Gallagher. No longer hiding behind his band, the singer’s feelings truly hit home in this version.
The same goes for Why Me? Why Not single “Once,” which reflects on his childhood in Manchester, England, and “Sad Song,” an acoustic B-side from Oasis’ debut record, Definitely Maybe.
Without a doubt, the highlight of the record is “Cast No Shadow,” the heart-melting ballad from (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? Rhythm guitarist and former Oasis bandmate Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs’s twelve-string acoustic guitar beautifully meshes with the orchestra’s strings as Gallagher sings about walking along and surviving “the open road of love and life.”
The rocker puts back on a tough face for the triumphant “Gone,” which sounds as if it could be the theme song for a show like Game of Thrones with its upbeat tempo, beautiful driving strings, and Gallagher’s confident vocals.
Gallagher closes the album with a unique shortened version of the Oasis anthem “Champagne Supernova,” showing his emotional side one last time as he brings tears to eyes while asking “How many special people change?” over a backing piano and strings.
As if the performance wasn’t emotional enough, the deafening chants of “Liam, Liam, Liam!” which ring throughout the hall between each song goes to show how beloved the frontman is by his fanbase and are enough to send shivers down your spine.
This isn’t Gallagher’s first experience with MTV Unplugged. On August 23, 1996, Oasis was scheduled to perform on the show at the Royal Festival Hall in London while at their peak. Rehearsals didn’t go as planned as Liam showed up drunk and walked out of the studio midway through the set unable to sing due to a sore throat. On recording day, only four of the five members of Britain's biggest band took the stage, leaving lead guitarist and songwriter Noel Gallagher to fill his younger brother’s role as the lead singer. Instead of performing, Liam sipped champagne and heckled his brother from the balcony, adding more fuel to the fire in the infamous sibling rivalry which caused Noel to leave the band in 2009.
Some twenty-three years, two bands, and nine UK no. 1 albums later, the forty-seven-year-old received a second chance to make his MTV Unplugged debut, and he absolutely smashed it.