Acoustic Sessions

The perceived personality clash that shaped so much of Oasis’ success—which is to say, the animating yin and yang that cast Noel as the heartfelt, thoughtful balladeer to Liam’s prowling, snarling rock n roll id—gets a thrilling subversion on this punchy, unadorned live album. Crucially, though, <i>Acoustic Sessions</i> isn’t merely the latest on record act of Gallagher-on-Gallagher provocation. Or a case of LG unwisely leaving his comfort zone to figuratively eat his older brother’s lunch. Built around the bruised, big-hearted torch songs that provided the emotional ballast of second solo record <i>Why Me? Why Not.</i>, this eight-track set (recorded at an August 2019 show at Hull City Hall) brings revelatory tenderness, soul and lush instrumentation to a familiar songbook. “Stand By Me” has a new, gospel-edged vulnerability; baleful solo opus “Once” packs damp-eyed defiance; and “Sad Song” (formerly a Noel-fronted bonus track on Oasis debut <i>Definitely Maybe</i>) recasts the onetime wild man of Britpop as a reflective campfire troubadour, borne by swelling strings and plucked Summer of Love guitars. Our kid wears it well.