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As You Were (Liam Gallagher album)

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As You Were
Studio album by
Liam Gallagher
Released6 October 2017
Recorded2016–2017
GenreRock[1]
Length44:44
LabelWarner Bros.
Producer
Liam Gallagher chronology
As You Were
(2017) 		Why Me? Why Not.
(2019)
Singles from As You Were
  1. "Wall of Glass"
    Released: 1 June 2017
  2. "Chinatown"
    Released: 30 June 2017
  3. "For What It's Worth"
    Released: 10 August 2017
  4. "Greedy Soul"
    Released: 27 September 2017

As You Were is the debut solo studio album by English singer and songwriter Liam Gallagher. It was released on 6 October 2017 by Warner Bros. Records.[2] A critical and commercial success, the album debuted at number one in the UK, outselling the rest of the top 10 of the UK Albums Chart combined and achieving gold certification in its first week. It has since been certified platinum in the UK. It also achieved the highest single-week vinyl sales in 20 years, with 16,000.[3] In part for his work on the album, producer Greg Kurstin also won the 2018 Grammy Award for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical.

Background

[edit]

The album was announced in June 2017 with the release of the single "Wall of Glass". Gallagher also revealed that he would launch his first solo tour of the United States and Canada to support the album's release.[4] Once he completed the lyrics, Liam told NME that he cried his eyes out and thought 'I'm back'. The album's title comes from the sign-off Gallagher often used for his Twitter posts.[5] Gallagher worked with producers Greg Kurstin, Andrew Wyatt and Dan Grech-Marguerat on the album, with Kurstin producing the tracks "Wall of Glass", "Paper Crown", "Come Back to Me", and "Doesn't Have to Be That Way", Wyatt producing "Chinatown", and Grech-Marguerat producing the remaining tracks.[6]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?6.5/10[7]
Metacritic71/100[8]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[9]
The A.V. ClubB+[10]
The Daily Telegraph[11]
The Guardian[12]
Mojo[13]
NME[14]
Pitchfork4.9/10[15]
Q[16]
Rolling Stone[1]
Uncut7/10[17]

As You Were received generally positive reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 71, based on 24 reviews.[8]

Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic was highly positive about the record in his four-star review, saying, "As You Were doesn't sound retro even though it is, in essence, a throwback to a throwback -- a re-articulation of Liam's '90s obsession with the '60s. That production does Gallagher a favor but so does Kurstin's presence as a co-songwriter, helping to rein in Liam's wandering ear and sharpen his melodies. Ranging from the icy onslaught of "Wall of Glass" to the stark swirl of "Chinatown" this is his best record in nearly a decade, and they add up to an album that illustrates exactly who Liam Gallagher is as an artist. Now in his middle age, he's a richer, nuanced singer than he was during Oasis's heyday, yet he's retained his charisma and, unlike his brother, he favors color and fire in his records, elements that not only enhance this fine collection of songs but make this the best post-Oasis album from either Gallagher to date."[9] Halina Watts from the Daily Mirror was also very positive towards the record, scoring the album five stars and saying, "'As You Were' is the legendary rocker at his very best" and that the album was "well worth the wait". She went on to describe "Chinatown" as a "catchy uplifting poem to the capital" and "For What It's Worth" and "Paper Crown" as "fantastic ballads". Watts rounded off the review by saying, "Bring on album two".[18]

Accolades

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Publication Accolade Rank Ref.
Rough Trade Albums of the Year
32
[19]
NME NME's Albums of the Year
10
[20]
Rolling Stone 50 Best Albums of 2017
37
[21]

Commercial performance

[edit]

The album was released in numerous formats, from digital versions to vinyl, CD, and a "special box set" that includes a colorized vinyl record, an "exclusive seven-inch, hardback book and an art print by Klaus Voormann, the artist behind the Beatles' Revolver".[2] The track listing was revealed by Gallagher with the release of the album's second single "Chinatown".[22][23]

As You Were sold over 103,000 units in its first week in the United Kingdom.[3] It is the ninth-fastest selling debut of the decade within the nation.[24] In 2018, the album was certified Platinum with sales of over 300,000 units in the UK.[25] In the United States, it opened at number 30 on the Billboard 200 with 15,000 album-equivalent units, including 14,000 traditional sales.[26] This marked a successful comeback for Gallagher, as both Beady Eye albums had failed to reach number one in the UK, and their second album had failed to chart at all in the US.

Track listing

[edit]
Standard edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Wall of Glass"
Kurstin3:44
2."Bold"Gallagher
4:00
3."Greedy Soul"GallagherGrech-Marguerat3:34
4."Paper Crown"
  • Wyatt
  • Tighe
Kurstin3:28
5."For What It's Worth"
Grech-Marguerat4:10
6."When I'm in Need"
  • Gallagher
  • Iain Archer
  • Grech-Marguerat
  • Iain Archer[a]
4:18
7."You Better Run"GallagherGrech-Marguerat3:24
8."I Get By"GallagherGrech-Marguerat3:10
9."Chinatown"
  • Wyatt
  • Tighe
Wyatt3:20
10."Come Back to Me"
  • Gallagher
  • Kurstin
  • Wyatt
Kurstin3:20
11."Universal Gleam"GallagherGrech-Marguerat4:06
12."I've All I Need"GallagherGrech-Marguerat4:10
Total length:44:44
Deluxe edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
13."Doesn't Have to Be That Way"
  • Gallagher
  • Kurstin
  • Wyatt
Kurstin3:58
14."All My People / All Mankind"GallagherGrech-Marguerat3:55
15."I Never Wanna Be Like You"Gallagher
  • Grech-Marguerat
  • Dan McDougall[b]
3:51
Total length:56:27
Japanese edition bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
16."For What It's Worth" (live at Air Studios)4:13
17."Greedy Soul" (live at Air Studios)3:33
18."Paper Crown" (live at Air Studios)3:35
Total length:1:07:48

Notes

  • ^a signifies original song production.
  • ^b signifies original demo production.

Personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from liner notes.[27]

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[25] Platinum 300,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Fricke, David (6 October 2017). "Review: Liam Gallagher Sticks to Oasis' Brawny Britpop and Beatle-esque Melodies on Solo Debut". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
  2. ^ a b Daniel Kreps (23 June 2017). "Liam Gallagher Announces New LP 'As You Were,' First Solo U.S. Tour". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  3. ^ a b White, Jack (13 October 2017). "Liam Gallagher's As You Were charges in at Number 1 on the Official Albums Chart and sets new vinyl record". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  4. ^ Noah Yoo and Jazz Monroe (23 June 2017). "Liam Gallagher Announces Tour, Details New Album As You Were". Pitchfork. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  5. ^ Anna Gaca (26 May 2017). "Liam Gallagher Announces Solo Album As You Were, Manchester Benefit Concert". Spin. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  6. ^ Ryan Reed (5 July 2017). "Watch Liam Gallagher Wander Through London in 'Chinatown' Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  7. ^ "As You Were by Liam Gallagher reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  8. ^ a b "Reviews and Tracks for As You Were by Liam Gallagher". Metacritic. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  9. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "As You Were – Liam Gallagher". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  10. ^ Ihnat, Gwen (7 October 2017). "Liam Gallagher, As You Were". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  11. ^ McCormick, Neil (5 October 2017). "Liam Gallagher, As You Were, review: as fresh and surprising as he endlessly boasted it would be". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
  12. ^ Petridis, Alexis (5 October 2017). "Liam Gallagher: As You Were review – motormouth meets the Beatles, again". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
  13. ^ Perry, Andrew (November 2017). "I should solo!". Mojo (288): 95.
  14. ^ Cooper, Leonie (5 October 2017). "Liam Gallagher – 'As You Were' Review". NME. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  15. ^ Snapes, Laura (5 October 2017). "Liam Gallagher: As You Were". Pitchfork. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
  16. ^ Moody, Paul (November 2017). "Comeback King". Q (378): 102.
  17. ^ Staunton, Terry (November 2017). "Liam Gallagher: As You Were". Uncut (246): 28.
  18. ^ Watts, Halina (7 October 2017). "Liam Gallagher wants to 'meet up and hug it out' with brother Noel: "Enough is enough now"". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  19. ^ "Albums of the Year". Rough Trade. 14 November 2017. Archived from the original on 15 November 2017. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
  20. ^ "NME's Albums of the Year 2017". NME. 23 November 2017. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
  21. ^ "50 Best Albums of 2017". Rolling Stone. 27 November 2017. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
  22. ^ Nick Levine (29 June 2017). "Liam Gallagher unveils full 'As You Were' album tracklist". NME. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  23. ^ Daniel Kreps (30 June 2017). "Hear Liam Gallagher's Tender New Solo Song 'Chinatown'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  24. ^ "The fastest-selling debut albums of the decade so far". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  25. ^ a b "British album certifications – Liam Gallagher – As You Were". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  26. ^ Caulfield, Keith (20 October 2017). "Billboard 200 Chart Moves: Stone Temple Pilots' 'Core' Reissue Hits Top 40". Billboard. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
  27. ^ Gallagher, Liam (2017). As You Were (inlay cover). Warner Records.
  28. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Liam Gallagher – As You Were". Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  29. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Liam Gallagher – As You Were" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
  30. ^ "Ultratop.be – Liam Gallagher – As You Were" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  31. ^ "Ultratop.be – Liam Gallagher – As You Were" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  32. ^ "On The Charts: October 15, 2017". FYIMusicNews. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  33. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Liam Gallagher – As You Were" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  34. ^ "Liam Gallagher: As You Were" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
  35. ^ "Le Top de la semaine : Top Albums – SNEP (Week 41, 2017)". Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  36. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Liam Gallagher – As You Were" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  37. ^ "Top 40 album-, DVD- és válogatáslemez-lista". MAHASZ. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
  38. ^ "Irish Albums Chart: 13 October 2017". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  39. ^ "Album – Classifica settimanale WK 41 (dal 2017-10-06 al 2017-10-12)" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  40. ^ "リアム・ギャラガー" (in Japanese). Oricon. 13 October 2017. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  41. ^ "Charts.nz – Liam Gallagher – As You Were". Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  42. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  43. ^ "2017년 41주차 Album Chart" (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  44. ^ "Top 100 Albumes — Semana 41: del 06.10.2017 al 12.10.2017" (in Spanish). Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
  45. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Liam Gallagher – As You Were". Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  46. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Liam Gallagher – As You Were". Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
  47. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  48. ^ "Liam Gallagher Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  49. ^ "Liam Gallagher Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  50. ^ "Liam Gallagher Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  51. ^ White, Jack (3 January 2018). "The Top 40 biggest albums of 2017 on the Official Chart". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  52. ^ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2018". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
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