Song of the Week: Liam Gallagher and John Squire Party Like It’s 1996 on “Just Another Rainbow”

Jonah Krueger
·5 min read
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

The post Song of the Week: Liam Gallagher and John Squire Party Like It’s 1996 on “Just Another Rainbow” appeared first on Consequence.

Each week, our Song of the Week column shines a light on the best new releases. Find these new favorites and more on our Spotify Top Songs playlist, and for other great songs from emerging artists, check out our Spotify New Sounds playlist. This week, Liam Gallagher and John Squire join forces for “Just Another Rainbow.”

Durring Oasis‘ heyday, Liam Gallagher was never viewed as the band’s driving creative force. Even two hit albums in (Definitely Maybe and (What’s the Story) Morning Glory), the rebellious frontman had yet to nab his first official writing credit. That remained the case until 1996, when ex-Stone Roses guitarist John Squire tapped Gallagher for “Love and Leave Me,” a single for his project The Seahorses. Nearly three decades later, Gallagher has yet to put down the pen — be it for writing rock tunes or troll-tastic tweets aimed at his brother.

For his latest effort, Gallagher is once again joining forces with the man who, in a sense, kicked off his writing career. “Just Another Rainbow” arrives as the first single from a promised full-length collaboration between Gallagher and Squire, and despite the time that’s passed, it sounds like ’90s Manchester all over again.

The track kicks off with swirling indie guitars and Gallagher’s trademark melodic snarl. After the first chorus, the drums kick in and Squire teases the guitar chops he’ll lean on in the back half of the song. They throw in a bridge for good measure before breaking into an extended guitar jam, making good on Squire’s promise of guitar heroics. Overall, it’s Brit-poppin’ good time.

“Just Another Rainbow” doesn’t necessarily reinvent Gallagher or Squire; all of the usual influences are present in the song’s construction and production. The DNA of the Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, and — yes — Oasis and The Stone Roses lie at the tune’s core. But the execution is as a solid as ever, and fans of any of the aforementioned British groups are sure believe the duo as they attempt to prove rock ‘n’ roll is alive and well.

— Jonah Krueger
Editorial Coordinator

Honorable Mentions

Alice Merton — “run away girl”

The perfect soundtrack for embracing a new season of life, Alice Merton’s “run away girl” is a refreshing, anthemic celebration of the spirit — even if reinvention feels murky at best. “I cut the shackles and change my name/ And shed my past like the skin on a snake,” she sings over ’80s-tinged instrumentals, before acknowledging that she still doesn’t quite know who she wants to be. There’s a warm, inviting build to the song, reflected back into the lyrical story, that feels altogether encouraging. — Mary Siroky

Ducks Ltd. — “Train Full of Gasoline”

There’s a breezy hue to “Train Full of Gasoline,” the new track from Canadian indie rock duo Ducks Ltd. But don’t let the summery euphoria fool you — the song is inspired by the Lac-Mégantic rail disaster from 2013, where a train carrying crude oil derailed and essentially set a Québécois town on fire. The song captures the feeling of impending disaster, especially with its motorik drum beat and charged imagery, but it’s crafted in a way that feels wholly in line with Ducks Ltd.’s loaded, effervescent jangle pop. — Paolo Ragusa

Eyedress, 1999 WRITE THE FUTURE — “rUN tHE FaDE”

Yes, I Think You Should Leave Now‘s Tim Robinson plays a “Bathrobe Demon” in the new video for Eyedress and 88Rising collective 1999 WRITE THE FUTURE’s new collab, “rUN tHE FaDE.” And yes, it’s just as bizarre and maniacal as the usual TIm Robinson cameo is. But how about that song? It’s a dreamy, stoner-friendly shoegaze anthem that seems to burst out of the speakers, and Eyedress’ lackadaisical vocals land perfectly amidst the song’s hypnotic guitars. When he mutters “pass me the blunt” as the chorus drops in full force, it’s less of a sharp command and more of a plea for escape. — P. Ragusa

Hovvdy — “Portrait”

Hovvdy have steadily been releasing a handful of singles since their 2021 album True Love and the following year’s Billboard for My Feelings EP. Their most recent, “Portrait,” feels like accidentally digging up an old entry in your camera roll that you can hardly look at, but just can’t bring yourself to delete. “It’s hard to forget how it went that night,” the band’s Will Taylor sings in the song’s opening lines; where similarly fateful evenings often blur into intangible recollections, this one demands to be remembered, for better or worse.

Backed by ramshackle, alt-country instrumentation, “Portrait” acknowledges that everyone’s life takes their own path, and sometimes those once-parallel paths diverge from each other. “Your eyes are talking/ And they don’t seem fine to me,” Taylor continues. “May as well be walking away/ With your eyes turned from me.” Sometimes, the best way to deal with pain is to just walk it off. — A. Jones

Infant Island — “Kindling” feat. Greet Death

The latest single from their upcoming album Obsidian Wreath, “Kindling” is Infant Island at their dreamiest, most atmospheric, and (somehow) most depressive. Aided by two members of Greet Death, another band whose songs sound like they’re staring down oblivion, the track is a slow burn (pardon the pun) that that breaks into Infant Island’s blood curdling screams and abrasive walls of distortion. Perhaps this dream is more of a nightmare… — J. Krueger

Katy Kirby — “Hand to Hand”

Singer-songwriter Katy Kirby is one to watch as we move into 2024. With a penchant for lyrics that sneak up on you in their poignancy, the artist is gearing up for a new album, titled Blue Raspberry, which will arrive later this month. Her latest preview of the project dropped today, and “Hand to Hand” builds on the restrained, lyrically-focused sound she’s built a foundation for. “Toss it back, hang your head again/ Was it worth the experiment?” she asks. For anyone else falling in love with her sound, keep an eye out for the artist heading out on tour kicking off in February. — M. Siroky

Song of the Week Single Artwork:

Top Songs Playlist:

 

Song of the Week: Liam Gallagher and John Squire Party Like It’s 1996 on “Just Another Rainbow”
Jonah Krueger

Popular Posts

Subscribe to Consequence’s email digest and get the latest breaking news in music, film, and television, tour updates, access to exclusive giveaways, and more straight to your inbox.