Although more reflective than the bombastic and soulless 'Be Here Now', 'Standing.' lacks the tuneful swagger of the two earlier, seminal albums. Noel announced last week that this is the first album to have been written whilst the band were sober, and somehow, you can tell. It all feels a little too much like growing up and losing the edge. That said, 'Put Yer Money Where Yer Mouth Is' is both a departure and a triumph, and 'Go Let it Out' approaches the same indiscriminate roaring confidence of yesteryear.
'Little James', Liam's only songwriting offering, is very rudimentary but somehow touching, if only because Liam admits to having as much a clue about life as his nipper does. By turns compelling and mundane, this is the sound of a band coming to terms with itself.