“A mere 21 months have elapsed since the release of the Libertines’ wondrous debut Up The Bracket, but they have managed to stuff them with the kind of intrigue and accident that usually defines whole careers. Scarcely a week goes by without news of another life-threatening mishap, or some unforeseen fillip to their morale, or both.

All of their travails revolve around Pete Doherty, the group’s wasted-yet-brilliant aesthetic incarnate whose blighted history most recently includes an abortive period of treatment at the Priory, followed by an equally inconclusive stay under the care of a brutal rehab regime at a Thai monastery.

All of this rather obscures why anyone made a fuss of the Libertines in the first place. So, let it be loudly restated: Up The Bracket was an album of miracle and wonder. Within its songs, one heard all kinds of joyous tidings: that the endlessly romantic, alluringly shadowy London buried around the time of Britpop was still in existence, the very English racket once made by the Buzzcocks, the Only Ones and the early Clash remained thrilling beyond words, and the intelligence and articulacy that once marked this country’s contribution to the rock form had been unexpectedly resurrected.

Now we have The Libertines. Recorded in fits and starts, and reportedly taken to completion in Doherty’s absence, it amounts to a candid account of their lives since last summer. The opening song, Can’t Stand Me Now, dramatises the fall-outs of Doherty and co-leader Carl Barat (they alternately bark out its title, like a warring couple) and the latter’s recurrent crises. “The boy kicked out at the world,” he sings, “the world kicked back, a lot fucking harder.” A shambling weepie called Music When The Lights Go Out amounts to a crestfallen apology for Doherty’s failings. The finale, What Became Of The Likely Lads, is a duet, but Barat’s lines are the most illuminating: “If it’s left to you, I know exactly what you’ll do with the dream we have/I tried to make you see, but you don’t want to know.”

If Doherty’s troubles form the album’s plot, they’re also its apparent undoing. In keeping with the abiding sense that it’s been left unfinished, it has some of the worst guitar solos ever put to tape, distractedly mumbled vocals, and songs that promise much, only to flop into aimless underachievement. The band’s sense of careening power – their ability to somehow encapsulate the condition of being ragingly drunk – only occasionally appears. Tellingly, its most convincing manifestation is in Narcissist, sung by Barat alone.

Doherty’s performances are of an altogether different order. On Don’t Be Shy he sounds perilously close to nodding out. The Man Who Would Be King, contrasting the band’s ascent and his on pained state, limply tumbles into a ‘la-la-la’ chorus. The band are suddenly prone to unbecoming silliness: whether a 70 second in-joke should have been titled Arbeit Macht Frei is a moot point.

And so the disappointments mount up. Given Doherty’s understandable fixation with his own condition, the sense of London as a ghostly fantasia has been all but lost, as has his talent for picaresque poetry: certainly, when he sings about his own experiences, it pretty much deserts him.

Relative to their peers, of course, a great deal of the record still oozes brio, wit and flash. The competition, unfortunately, is hardly an issue: when you reside in an orbit as lonely and lofty as this group, you play for your own high stakes.

It may be more appropriate to stop fretting about the Libertines and simply hope Doherty gets well. Even so, in a world of Keanes, the demise of this band would amount to the bleakest kind of tragedy.”

They gave it 3 stars out of 5...Natasha Bedingfield got 4...

I thought it was quite a good, accurate review. The only thing i think it didn't do was give 'man who would be king' enough credit. But he captured the tangible sense of it being rushed, and the fact that the whole way through u feel the songs or album hasn't quite reached the potential that the debut promised. The 3 stars don't really seem like a reflection of the quality of the album in its own right, but as a sophomore effort and in terms of how good it could have been.

yes, a fair and accurate review. infact i may just paraphrase your whole post drunkenprophet, as i agree with you about the man who would be king too; an excellent song which deserves more credit. dont be shy is frankly the worst thing ive ever heard from them and its a mystery why it has made it to the album, i also find that narcissist sticks everytime i hear the Hooray lyric in the middle.

however to the original point (before i become absorbed in writing a review of my own), i think Mr Observer has written a sensitive and just review.

jess x

-------
save me from tomorrow

I think he's fundamentally wrong - but then I think the new album is breathtaking from beginning to end.

And he hasn't even bothered to do any research
-what he says about Arbeit Macht Frei is embarassingly ignorant.

>>The band are suddenly prone to
>>unbecoming silliness: whether a
>>70 second in-joke should have been
>>titled Arbeit Macht Frei is a moot point.

Vx

Couldn't agree more Vic,

The comment about Arbeit Mach Frei had the pair of us ranting for at least 15 minutes. A comment on bigotry and double standards a 70 second in joke? Bollocks.

The reviewer sounds like they only bothered to give the album a cursury listen before deciding it was a pile of old rubbish. As for the comment on Music When The Lights Go Out - his research never went beyond picking up that days tabloid.

It all seems a bit rushed. Which is foolish since the blasted thing doesn't even come out for another month! It would have sat much better in the next music monthly.

XxXx

perhaps i'm giving the reviewer too much credit when i assumed he was referring to the translation of 'arbeit mach frei' (work makes you free is it?) and suggesting that the libs hadn't put enough work towards the album, but as i say, it's all subjective.

Good review. People should take off their libs-tinted specs every now and then. Understand everyone has their opinion but i dont think it can compare to up the bracket, doesnt grab you by the gonads like utb did

He was fairly reasonable, i don't think Natasha Bedingfield should have beat them though :P

it was rushed.. but its still a good album

fair review. you must realise they could do much better if they wanted to.

the reviewer has made an alrite point about the guitar solos - I know the libs guitar work has always been a bit shambolic but they are a bit too threadbare.

A good review although a pity about the 3 stars. Its obviouly an album for the fans so we dont give a shit what the papers say.

i think the album is so badly produced... the songs are there......they are good songs....poorly executed on the record....I knew it was gunna go wrong when bernard butler was unavailable....he would have ooomphed up the songs......every live version of everysong blows them completely out of the water!!!....it upsets me that the non-fans who buy this album will write off the band for this...."how queer?" i suddenly am taking the side of non-libs-fans.....and i swore i would never....bloody hell!?!?

Very interesting review.
I have yet to hear any of the album so I cannot comment too extensively. This split-reconcile-split spirit that seems to encompass the band can't do much for song production and ultimately slick album making.
A lot of bands have struggled to follow up brilliant debuts... it's a tough business.
I don't like this comment that goes "they could have done a lot better if they wanted to". What rubbish!.. as if their aim from onset was to produce a mediocre second!! I'm not holding my hand up in alliance with the ridiculous "your only as good as your last album" but the libs have suffered in the making and refining of this record from the drugs, break-ups and insufficient quality studio time.
Obvious isn't it?

bernard butler unavailable? that was the official line but didnt they try recording with him unsuccessfully, then got mick on board and he kept them together and made the album pleasuring your ears at the moment.

Im not ragging on mick here.....after all he did produce a debut that managed to grab everyone by the short and curlies.....but if butler had produced it, it would have all sounded polished and less like a collection of demos and rarities.....im not saying they should have orchestral arrangements or anything of the such.....just well yknow......not so ordinary....maybe im just fussy...anyone agreeing with me on this?!?

I've only heard the album twice, so I can't really comment that much, but the review seems accurate to me and the award of three stars seems just. However, the point I would like to make, is to be honest, after two plays, and even after 20 plays maybe, Up the Bracket would have only have got three stars from me. But give it a while to gnaw constantly at your ears, head and I guess heart, and it gets in there, and it fucking stays there. Its something I've noticed with all of my friends, it takes a while, but suddenly you just 'get' Up the Bracket. And it does this without much work as well - its not like you have to force yourself to listen to it in order to appreciate it. It certainly wasnt instant though with the exception of a few songs such as Boys in the Band and the title track. Anyway Im rambling, now look at it - its utter brilliance. My point is, although its not particulalry impressive at the moment, 'The Libertines' could be the same. I for one will wait a long time before passing comment.

your right about up the bracket.......your probly right about the new one....ive listened to it over and over and over....so maybe ive over played it

i'm still going with 'it's a fucking awesome record'

*what Laheed just said*

I suppose that just how The Libertines experience works when it comes to listening to their records. Though I still maintain that Horrowshow from UTB and Don't Be Shy from the new one aren't doing it for me.

Cocaine's a hell of a drug. - Rick James R.I.P. foo'