The Libertines

Good for a couple of songs - Can’t Stand Me Now, What Became Of The Likely Lads. Don’t really need to bother with the rest. Pete Doherty just did not really have any classic albums in him that you need to listen to before you die. In fact he was more likely to cause other people to die or leave them for dead before they reached 1001 classic albums - taking speedballs with Amy Winehouse, watching her overdose and then running off. By that point she got up to 729 albums into her project and then she just lost interest soon after the incident, sinking further and further into the drink and hard drug abyss. Pushing poor Mark Blanco off a first floor balcony in Whitechapel before again running off. As well as being an aspiring actor and Cambridge philosophy graduate before tragically mixing in with the wrong crowd on that fateful night, he had also drawn Scritti Politti Cupid & Psyche 85 for his 1001 album a day challenge and was going to jot in a glowing 5 star review in his book the following day.

It was a good album. I’ve heard them called the British Strokes, and it’s fitting.

3.5

Nothing I need to revisit, but it's a fine album. British pop alt rock 2.5/5

WHY IS THERE HARMONICA IN THE FIRST SONG. Now I LOVE harmonica. I personally think it's one of if not the best instrument. But holy fuck it sounds so weird at the end of this song. I don't think harmonica was the right choice there, lads.

Okish indie rock. Never understood the big fuss tbh

Svag trea.

Platt, beiget

absolute middle of the road

meh 3.5/5

yeaaaaaah nah, was not feeling this one.

It was ok I guess. Below average. I don’t really think they executed well on what they were trying to do. In general, I really like a lot of alternative rock, but I just didn’t really enjoy this for some reason. Like the whole time, I was just thinking about how I would rather be listening to so many other things instead.

Perfectly fine album. It's missing Alex Turner's swag, but outside of that it really does remind me of the Arctic Monkeys. Standouts: The Ha Ha Wall • Road to Ruin

I first became aware of this album as it is on the Rolling Stone best albums of the 2000s list. That surprised me because it sucks. I was unsurprised to see it on here for the same reason.

deff not my fav type of rock

🤘🙂

not my style.. i totally do not understand this type of teenagerish music..

helt middels, vekker ingen positive følelser men er ålrigth musikk. passer greit i bil om ingen har lik musikksmak det her. gir det 3 av 5

Good indie album - probably more of a 3.5 than a 4, but this is my kind of music so I'm rounding up.

This is really my kind of garage 20aught music. Strangely enough the album starts off with probably my three least favorite tracks of the album. They almost sound typical early alt sound. But as the album got more jagged starting with "The Man Who Would Be King", I quite enjoyed it. "The Saga", and "Music Hits When the Lights Go Out" are probably my stand out tracks. (7.7) ★★★½

Quite standard rock of its time, but it is quite good. 3.5 stars

This is pretty enjoyable and is sort of a precursor to the Arctic Monkeys. I don't like it as well as some of the American garage rock revival stuff from this era, but there's some good stuff here including "Can't Stand Me Now", "Last Post on the Bugle" and "What Became of the Likely Lads". 3.5 stars.

Less chaotic than Up The Bracket but still full of energy and beautifully crafted melodies.

Never really got why they got so big but it’s a pretty good album

4.0

A band that I was too snobbish to listen to as a teenager but thought I might quite like. This was underwhelming for me, catchy hooks but didn't leave too much of an impression otherwise. I enjoyed it enough, wouldn't be upset to hear it again but won't be rushing back for a listen.

Junkie music

pretty good

It was fine. Kinda boring.

a fun mix of songs that almost sound like an arctic monkeys demo, and then some songs have a classic rock sorta sound to them?? idk I thought this was gonna be an electronic album!! I like what this is though, definitely early 2000s indie core ova here which is great. I like when there's a hidden track :)))) <3The Ha Ha Wall, Music When The Lights Go Out, France<3

Pretty solid album, but nothing that truly stood out. I love the grittiness but feels so derivative of The Kooks or the Strokes tbh. Some of the songs were so sloppy I felt like this 😵‍💫 Gotta stop judging albums by their covers lulz I also now know what a libertine is, so ty for that

It’s alright. Never understood the massive and continued appeal.

I'm not sure how I ever missed this band because this is exactly the kind of thing I like. I suppose it has something to do with the albums release, in the throes of having babies, so many of my musical selections at the time ranged from Disney songs to the Wiggles. No matter, I'm glad I finally discovered this album now I saved a few songs to my library. And we listen more in the future.

Aight

2000s alt rock. Really solid and fun album, quite playful.

Not too bad.

Kind of a generic Brit Garage Rock album. There was times when they were singing and it just seemed like they didn't care. Maybe not caring is cool.

The Strokes crossed with Supergrass, a Super Strokes if you will but without the charm of those 2 bands. Enjoyed it, good tunes but didn't love it. 3 stars

It's not bad, but I wouldn't call it good either. Middling Brit-rock.

Flekker ut munnspillet på første låta. Helt forferdelig. Og det i tillegg på låta med desidert flest avspillinger. Da gir jeg meg der.

This is such aggressively mid 2000's rock

Why are we doing a list of one hit fucking wonder

Pretty solid stuff.

I remember the name of this band and I know Ive heard them and think I know what their sound will be. Early 2000s Strokes garage rock influence is what I’m picturing before listening. It’s very 2000s indie rock early on. You hear a post punk vibe on it. Something about English bands that sound English. They’re a lesser version of early Arctic Monkeys to me just on first listen. Nothing is jumping out at me but it’s a pretty solid listen so far. When the Lights Go Out is the first song that felt like something different that stood out. Some of the more punk sounding garage rock wasn’t all my favorite. What Katie Did is my favorite song of the album probably. Really good. Enough of this is pretty good to warrant a 3. Wish I enjoyed all of it more, because really liked a few songs. Just felt like wasn’t connecting on a lot of it for me. Solid 3, wouldn’t mind hearing some of these songs in a playlist.

War okay, aber irgendwie nichts super outstanding. Klang alles ähnlich. Aber wäre vollkommen fine damit, wenn das Album in ner Bar im Hintergrund laufen würde.

One of the most important bands for me in my teenage years. These guys, along with the White Stripes, are probably the reason I started listening to music that wasn't oldies or classic rock. Pete Doherty and Carl Barât were the epitome of stylish. Gary Powell's drums sound great, and it also felt cool and inclusive to have a non-white musician in a largely white guy scene. I think 'Up The Bracket' is probably the tighter, more powerful album, and it holds a more important place in my own personal narrative. But this one better captures the doomed, messy, romantic nature of the band. I love that their politics were always revolutionary, but built on a highly individualistic sense of self, and a reverence and longing for the past. The bitter love songs here can also be read as a metaphor for Barât and Doherty's complex friendship. They were more intellectual than their peers, and their relationship subverted the trope of lad culture that went along with a lot of other bands in the 2000s UK indie scene. (Were they feminine? They felt non-heteronormative, at least.) Finally I think they have a legit edge, an air of despondency and tragedy that feels more authentic than the performative 'indie sleaze' of a lot of American bands.

Really great album. Catchy, well-written, interesting songs, very emotive singing (my weakness!). I'm considering this 4.5 stars for now, but could definitely see it growing to 5 stars in time. I listened on headphones and was boppin around the bedroom. Especially enjoyed Can't Stand Me Now.

Good old British Rock. Nothing that excites me, like usual

Boring slow Brit indie. Meh

horrible, did not enjoy, barely worth remembering Would I listen again: no Deserves to be on this list: no 1.0

Sounds so dated now

This was hit or miss for me, but I'm rounding up because the songs I liked, I really liked.

Nothing grabbed me on this one. Pretty generic Brit pop from the era.

3.5. Some great cuts, some forgettable. Killer opening and closing tracks.

7 GOOD

5/10

Pretty much the sound of what I associate with people who, back in the early 2000s, would listen to in order to prove they were 'better' than those that listened to mainstream pop. It's perfectly fine music, but it's also lacking any real substance to elevate it.

There's probably decent power pop buried somewhere under the put-on punk flair. Unfortunately the thing lacks charisma. Punky, slackery, garage rock stuff usually only works if the vibe's the juvenile joy of playing guitars fucking loud, I find. I don't really get that from The Libertines unfortunately. Album feels undercooked in a wrong way.

Tapped out during song 4. Apologized to myself for waiting so long

It was good, very similar to yesterdays I feel like. Highlights: Can’t stand me now (fav) The man who would be king Music when the lights go out

it's ok. feel like there are so many things so similar that nothing really stood out to me

Very British. Very 2000s

They're so british it's like cutting steel with a piece of floss

Not the most meaningful lyricists but the music is quite good. Definitely worth experiencing as I was unfamiliar with this band. Glad they were on the list.

this music sux

Playing and singing badly seemed to be vogue in the 90s. There are fleeting moments on this album but the morass is knee high and far too much to wade through

I did not like this one as much as I had anticipated. This kind of music is sort of down my alley, and I thought I would like it more than I did. It wasn't punk enough, and yet, too poppy for me as well. I can handle one but this seems to be down the middle. There is a whole subgenre of music represented in this book, which can be defined as "British rock," and it is overrepresented. Listening to the Arctic Monkeys debut compared to this one show which artist was probably more influential. The Libertines were not boring and that probably also elevated their music in the eyes of critics. There is nothing happening here which leads me to believe I needed to hear this album or it influenced other artists...other than to maybe not use drugs. My favorite tracks: Can't Stand Me Now Don't Be Shy Music When the Lights Go Out The Ha Ha Wall What Katie Did

Brilliant album. Held up well I think. Nice to see them playing together still.

I am a fan of The Libertines. They prove you can still make great songs without being great musicians and another band with a completely unique sound (maybe because of that). Can't Stand Me Now gives me goosebumps every time I listen to it. However, most of the rest of the album doesn't quite do it for me and definitely could be a few songs shorter. It should be a 7/10, will bump up instead of down

First time Libs album listen - liked it more than I thought. Clear lineage, Kinks, Smiths....c'mon The Albion!! Appreciated the purposely shambolic vocal delivery at times, particularly Don't be Shy, almost Damo Suzuki like! Always thought this Katie song was the one about Moss though, oh well.

I absolutely love a number of songs off this album, but it was never one I frequently returned to in full. Instead, the libertines have always been a playlist band for me. There is generational talent on show here. Fine social commentary and observation underpinned with a unique lead dynamic takes it a long way. When the tunes are at their best it’s at times a work of absolute brilliance, but there are far too many songs which sink into heroine chic, just filling the void and which feel very much of their era. It’s also good to be reminded that Pete Doherty was banging Kate Moss and dedicated a song to her and heroine use. Bizarre times. Heart says 4, head says 3, but I’d gladly listen to half of it on repeat on (Re-peat!) for hours!

Indie rock is such a hidebound genre. Production aside this could have been made at any point after punk. Sonically it's all a bit so what.

Yes, even had to tolerate Tim moaning about it. You just had to be there (not that I was in Essex)

Loved this in those heady, trilbied days. Giving it another listen is a little painful now though. Some great singles that I think stand up. But too much skippable filler like 'Don't Be Shy', 'Narcissist' and 'Campaign of Hate'. Rushed out, underthought and overlong.

Never could stand that prick. Terrible singing and the music is absolutely atrocious.

A lot of folks dislike Pete Doherty, I think he's great personally. Not enough characters like him out there any more. Anyway, I'm not a fan of this album however. Primarily because of the awful guitar work on these libertines records. Hopefully their other big album isn't on this list too? Also, it's not on Spotify for some reason so listened with ads in YouTube. Preferred the ads tbh. 2/5. Would be a one if Pete Doherty wasn't on it.

Didn't know what to expect but reminds me of Los Campesinos! in a way so I enjoyed it and would listen again.

Enjoyed more than I thought I would

I’ve always thought the Libertines were a bit overhyped, I never quite got it myself. This was alright but despite a few high points a lot of it was really just ok, nothing too special. It feels a bit like the indie presses were desperate for a band to hype following the fallow post-Brit pop years and this lot fitted the bill. I can’t help but think If there had been any better, more decent bands about at the time then they may not have been hyped quite as much.

I loved their debut album Up The Bracket which is a raw, often shambolic, indie punk rock master class. As the press took notice and desperately tried to hail them as the next big thing, it all started to go wrong and the biggest comparison to the Britpop era was that they filled tabloid pages with their tales of excess, all very Oasisesque! This album is more polished and has some great tracks, but a few average ones that soon fade from the memory.

Yeah so the too cool for school shambolic druggy waster thing wore thin and crashed and burned for them pretty quick. This album hasn’t fared much better. They were a decent live act when I saw them perform this album, but vibes more than content was their thing. As with this album there’s a few good songs and glimpses of a talent probably never quite fulfilled.

wacala

Oddly out of tune. An extra point for What Katie Did

2 stars

Had some nice moments, and I can appreciate it for it's place in UK indie rock history, but it was nothing to shout about.

Not into most early 2000’s bands but The Libertines don’t fit the mold. Excellent album.

I liked the mouth trumpet

Punk

New wave punk vibe

Wow, what a fun record. Loved pretty much every second of this. Makes me want to check out the rest of their stuff!

Wow I kinda loved this! Really struggled between a 3.5 and 4, but went with 4 for just how much fun I was having with it and its obvious influences and its obviously who took influence later after 2004 release.

All I knew of them was that the singer was all over the news for a while. That means absolutely nothing though. I've come off a bad run recently with S&M, 1984, then Darkdancer - all 1 and 2 star albums to my tastes. So this was a step up from those. But the goodwill of getting a reasonable album after so much dross (well, 1984 wasn't dross I guess) that just means it's gone from an average 3 stars to a high 3 stars.

Neat!

Nice rock music.

Eh…you know. It certainly sounds like it’s from 2004.

Great all aprund album with just 2 singles. Band was not the best but this could be one pf the top ablums of that period. Catchy, popish leaning towards hard rock with a sparkle of punk. Amazing

Not to my tastes. A good single from this album, the rest listenable, but not the most exciting. Very early noughties British, so I can appreciate it though.

This definitely falls into the category of insanely pleasant surprise.

Didn't like the Libertines when they were everywhere. With a bit of distance, there's some good songs on here.

I can see why some people like this and some don't. I wasn't too impressed but there was juuust enough shambolic charm to save it from a two-star rating.