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From the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

The Libertines

The Libertines

2004

The Libertines
Album Summary

The Libertines is the second studio album by English indie rock band The Libertines. Released on 30 August 2004, it is particularly biographical of the relationship between frontmen Carl Barât and Pete Doherty. The album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, selling 72,189 copies in its first week of release. The album is included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. In 2006, NME placed the album 47 in a list of the greatest British albums ever. In 2013, NME ranked the album at number 99 in its list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. The Libertines, like its 2002 predecessor, Up the Bracket, was re-released with a bonus DVD on 22 November 2004. The DVD, entitled Boys in the Band, is a collection of live shows, band interviews, and the "Can't Stand Me Now" promotional video. The song "Arbeit Macht Frei" featured in the 2006 film Children of Men.

Wikipedia

Rating

3.02

Votes

6219
Genres
Rock
Indie

Reviews

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Fri Mar 24 2023
3

You already know an album is going to be a 3/5 at best when you see that the Wikipedia article for it is like 8 sentences long. One of those sentences being: "The Libertines was voted the third-most overrated album ever made in a 2005 BBC public poll." This sounds a bit like The Cla-oh, it was produced by Mick Jones. That makes sense. Yeah, it's exactly what I expected. More British punk - the most important genre in musical history according to this book. Kind of goofy. Yup, it's a 3/5.

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Thu May 25 2023
3

It's not bad, it's the definition of "landfill indie" however, instantly forgettable but does make you feel good while listening so sneaks a 3

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Thu May 18 2023
1

"The Libertines was voted the third-most overrated album ever made in a 2005 BBC public poll."

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Fri Mar 24 2023
5

Bepaalde nummers van dit album kende ik al wel, maar ik heb het geheel denk ik nog nooit gehoord. Ik heb Up The Bracket (2002) en Babyshambles - Shotter's Nation (2007) ooit als LP gekocht, dus als ik toe was aan dit soort muziek zette ik 1 van die 2 albums aan. The Libertines is een vreemde band. Eigenlijk klinkt het regelmatig vrij kut omdat Pete Doherty voor geen meter kan zingen, of hij laat het in ieder geval niet al te vaak merken. Andere albums in deze lijst heb ik daar wel eens op afgeschoten, maar dit vind ik dan weer steengoed. Het klinkt bijna als een hoge kwaliteit live-album, met een band die zin heeft om muziek te maken ondanks de vechtscheiding die vrij snel hierna volgde. De gitaren en ook de drums, met name de snaredrum, klinken perfect. Hoogtepunten o.a. The Man Who Would Be King, Arbeit Macht Frei, Campaign of Hate, Road to Ruin.

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Mon Mar 27 2023
5

This album is a post punk/indie rock jam of an album. Definitely the best of the libertines. Ive been a libertines fan since high school and that goes for Pete Doherty's other projects like Babyshambles and this album introduced me and will be a forever punk rock love of mine. I personally rate these projects above their predecessors such as the Clash and The Modern Lovers or anything else similar. The song writing

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Mon Apr 24 2023
5

A beautifully chaotic jangly heartfelt piece of work. Five stars for being a pretty clear Arctic Monkeys precursor that I wasn't previously aware of.

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Thu Apr 06 2023
4

Scrappy and lively, raffish and fun and very likably, if insistently, cheeky. But it does all seem a bit put-on. One gets that they were pipped to be like the Clash, but they simply ain’t all that, or didn’t work out to be. And the “Stones to Franz Ferdinand’s Beatles” is even more of a reach. Best cut: “Music When the Lights Go Out” and “What Katy Did.” Still, it’s well-made modern rock, with quality throughout, and a clear leader in the aughties division.

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Wed Sep 06 2023
4

Was a fan of the libertines when I was a teenager, proably one of the best U.K. bands from the 00’s Indie scene until the Arctic Monkeys came along. So this is rating has a personal bias to it, a soild 4 star album in my eyes. As a side note I seen everyone is jumping on the Wikipedia sentence that in 2005 this was voted the 3rd most overrated album of all time. Thought it was worst sharing the results of that poll here of that poll for context: 1 Nirvana - Nevermind 2 Coldplay - X&Y 3 The Libertines - The Libertines 4 Oasis - Definitely Maybe 5 U2 - Joshua Tree 6 Radiohead - OK Computer 7 The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band 8 The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds 9 Sex Pistols - Never Mind The Bollocks 10 The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead Apart from X&Y I’d say that list is full of great albums, overrated maybe, but still great none of the less.

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Sun Mar 26 2023
2

Many people consider this to be Pete Doherty’s greatest achievement. I disagree. Doherty’s greatest achievement is successfully completing a Margate cafe’s Mega Breakfast challenge: if you can eat four rashers of bacon, four eggs, four sausages, hash browns, onion rings, bubble and squeak, beans, two slices of thick bread well as a quarter pounder burger and chips in under 20 minutes the breakfast is free.

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Mon Apr 10 2023
5

Saw it was an English indie band and thought I knew what I was getting into, but they avoid all the pitfalls of their contemporaries. Rough around the edges but dialed in when it needs to be. I really enjoy their classic, clean sound. Best track: Road to Ruin

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Mon Jul 31 2023
5

A really decent album from the garage-rock revival era. I knew of The Libertines but only really knew of their most well-known tracks, but I enjoyed this a lot - they were a lot more varied than I expected. Their favourite track of mine isn't here, it was only ever a single (No points for guessing which...) but I thought this was great! Favourite: Can't Stand Me Now

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Fri May 12 2023
5

Obviously nowhere near as good as Up the Bracket, but I can't knock it.

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Fri May 12 2023
5

it's about 50% the strength of up the bracket and it was a let down from all the bootleg versions of most of these songs but it's still steeped in nostalgia and there's some cracking songs on there, even if the recordings of them feel a bit sanitised.

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Sat Jul 15 2023
5

Wonderful. That kind of young feeling I like this kind of punk

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Sat Aug 12 2023
5

I loved everything about this one. It's got just about everything I love about punk without actually being punk. The energy, the aesthetics, the devil-may-care attitude, even the little musical tropes of punk... it's all there. It feels like the spiritual successor or the evolution of The Clash. The songwriting is smart and self-aware, the musicianship is so good, the production is fantastic... There's a lot of garbage that seems to have made it onto the list just because it's British. This ain't that. THIS is legitimately great. What a fun surprise.

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Wed Aug 23 2023
5

9/10 amazing stuff throughout fantastic album

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Sat Sep 16 2023
5

The libertines are to me the last true rock and roll band spillover from the 20th century - they’re dangerously falling apart musically and I guess truly at points in their short explosive burst of their original career - of which they barely survived but gave us two records of perfection - with a duo songwriting combo of Doherty and Barat - which echo the Lennon and McCartney phenomenon of being greater than the sun of their parts. This album is meticulously produced and performed - yet the struggles are evident even in the singing performances - the drums are comically overplayed but somehow just for the right amount and the guitars weave in and out dangerously with punk gusto. Doherty barks and mumbles away musically throughout while Barat keeps it grounded and Mick Jones captures it gleefully as it probably reminds him of the shambles the Clash were in their later years. An artful record - maybe maybe not totally perfect as their debut but only by a hair.

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Tue Mar 28 2023
4

Yeah that was pretty good. I think I find a whole album of this middle of the road stuff fairly dull but this was more interesting than I'd given it credit for when I filed it away in my brain somewhere. Standout Track: Narcissist

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Fri Apr 07 2023
4

I’m a big Libertines fan- love the energy.

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Thu Apr 27 2023
4

It shows such promise, I just wish it were tighter and more polished.

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Fri May 12 2023
4

A pasty white, sweaty orgy that's got out of hand, but you're still going to join. Give us a hand job whilst I touch your wife's bits, Tony.

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Fri May 12 2023
4

Wow! I really liked this. Sort of Arctic Monkeys meets the Kinks. Great energy. 4 stars.

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Thu Jun 01 2023
4

Better dan ik me herinner. Prima album.

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Fri Jun 02 2023
4

A modern fusion of garage rock (in the same vein as Franz Ferdinand or Arctic Monkeys) with 60s British soft rock (Soft Faces or the Kinks). It's groovy and catchy with a raw bluesy live-sounding instrumental that takes influence from surf rock. Even hearing jazz in "The Man Who Would Be King". The chords and beats are basic, adhering to the punk style but with distortion put to the max. The vocalists conflict with each other in a fun way, singing different lines or scatting different noises. Tons of highlights, at least three quarters left some kind of impression. This is exactly my type of music, so I fell in love with most of these tracks. I heard "Up the Bracket" is even better so surely checking that out.

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Wed Jun 14 2023
4

This was more enjoyable and catchy than I had expected.

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Fri Jul 07 2023
4

I didn't listen too close to it but I enjoyed what I picked up. A lot of it reminded me of an updated The Cure or something (specifically Just Like Heaven), with very quippy lyrical delivery and hazy production. 7/10

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Sun Jul 16 2023
4

I mean, sure. It’s generic indie, but I like most indie anyway. Enjoyable - you know, even though I liked it, it’s not really noteworthy.

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Mon Aug 21 2023
4

Classic album. Not quite 5 stars, I will leave that for the best of that combines the choice songs from their first two albums. Some incredible songs, some incredibly forgettable songs. A bit of personal trivia - I was commissioned to design the poster for their first Australian tour around the time this came out. Pete left the band and the touring company swapped so my design didn't get used. As a consolation I got tickets to one of their shows. Unfortunately without Pete in the band it was a bit dull so I left about half way through

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Thu Aug 31 2023
4

J'ai trouvé ca bon pour vrai. Garage punk rock band anglais. Ca aurait pu être vraiment moyen, mais il y ad e la variété dans les chansons. Les voix sont bonne et c'est bien produit, pas trop ''punk'' pour que je perde le gout apres un bout. Assez rock pour que je reste intéressé. 4.

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Fri Sep 01 2023
4

The Libertines' self-titled album is a gritty and chaotic masterpiece that encapsulates the raw energy of the mid-2000s British indie rock scene. Released in 2004, it's a whirlwind of poetic lyrics and disheveled guitar riffs. Tracks like "Can't Stand Me Now" and "Music When the Lights Go Out" capture the band's tumultuous spirit. The album's production is unpolished, perfectly reflecting the band's turbulent journey. Though its rough edges might deter some listeners, "The Libertines" remains an iconic album that documents a chaotic moment in rock history, making it a must-listen for fans of the era and those intrigued by the band's rollercoaster narrative.

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Wed Sep 13 2023
4

Pretty solid honestly. I'm kinda going back and forth with rating this a 3 or 4. On the one hand I like that the mood of the album is consistent and I think that is a mark of an artist knowing how to craft an album as a unified piece of work. There are no songs seem like they shouldn't be on the album. My problem I come back to though is that I didn't fall in love with any songs. Maybe if I listened to more of it I would get more hooked, but I don't know if this is an album I would come back to.

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Sun Mar 26 2023
3

Kinda good, I guess. Never heard of them. Couple good tracks. I'd probably listen to this again in the future. 3/5

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Tue Mar 28 2023
3

I know you shouldn't judge an album by its cover but man, this sure looks like something I won't enjoy. Actually, a little better than I expected. Sounds good and lyrically is somewhat interesting. But nothing about it is groundbreaking or genre defining. I didn't mind listening all the way through the album but I probably won't revisit it on purpose and I don't particularly think it deserves a spot on this list. Fave songs: What Katie Did, What Became of the Likely Lads. 2.5 rounding up for not being too boring.

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Thu Mar 30 2023
3

Eh. Like every other mid 90s alt wave band.

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Thu Mar 30 2023
3

My first thought was that this is a good example of a band that should have been yanked from the 1001 list instead of The Killers or Franz Ferdinand, especially reading that they were voted the third-most overrated album ever made in a 2005 BBC public poll. Musically though, simplistic as they are, the song writing is varied enough to keep it interesting and the singer can sing. This would have been a great release in 1978 and it would have been ignored less than it was in 2004.

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Thu Mar 30 2023
3

As background music it has some good hooks. I liked it more than the average British indie band on the 1001. The 3 rating covers a lot of ground.

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Thu Mar 30 2023
3

Unbelievably, for how ubiquitous this was when I was living in London, I've never actually heard this record. First couple of tracks were cool but it's all a bit samey same.

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Wed Apr 12 2023
3

5/10. Not bad by any means, but I can see why it's considered overrated

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Thu Apr 20 2023
3

The music is fine, the singing doesn't so anything for me, the attitude is fairly obnoxious.

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Mon Apr 24 2023
3

I've had a long, odd, unhealthy obsession w Kate Moss & somehow this album became nothing but an extension of that.

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Thu Apr 27 2023
3

OK. Some tracks that have stood the test of time, but sounded a bit cliched in places.

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Fri Apr 28 2023
3

Qué yonkies y qué desastre, canciones buenas pero en general no iban a ningún lado. "Can't stand me now", "What Katie did" y algunas cosas más. Bien, le voy a dar un 3 aunque habrá gente que con el tiempo se pregunte por qué estaba este disco en una lista de 1001 imprescindibles.

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Sun Apr 30 2023
3

A pretty fun, 3.5 star rock album. Doesn't stand out to me among the many other albums of the time that sounded quite similar, but it's well done. I'm gonna knock it back down to 3 just out of principle, because it's been a day since I listened and it's already wiped from my mind.

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Wed May 10 2023
3

3.5 stars. Decent garage rock indie. Nothing extraordinary but it was a fine listen. Simple musically, duo vocals are good not great. Occasional fun guitaring.

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Mon May 22 2023
3

Solid, though not as consistent and melodic as either Oasis or Arctic Monkeys. In addition to Ha Ha Wall, I liked Last Post and the Man Who Would Be King. I like the style and tone, just not enough to want to come back and relisten.

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Mon May 22 2023
3

The singer sounds very much like Ray Davies, but his range is limited. Don't Be Shy is a good example of that. Music is good, and sounds just like other bands from the aughts.

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Wed May 24 2023
3

J'avoue que j'ai bien aimé, mais quelle drôle d'idée de représenter le punk des années 2000 par ce groupe inconnu alors que des tas de groupes légendaires sont passés à travers les mailles du fillet Roberesque.

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Fri May 26 2023
3

I love the singers voice. It's like a more intimate and less saturated Julian Casablancas. I know there's other bands that they are trying to sound like but I can't think of their names but I do like the sound. There's some inconsistencies in the production that are a little annoying for me. The third song, "Don't Be Shy" sounds like a well-recorded demo that has had minimal mixing and mastering and actual production done to it, and yet it is surrounded by songs that sound much more refined. Overall I thought it was pretty good. Not a super standout though.

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Fri May 26 2023
3

What a fun-loving group of lads. They’re trying very hard to sound like the Kinks and I find that charming. I have a soft spot for bands like this. I used to listen to the Kooks a bunch in college and they have a very similar sound to the Libertines: blatant worship of British bands from the 60’s, English drawl front and center in the vocals, punk guitars and pop hooks.

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Tue May 30 2023
3

I love indie rock, but this is mid as heck. Which means that it's not that good but it made me happy listening to it anyway.

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Fri Jun 02 2023
3

Ik ben 10 keer van mening verandert tijdens dit album. Na de eerste track dacht ik nou wel zin in een dumpster fire maar het eindigde in een op zich oké. Hier en daar wel echt random instrumenten of vals gezongen tussendoor maar dat geeft het ook z’n charme, i guess. Ik licht ‘The Man Who Would Be King’ uit, waarschijnlijk het meest voor het album sprekende nummer. Rare vocale erop maar een ‘mysterieuze’ instrumental die je er toch mee in sleept. Het is cringey maar leuk tegelijkertijd, en ik voel me ergens vies dat ik het wel leuk vind. 3 sterren, maar dat kunnen er morgen weer 2 zijn. Of 4

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Wed Jun 07 2023
3

It's OK. Had to put aside the anti-celebrity bias. Probably would have enjoyed it more in my 20s, which was in the 90s.

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Wed Jun 07 2023
3

Indie-rock-that-you'd-maybe-go-see-live-if-it-was-free-and-you'd-have-a-good-time-but-that's-about-it-music

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Wed Jun 07 2023
3

As far as early 2000s British Indie Rock goes, I'd have to say I prefer this to almost everything else that was going on at that time. Has a nice and loose feel to it that makes it more relatable than a lot of the over produced things that were in fashion at the time. Goes down easy like a pint of lager.

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Fri Jun 23 2023
3

Interesting "punkish" garage band rock.

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Mon Jun 26 2023
3

There is something about this album (mostly the vocals) that is so lazy, uninspired, and bland. Despite there being some good songs like Music When the Lights Go Out, The Ha Ha Wall, and What Katie Did, the Brits were right when they collectively decided it was overrated.

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Wed Jun 28 2023
3

Pretty good mid-00s indie rock album.

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Wed Jun 28 2023
3

"Don't Be Shy" especially sounds very Clash. Sounds like a Clash-inspired post-punk band from 2004. That could be unfair, but I'm not sure why this is on the list. Maybe this band was really inspirational or popular in the UK. Seems good, maybe it'd grow on me but doesn't seem very remarkable.

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Wed Jun 28 2023
3

J'avais déjà écouté à l'époque et je le trouve un peu ennuyeux.

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Thu Jun 29 2023
3

Weinig speciaals aan dit indie-plaatje

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Thu Jun 29 2023
3

Terug - weer zo iets dat niet direct mijn meug is, beetje overrated

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Wed Jul 12 2023
3

People say it’s overrated. First time I’ve heard it. So, good to me. I liked it.

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Sat Jul 29 2023
3

OK I guess. Completely forgettable though.

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Sun Aug 06 2023
3

I really liked this album when it came out. Haven't listed to it for a long time. I was a little disappointed that it didn't stand up as well now as I had hoped it would.

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Sun Aug 06 2023
3

This scene kinda passed me by, and is not necessarily my thing, but this ain’t bad.

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Mon Aug 07 2023
3

Pretty good, I liked some songs more than others a lot more though.

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Tue Aug 15 2023
3

Very British-sounding garage rock. I don't mind it but it's hard to distinguish it from other garage rock bands of that era. Two frontmen who share guitar and vocal duties. Ok fine, but not in some kind of Lennon & McCartney way - feels more mashed-up. I think I knew the song Can't Stand Me Now coming in and it's my favorite. Most polished beat? Most synergetic between the two frontmen? What Katie Did might be the only other song where I stopped and paid attention for a few seconds. Maybe Campaign of Hate or What Became of the Likely Lads too. Feels perfectly average.

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Tue Aug 15 2023
3

It just felt... sloppy. And not in a good way. The singer didn't seem to be really with it, he was kind of all over the place. I guess that was what he was going for, but it was just not impressive. You either go all the way, like Johnny Rotten did in the Sex Pistols, or you just sound drunk. The acoustic bit in the hidden track was nice, though. Remember those? Hidden tracks. They were always cool. So yeah, nothing overly impressive here. Reminded me a bit of Jet and "Are You Gonna Be My Girl?" but with less chops. Not memorable. Next.

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Thu Aug 17 2023
3

Not half bad, actually, kind of Living End meets Britpop. I'd never heard Pete Doherty's stuff and my estimation has risen slightly.

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Thu Aug 17 2023
3

Kinda like a supergrass meets Morrissey band.

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Sun Aug 20 2023
3

Globalement bien conçu. Pas tellement mon style, mais je peux admettre qu'il y a un soucis de qualité. Je ne risque pas d'y retourner, mais je ne suis pas fâché contre non plus. 7/10

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Mon Aug 21 2023
3

Die Pete Doherty kan natuurlijk helemaal niet zingen. Verder best vrolijk en energiek.

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Fri Sep 01 2023
3

The musical equivalent of the word 'meh'.

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Mon Sep 04 2023
3

I would have loved this album was I was 14.

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Wed Sep 06 2023
3

Heard it before?: Yes Enjoy it?: Yeah it’s a classic this one! Favourite song: Track 1 - Can’t Stand Me Now

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Sat Mar 25 2023
2

Well, this is a blast from the past. What ever did become of the likely lads?

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Sun Mar 26 2023
2

2/5 surprisingly boring. probably enjoyable as a live bar band with a few beers in me. what became… is a good closer but not enough.

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Mon Mar 27 2023
2

Reminds me of those bands in early 00s teen drama films. it’s ok, might not listen to it again. For folks that looooove indie rock, you will most likely enjoy this album.

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Tue Mar 28 2023
2

It’s ok. Remember liking it a lot more at the time. Some decent tunes, but overall it’s fairly forgettable

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Thu Mar 30 2023
2

A few folks have mentioned that the first few songs are ok, but then it gets a bit samey. I concur.

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Fri Mar 31 2023
2

The NME rates this bog standard indie rock album as the 99th greatest album of all time. No wonder the weekly music press died out. There is little here to distinguish this from any local band you'd see down the Dog & Partridge on a Wednesday night. Also, the vocals are bad and annoying. Rating: 2/5 Playlist track: Can't Stand Me Now Date listened: 30/03/23

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