Reviews (page 2 of 7)
Album was heading for 3 stars but What Became of the Likely Lads bumped it up to 4 stars or B- for me.
Music from the 70s made in 2004 but way worse.
Early 2000’s Brit indie.
The first two Libs albums are nailed on 5/5, and I really hope Up The Bracket is on here somewhere too. Carl and Pete managed to simultaneously love and hate each other and that really comes across in this incredible collection of 3-4 minute indie bangers.
Has all the makings of something I'd love. Has a real 'The Clash' feel to it, both voice and style wise. It doesn't quite grab me and engage me lyrically in the same way that I would be by an album from The Clash though, but that's some high standards to compare with. Plenty to enjoy here mind and it nearly grabs a 4.
Can't Stand Me Now
Great great album! Love the sound and the aesthetic behind it!
"Can't Stand Me Now" was an immediate hit
Gear: Dunu SA6 Artwork: 🚬💉✒️ Production: 🙀😱🙉 Music: 🍻🥴📢 Rating: 🤢/5
The singer can't sing and the guitar player can't play, but they look super cool and indie on the album cover. What a joke.
A little bit of teenage nostalgia, even though the likely lads was the only song I really liked. I think this is a decent album and very much of the time and defined an era so has that element, but a little 'poor me' kinda aesthetic
This feels like a true garage-band album, mostly in good ways. Much of it feels like it came together fairly quickly around the guitarist's noodling and riffing, with other guys joining in. The lyrics are the only thing more polished than that. They've captured the feeling of jam session well. I also appreciate that they didn't turn everything up to 10: the drummer can drum instead of pounding, and the singer can sing instead of shouting. The main downside is that there's some slop in here, like they needed a producer to tell them to do another take when they made mistakes.
Listened to this one twice and it really kicks in after the third or fourth song, but it still doesn't really grab me. I think it's pretty consistent front to back, maybe the crunchy guitars are too crunchy? Lyrically not really pushing me? I don't know, I might revisit and I might not! 3.5 for me?
Oh look another UK shit record.
Overrated landfill.
I really dislike the image of Pete Doherty as a public figure : pretentious, bloated and unsavoury. Like many acts that I love, in fact, but he just seems completely without charm. I don't like his whiny voice. His band is far too good for him, and any stars I give are for them.
Can't stand me now is a banger. Rest is fine. 3/5.
A good balance between the poppy hooks and the punky energy keeps this lively and fresh. The only real sin is its length: I've never heard a better case study for "if this record were sub 30 mins, it'd be pretty great."
Middle of the road british ehhhhh.
21. avgust 2026. 18.43h ugh kad cujem ovaj britanski 2000s indi/post rock zvuk im just tickled, it was nice best: last post on the bugle, music when the lights go out
Reading the history of the band and the chaos surrounding them was pretty fascinating, along with the way that they clearly got dragged into the British music media's cycle of overhyping bands that inevitably leads to a backlash. I somehow managed to miss all of it at the time, so I'm not that invested beyond the mildly interesting trivia element of it. More significantly, its the first time I've heard the record. Unlike a lot of the bands lumped into the so-called garage revival, this actually sounds garagy. There are a few moments where it recalls garage bands of the past, but mostly it has a warts and all, first time best time approach to recording. Everything feels a little shambolic and the rhythm and tempo aren't always consistent. The vocals are engaging, but again feel a bit chaotic. Largely, I think that this really works for the record. It takes the music that mixes punk with indie and earlier British invasion influences and makes it feel energetic and immediate. The songs are pretty catchy and I like this record quite a bit. Not a five star record, but definitely a four star record.
Great Album. 4.25
Album #140: The Libertines Genre (W): Garage rock revival, indie rock Singles: Can’t Stand Me Now, What Became of the Likely Lads I have not listened to this album before. Thoughts?: Umm.. this is extremely forgettable that I don’t even remember any of the songs I just listened to. I don’t hate it but there’s nothing I’ve gained of value from this. Too bland, even for indie. Bleh. Favorite tracks: None of them.
I love this album cos I love The Libertines, but I still love the debut more. This one is not a 5 star album but it's good. Just simple rock n roll similar to what was big at the time. All the "The" bands had dominated radio; it was a great time musically. I come back to this one regularly, and include these songs in various playlists I make now. Biggest Hit - Can't Stand Me Now Biggest Miss (if I had to choose) - Campaign of Hate Hidden Gem - Narcissist
Fun and upbeat and British sounding, kinda loses the thread sometimes.
This is a vastly overrated piece of junk. I did not enjoy just everything about it. Man, the naughties were the worst decade of music.
There was an awful lot of hype and excitement about the Libertines when this came out. It is a good album but it’s reputation is better than the music, as a British indie debut it’s not up to the standard of Definitely Maybe or Whatever People Say I Am… A decent time capsule of mid noughties (I never called it that at the time, always sounded too cringey) rock and the good tunes are still good, but a lot is a bit repetitive.
In 2026 this album is rather underrated then overrated. Also had the chance to see Peter live recently and he played some of the songs on this album. What an absolute legend and a sweetheart he is.
This is what I would hear on a very local bands festival, lukewarm beer in hand and some lame band playing. I decide to go home.
2.8
Not for me. 1/5
Never hooked me.
Ah, the ramshackle and disappointing second album. Actually enjoyed revisiting this more than I expected, though it loses its way in the second half.
Nope
I never liked the Libertines when they came out but I did quite enjoy this - it's somewhere between a 2 and a 3 for me but I'm feeling charitable towards Pete Doherty
I know I shouldn’t like this but I do, a guilty pleasure…towards the top of the 2 stars for “Can’t Stand Me Know”. Tom.
Classic album in sense of own style but perfectly fitting into the Zeitgeist.
Decent indie album
Not a hard listen but i rather listen to fucking blur
uma vibe pub alt nos anos 2000 ótimas músicas pra road trip no interior
Come on the boys, a chaotic, beautiful and charming album. Which hides its nuance behind mess. A band in constant burnout. Some all time anthems on this album, long live indie sleaze/rock n roll. 4.5/5.0 Best Song: Music When The Lights Go Out
Great song writing, they are such a charicature of what english indie musis sounded like but in the best possible way. Very charming in a scummy way.
The Libertines. Decent listen.
I was massively underwhelmed by this. I expected far more. But the slacker style just comes across as limp and inept not cool.
nostalgia is one hell of a drug
Excelente. No conocía. Me gustó
muy avril lavinge
I can definitely see how this was such a popular album, especially back in the early 2000s when the indie rock scene was massive. It also has a slight punk feel and a strong UK identity. Overall, it's not a bad album, but I found a lot of it very sleazy and adolescent, with some pretty weak lyrics.
Solid album. Has some early 00’s pop punk energy as well as just indie rock sounds throughout. 3.5 for me.
No private session used for Spotify. I have had a rash of albums I rated twos, so this was a needed change. Something that I might put on myself when working. I like this album it's fun rock, but nothing really stands out as fantastic, by the second listen I was losing interest in it.
irgendwie mega max musig für mich. geil aber die erste hwei songs, sie sind insano engländer. the man who would be king chli lustig. checks nonig. sie sind chli beschuldift worde, dass sie nume so gross sind wegem drama zwüsched de frontmanne. und ich gsehs. s isch decent indie rock, kei meeega krassi songs aber se doherty het sich halt komplett kaputt gmacht. musig when the lights go out isch sehr schön. die sanfte hits sind super. Sorry mägge das langet nume für es 3 :(
s albumcover isch bis jz s beste am album iwie ischs quirky und chli nervig aber trotzdem SO BLAND? die zwei töned nachere riichtige toxische mischig (de doherty isch gad usem gfängnis cho, will er bi sim mitsänger ihbroche isch??), denn erwart ich eig au gueti musig gopfertammi okaaay the ha ha wall het no es cools riff und v.a. es cools zwüschespiel trotzdem lahts mich iwie chli chalt? oke mitem mägge POV hetsmer schochli meh spass gmacht, die lichtigkeit hani meh chönne schätze (wo mich glaub mengisch echli gstört het, willsmer chli ah wucht gfehlt het?) DRÄI
The rush of garage rock found a diamond.
Just a bunch of safe Brit rock, fine for one listen but very quickly forgotten
The Good: Modern rock! The Bad: Modern rock… The Ugly: album name = band name So, for those of us who never really listened to The Libertines, we only really know of them due to Dohorty’s lifestyle... This album did not impress me… however, it might have to do with a state of mind while listening to the album… shit happens. Still, there is too much trying to be something they are not. Don’t know… maybe I will give them one more spin tomorrow… Down the middle 3*
Love this album - used to listen to it a lot as a teenager. The opening chords of "Can't Stand Me Now" are such a good start to an album - one to rival Pixies' Bossanova opener, "Cecilia Ann". Love it. Gonna listen again.
Dober🏴
Decent. Above average, with an emphasis on Average. Would’ve enjoyed a live show back in the 90’s, but nothing much stands out. Good solid stuff from a time soon forgotten.
What a waste of a space on this list. Shameful. The album cover pisses me off as much as the music. Annoying twats, not very good at all. Do better 1001 -- there are so many good records I haven't seen appear yet and you offer up this crap?
Britpop record that offers nothing new to the genre. To me this sounds like a high school band still learning how to play and do their own thing.
#451 / 1089 Heard before? ❌ Revisit? ❌ Shitty brit rock with a lazy pop edge, like second rate Suede. It feels like UK poops out one of these every year and for some explicable reason they end up at the top of the charts. I'm utterly fed up with these kinds of bands, whether they come from UK of US. I tried looking for something redeeming positives, but I find this record revolting in every sense. Even the fucking production values give me the creeps. Because of the shitty fucking falsetto I heard just before stopping 0.5/5
Thankfully after the break I agreed with myself to write smaller reviews so I can just say "eh its fine" and move on.
I never got the hype about Pete Doherty at the time, I know a girl who had his face tattooed on her, I always thought he was a twat. And I still don’t get it. His vocals are staggeringly poor, the songs are mediocre and the lyrics aren’t anything special. Still baffled
Has its moments. Keeps me engaged with a raw sound and interesting production. Sounds like an early artic monkeys. Rating: 6/10 Favorite Song: Can’t Stand Me Now
Not really my thing. OK but only just.
Surprisingly listenable.
Not what I’d reach for if I wanted to hear some garage rock revival. So many amazing bands but I guess this one was high on the British music charts so it ends up here. Not bad music, but I’ll never come back.
This is a boring and overrated album for me. While listening I mostly felt underwhelmed and a bit restless. It has that messy, chaotic indie rock energy the band is known for, but after a while it just becomes tiring and samey. Mick Jones’ production is actually really good. It captures that raw, live, slightly dirty sound very well. And “Can’t Stand Me Now” is a decent song that stands out from the rest. But overall, the album doesn’t have enough strong moments to justify the hype it gets. It’s fine if you already love the band, but for me it didn’t leave much of an impression. One of those records that people call a classic but I just can’t get into.
This isn't doing anything wrong. I don't really care, it doesn't do much for me, but it's fine.
Fun while it lasted, but forgettable. I thought about giving it a 3 for being enjoyable and inoffensive. The list is albums you should listen to before you die. You could put this with hundreds of other indie rock albums from the early aughts in a bag and draw one. It wouldn't make a difference.
Decent album if forgettable. Blends in with the other 1001 3/5
Drippy, silly or just generic.
I need to listen again to really take it in, but it wasn’t bad overall.
first couple of songs didn't grab me much. but, "the man would be king" is a pretty great jam. as is "music when the lights go out". "the ha ha wall" is fun. i'm not sure what to make of "arbeit macht frei". it's hard to reference nazis in a meaningful way in a short punk song. i think it works (showing modern complications of anti-nazi while anti-black/queer), but i don't fully share the context of the band. "road to ruin" has a great jonathan richman/doors sound to it.
Good but nothing mind blowing
Very fun
Hells bells, there truly is no end to the mediocre britpop, is there? God-awful. It's equal parts poser-punk, indie rock, and off-key glam. Maybe what strikes me most is the perceived volume of the bed tracks makes the singer sound flaccid. Like, really. He's singing far too softly to ever make this sound like an integrated experience. Complete and utter mess, this one. Tally another delusion for Dimery and his glue-sniffing peers.
Sian score deb has no taste
Pretty decent, if you were alive in the UK between 2000 - 2010 this is what rock sounded like. There's better "britslop" out there with more unique sounds, like early Kaiser Chiefs and The Fratellis, but this is fine I guess.
# Album Name: The Libertines # Artist: The Libertines # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: Cracking little album. I remember when this came out. It had a big impact in our friend cicle. Good times, great nights out, fantastic drugs. Good memories. # Top Tunes: most of the album # Would I listen to it again? Yes
Nothing exceptional or groundbreaking but an enjoyable listen. Though it might be more enjoyable under the influence of something
The day I listened to this album was one of those post-monsoon days, when the Sun and the sky feel way too bright. My stubborn persistence to listen to the entire album on my walk is the only thing that kept me from turning back. This album is a perfect example of why, in an ideal scenario, I like to listen to these albums at least twice before finalizing my thoughts; I walked away from my first listen to The Libertines feeling pretty lukewarm. It felt like the album had a surprisingly gentle sound for a garage rock band, typically falling into the fast-paced, single-speed style of punk-adjacent rock music that just flows through me without particularly standing out. I thought it was fine, but I let it sit for awhile before listening one more time. And wow, how wrong my initial thoughts were. The Sun must have drained all of my energy on that first listen, because this album is very good! The level of autobiographical vulnerability on display from the two frontmen about the state of their friendship, treating the emotions and pitfalls of it with the same level of rawness that most musicians approach romantic heartbreak with, was a refreshing and new landscape of feelings to navigate musically. The album bounces a bit between a few different flavors of rock, from the blisteringly quick and incendiary punk sensibilities of Arbeit Macht Frei, to the country-leaning twang of Narcissist and Road to Ruin, all while maintaining that emotionally honest lyricism which brings most of these songs to life. I'm incredibly glad to have given The Libertines a second chance, because this album absolutely deserved it. Highlights: Can't Stand Me Now, Last Post on the Bugle, Don't Be Shy, Music When The Lights Go Out, Narcissist, The Ha Ha Wall, Arbeit Macht Frei Campaign Of Hate, What Katie Did, What Became of the Likely Lads
Raw, jaunty, catchy. Not every song is brilliant but it feels like a classic.
This album is coming at me whilst I’m completely heartbroken so perhaps I have impaired judgement, as a caveat. Future Edit: I’m going back and ranking albums I either didn’t rank or ranked weirdly due to being sad. I’m now slightly less heartbroken and I liked walking around Sheffield to this! Can’t Stand Me Now is a new fave. I’m tempted to rank this a four but half of these songs weren’t really for me so it’s gonna be a three for me, for now at least - I can see this seriously growing on me.
I never understood the media infatuation that swirled around The Libertines.They sell middle of the road garage band rock sprinkled with drunken live appearances, even drunker public meltdowns, and somehow became the face of the English rock scene. It wasn't long before the infinitely more talented Arctic Monkeys sent them on their way, but prior to that I don't know why you'd ever choose The Libertines over The Strokes.
Alright already with the Brit pop, Indie, whatever from the oughts. Jesus.
This is not a good album. I’m so sick of the fucking Britpop on this damn list
First listen, thanks, nice album.
Interesting álbum mes most of it but some ones are incredible
Uninspiring music. Reading up about this Doherty character: what a wanker. The band should’ve been called the Liberpeens and the album doesn’t deserve its success.
3.5 enjoyable, but missing something to push it to a 4
It wasss a greaaattt album its so exciting and not boring at all but i dont really like the first two songs but the rest is amazing
Very good
The songs often have strong melodies and scrappy punk energy, but the performances feel like they might fall apart at any second. That fragility is the appeal. It’s romantic in a very British, dirty-jacket, cigarette-burn, pub-floor kind of way. The band were obsessed with old England, poetry, street life, punk, The Clash, The Smiths, and this fantasy world they called “Albion,” which gives the album more character than just “garage rock dudes with guitars.” The Libertines is beautiful shambles rock — catchy, scruffy, unstable, and full of doomed friendship energy. If you can get into the mess, it has a lot of charm. If not, it may just sound like a bunch of British guys who needed sleep, therapy, and probably some water. Yeah this album was great! I enjoyed it and GPTs description of the album the lyrics the band, were spot on. I am going to give it 4 stars.
Very early Arctic Monkeys-like, but without much of the flavor. It was a pretty enjoyable record for me, but not too much incentive to come back to it. Strong 3
Another v British one
Tons of attitude and the songs are pretty strong.
Hell, I'll agree, the album is overrated, but it's still fairly good. I'm in an extra giddy mood today because I generated a British political Punk Rock album on the 250th birthday of the Evil Empire. This is a great way to protest this day! Favorite Track: "Arbeit Macht Frei".
Sings with a regional accent so the British press lap it up
This appears to have been loved upon its issue in the UK. Can't say I loved it as well but it was another decent album that, if it weren't for my quest for 1001, I wouldn't otherwise have listened to. And not like some others, I don't regret the choice.
No idea what this is. I guess it's okay but not really sure how this ended up on the list.
2.5/5. There’s some solid moments to be found here. I liked the intro track “can’t stand me now” as well as the doo-wop-ish “What Katie did.” But most of the album is just pretty forgettable garage rock revival stuff with some hints of the Clash mixed in.
Life is too short
Not gonna lie, I was excited to get a break from the dad rock, but this was just ok. It's a decent indie rock album but not groundbreaking.
Bang average. Light 5
had to skip a lot of songs, but i did kinda like some. - 'what katie did' i do really like
Track 1 started things off with promise, and track 2 wasn't bad. But then ... oh, my. Did I listen to the non-engineered version? Was there a producer? Aside from amateurish songs, the recording was, well, not great at all. This absolutely does not deserve to be on this list. Pass.
Just feels like a paint-by-numbers version of bands before them. I don't hear anything here that's really original, just echoes of past bands mixed together.
Upon hearing the vocalist on the first song of this album, I thought I was going to hate it. It grew on me through out the listen and, while I won't be adding them to my library to go back to, I ended up liking this one.
A very fun time. The music feels very lively and would probably be great to see live. However, doesn't really have anything exceptional going on. Favorite Songs: Music When the Lights Go Out, The Saga, Narcissist
This will probably be the first album where I've given up on the first day and will try again on the second. I got as far as "Music When The Lights Go Out" and was just generally hating nearly every minutes of this. Maybe it's the heat getting to me or the stack of work I need to do, but this album just feels like it's making my life harder right now. **************************************************************** Second listen through after a weekend away, "Can't Stand Me Now" is better than I remember it being, with vocals not being as whiney as disjointed as first perceived. In fact, with the low humming bass under it's crashy drums and fuzzy guitars, it was a pretty fun track. For similar reasons, "Last Post on the Bugle" was good too, though not as much as the first track. "Don't be Shy" had some pretty groovy guitar and bass, but the vocals killed it for me; whining breaks - even as a style choice to fit the lyric - never sound good. Found this out with Morissey. The guitar arrangements at the beginning of "The Man Who Would Be King" were really fun and the indifferent tone on the vocals contrasting with the lyrics was pretty great too. Before, I thought this track was the only one I sort of liked out of those 5 I managed. The descent into the pronounced cymbals and trumpets near the end of the track and subtle vocals gave it an edge of 'The Stranglers'; definitely my favourite so far. "Narcissist" into "The Ha Ha Wall" was incredibly fun, the transition between tracks was both seamless and unique which I really enjoyed. "Arbeit Macht Frei" was a good track, but the overly scratchy guitars turned me off of "Campaign of Hate". For whatever reason, I didn't much enjoy "What Katie Did" either. I think, for me, it leaned too much into the cutsie indie love rock sound that is deeply knackered now. I prefer them when they are aiming for something edgier in their sound. Other songs liked: "Tomblands" and "Road to Ruin". Overall, it had some good things going on and wasn't as terrible as previously remembered. Still, it's hard to see me listening to them often, but wouldn't complain if they came on in the mix. **************************************************************** This album has put me in a bit of a spin with how I am rating these albums, honestly. On the first day I listened, it sounded awful, like substance abuse on legs dragging itself to a musical finish line out of desperation rather than spite. Then the next day, this sounded like a riot; I was digging the bass, the vocals and lyrics. On reflection, I listened to "Scott 4" by Scott Walker before this album that day, and I wonder if that put me in a sort of 'different listening mode/mood' that was just deeply incompatible with The Libertines at the time. If I am clumping albums together (which admittedly I have been seeing as you always have a chance to go back and rate again), it's probably important to bear in mind going forward.
Ho hum. Another album I can live without. 1 star.
An absolute classic - one of my favourite albums of all time
This was a fun one!
Perfectly fine British punk/indie. Sounds like something you'd hear playing a Tony Hawk game on your cousin's PS2.
Pretty good, could definitely see myself listening to this album again
eh, no tiene brillo
Insubstantial. But inoffensive. 2.5?
Rock británico, se está volviendo un género interesante para mi Este álbum resulta muy bien metódicamente, las voces son armoniosas y a la vez hay momentos donde no necesitan ser así y calza muy bien en la propuesta que ofrecen What Katie Did es mi favorita Me gustó que al ellos realmente ser pioneros en esto, se ve que traían ideas sumamente frescas Muy disfrutable y recomendado
4.3/5 great second album first one more rock but good tunes
So bad
Jangley early 2000s British indie pop. Decent song writing and has catchy moments but there are a dozen other bands from the same time with the same sound but better. Possibly the most annoying album cover of all times, so they have that going.
Good
The Libertines rule. A nice blend of indie/alt rock, garage rock, and poppy melodies. They can write a tight tune, or get loose and chaotic (particularly in a quick jamming break). It’s just good, fun, messy music. While Up The Bracket is probably an overall better album, this one is still a lot of fun and an easy listen.
If you don’t care about singing in tune I would rather you talk sing or yell sing (not growl please) than sing off key to the point of making me wince. Also these lyrics were not clever.
Ugh... 'Britpop'. I now understand what 'being triggered' really means. Only a hundred or so albums in and I'm already cringing every time I see that album tag. The two disshelved, lanky dudes on the cover does not help, either. I'm sure it was nominated for the Tea and Biscuits Society 2005 award for the 20th most important Blackpool Album of the Year, while selling 1,000 copies in Southampton -- hence something we all have to hear 'before we die'... 🙄🙄 ****** "Can't Stand Me Now" (1/5) At least they're self-aware... Mediocre, early post-punk what-the-fuck-ever 00's shite. Are they intentionally not singing in time and occasionally off-key? That's obnoxious and grating.. seriously, what's so special about these assholes? What makes them and this work so fucking important that makes it a 'must hear'? These pieces of shit strike me as spoiled kids who want to play music to try and make their parents pay attention to them and get mad. Let me be the adult who lets them know, it's not that good and very few people like it. I **hate** to be the one to pop that narcissistic bubble. These guys are poster children for 'pro-spanking' people, and could convince me to be the same... I am thankful for the small mercies, however. This is the ONLY album by these clowns on this list. Let's hope they're removed in the future.
They say you should never judge a book by its cover, but does the same apply for albums? Never having heard of this band before, the first impression was an eyeroll so hard that a headache ensued. And perhaps a bit of kudos is due here, because if ever there was an album that SOUNDED like its cover, it's this one. Because it turns out that in 2004, what the world really needed was a couple more pouty, whiny, overexposed junkies with derivitive lyrics, recycled riffs, and not a lot to say. Too harsh? Maybe. The riffs they borrow and the sounds they derive from aren't the worst, and they do blend a Stray Cats rockabilly with their post-punk sound well enough to appeal to a British market saturated with the latter, just not well enough to call me back for another listen. So I'll settle on a grudging 2/5 that's still a far cry better than Morrissey.
111. The Libertines - The Libertines (2004) 6.13.26 Variety: 1 Adequacy: 1 Listenability: 1 Uniqueness: 1 Emotionality: 1 = 1.0 "Shoop shoop, shoop de-lang-a-lang/ Shoop shoop, shoop de-lang-a-lang" All I know about this band is that I've actively managed to avoid it for 20 or so years. I got real tired real fast of reading about Doherty's shenanigans and so quickly wrote them off. Sure, plenty of great music has been created by degenerate weirdos, but those stories almost always come after the music. Wow I like such and such an album, let's read up about - - - oh. Oh no. Stories of recklessness and scumbaggery do not endear me to anyone, especially if that's the first thing I know about them. I've known plenty of people who struggle with addiction issues, and the vast lot of them still have regard for their fellow human beings and don't become living, breathing collateral damage. There are plenty of musicians with boring lives that still make good music. So, with that said maybe the other band members at least deserve the benefit of the doubt. And maybe Doherty will prove to be some once in a generation voice sent down from the rock gods, whose very public self destruction will prove entirely worth it, and I'll have egg all over my face. THE TRACKS "Can't Stand Me Now" - Pretty on the nose title here. Sounds like the guys are sharing vocal duties here, and also sounds like neither can be bothered to commit to actually singing. Unless the stumbly, whiny phrasing is a put on. In which it becomes doubly annoying. What's even more frustrating is there are the bones of a possibly interesting kind of throwback 60s pop thing, but no one cared to put any effort into making it sound in any way good. This is a mush of an effort, and the very poor harmonica playing is the icing on the cake. Not off to a great start. "Last Post on the Bugle" - This sounded like your drunk friend doing karaoke to some obscure song from the That Thing You Do soundtrack that didn't make it into the movie. This was garbage. This is going to be a chore, I can tell. "Don't Be Shy" - Several cats were strangled to produce the vocals for this track. True story. Then an engineer got distracted during the mix and didn't notice they were mistimed over top of the drum track. You can skip the last full minute of this one. I did the hard work for you. You're welcome. R.I.P. cats. "The Man Who Would Be King" - This one starts off with a bit of energy and then very rapidly descends into a week two beginner's guitar tuning session. Dear lord. This feels like trolling. That was a thing 22 years ago, right? 3:59 never felt so long. "Music When the Lights Go Out" - Ok. Something different. This sounds like an actual song. There is a bit of effort being made in both the vocals and instrumentation. Then at 1:26 it gets sloppy for a bit, and then returns to the kind of shambolic not terrible little ditty. I begrudgingly admit this is not half bad. Can we het more effort like this? "Narcissist" - A fun bit of cowpunk is marred by some underwhelming vocals and a lack of commitment to the ideal. Still, a swing in the right direction. "The Ha Ha Wall" - The tuning up opening does not inspire confidence, but we again have the outline of a real song here. Just the fenty nod energy level of the vocals don't do anything to help. And the atonal detuned guitar parts are far less charming than when a band like Pavement does, it because Pavement knows how to craft a melody around that stuff. Formless nonsense with a rudimentary backbeat does not a good song make. "Arbeit Macht Frei" - I think this is meant to be a bit of social commentary about racist hypocrites, and is using the form of an old school punk song so do so? "California Über Alles" could have been a template, but it's over before it even begins and you're left with the feeling that these guys maybe didn't want to step in anything, so they just might stop for a small bit of lip service instead. "Campaign of Hate" - Oof. This one is somewhat interesting and then goes off the rails and becomes boring and repetitious very quickly. "What Katie Did" - Finally a catchy guitar line! And only 10 songs in! Frankly I would like to have a whole album of this kind of 60s pop shuffle. It's actually a bit hummable, and I think they can pull this off. Guys I think they might do it! They just have to not fall apart 3/4 of the way through and... Well they gave it a good try I guess. Still points for effort. Turn this off at the 2:21 mark and we could have gotten these guys into the highlights finally. You know what, I'm feeling charitable. "Tomblands" - This was just sloppy and felt like a practice session where the band was actively just trying out ideas. "The Saga" - While not my cup of tea, this at least had some good playing on in. In between the parts where it felt like the singer lost his lyric sheet and the band had to vamp for good long portions. I liked the little bits of surf guitar. "Road to Ruin" - This intermittently had some nice 60s inspired guitar on it, and can imagine an underserved band like Johnny Kidd and the Pirates being an inspiration, but its reach is well beyond its grasp, and ultimately feels overstuffed with half developed ideas. "What Became of the Likely Lads" - The sloppy out of time vocals in the verse destroy any goodwill the energetic playing has earned on this one. Imagine this song with professional, tight harmonies. So much of this albums could have been an ok sort of throwback record in more capable hands. "France" - This hidden track scotch taped onto the end of the previous one was rescued form the bin why? Is the also terrible acoustic noodling supposed to show us some hidden sensitive depths? If so, mission unaccomplished. Highlights - MIDLIGHTS - "Music When the Lights Go Out" - "Narcissist" - "What Katie Did" - "The Saga" LOWLIGHTS - "Can't Stand Me Now" - "Last Post on the Bugle" - "Don't Be Shy" - "The Man Who Would Be King" - "The Ha Ha Wall" - "Arbeit Macht Frei" - "Campaign of Hate" - "Tomblands" - "Road to Ruin" FINAL THOUGHTS Early 2000s garage revival felt fresh at the time, but VERY quickly lost its luster. Even the Strokes, whose first album I liked plenty I could not be bothered with after that. It's a very limited palette to begin with and all the best to do it were very melody forward underneath all that fuzz, and usually quickly evolved or became relics. Nuggets of a bygone era if you will. These guys are most definitely bringing up the very rear of that revival. The White Stripes, and the Hives were the best of that wave in my opinion, and both started strong and evolved ( The Hives less so). I don't care much for the Black Keys either, but at least those guys sounded like ace performers. I can't stress enough how unimpressed I was with the playing, the vocals, the songwriting on this. The only highlight for me overall was the production, which flattered these doofuses as much as was possible with a decent live-ish sound. Glad I was able to finally confirm my suspicions though. Go listen to any of the below recommendations before you throw another one any of these guys. Especially Guitar Romantic by the Exploding Hearts. Those guys dropped one excellent album and had their career cut short due to tragedy, but were light years ahead of anything I heard on this. That the Libertines album was so chock-full of wasted potential, makes the Exploding Hearts obscurity all the more infuriating. While there were glimmers of hope throughout ( brief as the were) they almost all turned out to be fool's gold, and I was glad when I was able to thrown down my pan and abandon this shitty bust of a claim. PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - Not sure I'll ever re-listen to this FURTHER LISTENING - Guitar Romantic by the Exploding Hearts - Is This It by the Strokes - White Blood Cells by the White Stripes - Veni Vidi Vicious by the Hives
I think this may have been a breaking point for me. I usually don’t mind the mid-2000s garage rock revival stuff though it has never been high for me. That sound though is already well represented on this list and by much better acts. There were moments on this album that seemed propulsive enough to try and win me over despite my misgivings. That opening track, “The Ha Ha Wall”, “what Became of the Likely Lads” were all solids attempts, but all my good will had been burned up by the track “Arbeit Macht Frei.” The middle of this album drags it way down for me. Again, I ask, why include THIS album? 2/5
Why is this album rated as their best? I’ve always preferred Up the Bracket. That being said, that 2003/2004 run was generational.
The supposed future of British rock. This album is definitely strong, and the drummer is fun, but a few filler tunes make this a strong 4 rather than a 5
3.5 favs: can't stand me now, what katie did, road to ruin
110626 11:09 3.5
Jangly indie pop, sloppy vocals, catchy melodies. I hated the production. Guitars panned to different sides with the volume levels way off.
A little amelodic & twangy pre-millennium British rock—just kind of “eh”.
Meh also
Pretty mid 2000s indie rock
A very down the middle album, it’s inoffensive and some songs are good, but it was also a bit bland at times, this album didn’t push the genre further that much compared to other indie/garage bands
Middle of road for me
Just not very enjoyable unfortunately
better than expected
I enjoyed this one quit a bit. A fun album, very energetic. The songs are good. Not exceptional, but good. It's one of this fun rock albums that I don't have a lot to say about. Nothing really special about the performances but solid from top to bottom. Some bangers but not mind blowing highlights. Middle of the road, but definitely enjoyable. A flat to decent 3 for me.
The opening drums sounded like a scene transition filler on a Nickelodeon show lol. Was expecting a laugh track. Rest of the album just not my vibe
Interesting, and rocking. Wasn’t familiar to me at all.
It's alright... I am realizing I don't care much for this type of music, but it is fine to give it a listen.
Liked this more than I expected after the first song. Lots of cool rock influences, and some of these tracks give me strong Modest Mouse vibes, and they’re one of my favorite bands ever, so this was a nice discovery
British people play music the way they imagine sunshine looks, and I will not elaborate 3.5
I can't believe I've never heard this before, it felt like a great sister album to 'Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not.'
Mixed ramblings disguised as a coherent review. I love these guys. I rank The Libertines above every band in the garage rock revival era not called The Strokes or The White Stripes. They've got that same edge but with a lil post-Britpop twist. I listened to Up the Bracket a lot in high school and it was one of those things where I was like "yes, I am cool and cultured because I know about this." One of the things I enjoy most in art is the intersection of highbrow and lowbrow and The Libertines are sort of the platonic ideal of that concept. There's this remarkable level of intellectualism mixed with hedonism and debauchery. Like if Morrissey was writing songs for the Rolling Stones or something. I get the sense that Pete Doherty is much smarter than me while also being a disgusting wreck of a person. They're also one of those bands where my appreciation of the music is greatly enhanced by reading up on the background and band dynamics. Carl and Pete are like the world's most toxic platonic(????????)* couple. Even the context of this album art adds to the story, taken just hours after Pete got out of jail for looting Carl's flat. Here, watch this video from Trash Theory: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdUWRR5cxxI Anyway, I do prefer Up the Bracket but Can't Stand Me Now, Music When The Lights Go Out, What Katie Did, and What Became of the Likely Lads are all great. Also Mick Jones from The Clash produced this <<<<<<<3333333 *They are just like blatantly and openly in love with each other and the first track on this album is about them breaking up, while using very explicitly romantic language. Pete also said that he "got turned on by the idea of putting the words in his mouth, making them so personal, so he's singing them back to me." This is good shit. I hope others enjoy it.
My expectations for this were absolutely rock-bottom, so although this is just some garage band indie Britpop, I was pleasantly surprised. It does sound like this has mainly been written and performed in order to get the musicians laid, and in that respect I guess it is a spectacular success. For me, though, all I can say is that I did not hate it.
Enjoyed this much more than when I first listened to it
I’ve always enjoyed this album. I wonder if I would rate it this high if we didn’t have a past…
it ok
It took me a moment but I ended up enjoying it
fun
Alternative rock. Was okay.
Great album. A real breath of fresh air when it was released
Not as good as their first one, but still a great record
I quite enjoyed The Libertines. When i saw that cover art, i was expecting this to either be a punk album or an indie rock album and both ended up being correct. The album certainly had a very fun vibe throughout with each song fully playing into the garage rock vibe which i am very often a fan of. I also thought that the vocals fit these songs very well by having that British garage rock flair which fit the songs very well. I was very mixed on whether i should give this album a 3 or a 4 because it had it's mix of good tracks and meh tracks but i felt that it had enough fun tracks for me to fully decide on a 4 so it is still a win for this album. Best Song: The Saga Worst Song: Last Post on the Bugle
Had to listen in multiple parts because I really don’t like this kind of music. Like instrumental fun and all but nothing special at all. I can’t do the vocals (similar theme with past few I’ve reviewed). Favorite: can’t stand me now
No clue! I’m reading that the album is about the relationship between the two frontmen, and my immediate thought was a giddy “gay?!” (and they were roommates). Doubtful but will investigate. v good nostalgic time capsule of a cover. I’m becoming truly immune to the somewhat indistinguishable British indie rock which is a function of this list, not my otherwise love for British anything or indie rock anything
Great album. Sound much more like a 60s or 70s band. Sort of a Beatles sound to them.
deeply meh. I almost want to skip some of these because I just don't have feelings about them but instead I rate them 2 stars if I can abide them or 1 if I can't. This is 2 stars
i love this band. they are such fun and engaging musicians. And the lyrics are also wonderful. I don't know if it's all that about Pete Doherty being a poet, or how easy going but pretty concrete and exact with the language they use. I also find the way they play and the songs are composed, to be pretty interesting. As an example, their guitars in some songs are more focused on leading the rhythm and energy of the song through repetitive but creative riffs. It's pretty interesting to me how unique this sound is to them and how different feels when playing. I must also say, i don't think this thing i'm going to say is healthy or rational, but I find the heroin chic vibe of the is cover so iconic and powerful. Besides the story behind, there is some nearness, some love that you can feel depicted there, and it's unconventional between men. It speaks volumes the way this pic reflects the profound relationship between Doherty and Barat. and how it's in its own way, rebellious and unconventional, as the music of the album
some parts felt like an outro for a comedy show from the 90s anyway was quite good mostly
Reminds me of the Strokes, but lazier. It has an interesting grungy/punk sound. But in the end, the songs are too simple to be memorable.
Caught my self enjoying this at times.
NME darlings of questionable talent. The out of tune guitar soon starts to grate. Mercifully short.
Fun especially the last track. But 1001? Idk. Three
Master puede. A work of art. Amazing.
Back in the 2000s, the British press was looking for a new band to push after the grunge and britpop scenes had died. They landed on The Libertines, for whatever reason. At least until the equally average Arctic Monkeys came along. So many other, better choices, but that's what they went with. Fair enough, I had plenty of mates who were totally devoted to them. And still are. I never got it. I still don't. I suppose I understand the visual appeal and the rebellious nature. But come now, the songs are just a bit naff, right? The sound lacks any edge, the vocals are rambling, the melodies twinkly and dull...had this released in the height of britpop, it would have been heralded as just another album. Time and context matters. Somewhere under all of the shitty production and amateur playing, there's perhaps something interesting to say, some songs which could have been crafted into something worthwhile in the hands of a talented band. Still, they had a reckless vibe and air of wnergy about them, and they were a rock band during a time of bland faff and celebrities being pushed and talent show shite taking over the airwaves, so they get a bonus star.
This just did nothing for me. Not a 1 because I didn't actively dislike it, but didn't grab me in any way, just felt very boring, like if you sucked all the fun out of an Arctic Monkeys album
Not my vibe at all but didnt hate it
Oh boy. More forgettable generic British rock.
Thin, ratty guitar rock with painfully dry production. Songwise, this record owes a massive debt to The Kinks though it can't match Ray Davies' melodic sense. Singer Carl Barât also borrows some of Davies' vocal mannerisms but without doing anything revolutionary or transformative.
This album was decent enough. It was more reminiscent of post punk for me than something released in the aughts. I thought the last song was the best.
Listening to this album reminded me of multiple artists, depending on the song being played. At times it was reminiscent of U2 while other tunes mirrored rock bands like The Clash. I can’t say I hated it and in fact I enjoyed a couple of the songs. Not a bad listen in my estimation.
I’ve always loved this album but can’t really pinpoint why. There is a roughness to it that makes me think of it more from the lineage of punk than alternative. And it definitely finds that connection on certain tracks. But everything is handled with an intricacy and a deftness that escapes most offerings in this style, layered with a lush musical r
This was fine. Checks all the boxes for 00's garage rock, but doesn't offer anything that really grabs you. I'll forget this album by the end of the day.
I have never understood the appeal, and definitely not the success, of the Libertines. Sound shit.
That's pretty good. I've never really listened to anything by them before. A definite 3.5 but not quite a 4.
Much lighter than I expected - great stuff
The first two Libertines albums are up there with some of the best music ever from the UK. Karl and Pete have so many little parallels with Paul and John, the bromance, the lore, the love, the fights, and the amazing fucking songs. John Hassall is such a good bassist as well. Opening and closing with Cant Stand Me Now and What Became of the Likely Lads makes it clear that this whole album is an exploration of the relationship between the two primary song writers and all their baggage. The way they sing to one another in those two songs, almost flirting with one another at times. "If it's important to you, it's important to me" The Albion sails on.
eh kind of meh british rock n roll? Part buzzcocks, kind of kinks-ish, oasis style modern production, overall meh meh meh
Reasonably enjoyable, but not all that inspiring. That said, it certainly doesn’t deserve much of the hate it gets in the reviews.
This wasn't particularly amazing music but I really do value things that are unique and this was really interesting in that regard!
Very average rock album. Not my favorite. Low 3. 2.6/5
I'll search for detailed information about The Libertines' self-titled album to provide you with a comprehensive review. **The Libertines** (2004) — *The Libertines* --- ### Overview Released in August 2004, *The Libertines* is the self-titled second album by the British rock band The Libertines. Produced by Mick Jones of The Clash, it arrived at the height of the band's internal chaos and became their final studio album before their initial breakup. It debuted at #1 on the UK Albums Chart and was voted the second-best album of 2004 by *NME* magazine, yet its legacy is inseparable from the fractured relationship between frontmen Pete Doherty and Carl Barât. --- ### Lyrics & Themes The album's lyrics are brutally autobiographical, functioning as a real-time chronicle of Doherty and Barât's disintegrating friendship. The record is essentially bookended by two confessional duets: **"Can't Stand Me Now"** and **"What Became of the Likely Lads."** **"Can't Stand Me Now"** (the opening track and lead single) is a "Samuel Beckett-like dialogue" between Doherty and Barât, trading barbs about their mutual failings. Lines like *"Can't take me anywhere / I'll strip the carpet off the floor"* and *"Have we enough to keep it together?"* directly address Doherty's addiction, Barât's frustration, and their co-dependent bond. The harmonica outro alludes to harmonicas Barât would buy the band as Christmas gifts. **"What Became of the Likely Lads"** closes the album on a note of heartbreaking resignation. As the BBC noted, "Carl gently chides Pete one more time, they reflect on their shared dreams and wonder how it all went wrong." Other tracks continue this raw self-examination: - **"Last Post on the Bugle"** features Doherty's plea *"I got carried away"* over pounding drums and chiming riffs - **"The Saga"** finds Doherty lashing out at the media vultures feeding on his addiction - **"Don't Be Shy"** captures Doherty's loose, incoherent vocal delivery, sounding like "a man who knows something's wrong but is struggling to put it right" The band's recurring mythology of "Albion" and "Arcadia"—Doherty's imagined utopia without rules—appears throughout, grounding their personal drama in a romanticized British literary tradition. --- ### Music & Songwriting Musically, the album sits at the intersection of British punk, garage rock revival, and music hall tradition. The sound is characterized by: - Raw, scratchy, bare-bones guitar work - A hyperactive rhythm section (Gary Powell's drumming is particularly underrated) - Vocals that range from punk snarls to near-drunken slurs - Classic British Invasion harmonies alongside chaotic energy **"Music When the Lights Go Out"** stands out for its incredible dynamics and vulnerability. **"What Katy Did"** (with its infectious *"shoop de lang de lang"* hook) showcases the band's pop instincts. **"Campaign of Hate"** and **"Arbeit Macht Frei"** demonstrate their capacity for astute social observation and exhilarating thrash-punk. The songwriting partnership of Doherty and Barât remains the album's central strength. Their contrasting styles—Doherty's wounded romanticism and Barât's blasé bohemian vanity—create a tension that fuels the music even as it destroys the band. --- ### Production Mick Jones (The Clash) returned to produce after aborted sessions with Bernard Butler. Jones's approach was deliberately hands-off: he would have the band play a song several times and simply choose the best take, performing minimal mixing and dubbing. This method captures the band's live energy but also their frayed edges. As one reviewer noted, the album "plays almost like a live album, songs bleeding into one another seamlessly." The production is warm, not-too-rough, and not-too-polished—emphasizing both the pedigree of their sound and its originality. However, the same rawness means some tracks feel unfinished. "Don't Be Shy" and several others "ramble and grind to a halt, as though they haven't been finished properly." Doherty's vocal on these tracks is loose to the point of incoherence. The recording sessions themselves were fraught with tension. Security guards were hired to prevent Doherty and Barât from physically assaulting each other. Doherty eventually left the mixing and dubbing to the others and did not return to a Libertines recording session for another ten years. --- ### Influence & Legacy *The Libertines* became a defining document of mid-2000s British indie culture. It arrived at the peak of "indie sleaze" before the era of social media hashtags, capturing a specific moment of laddish, chemically-fueled romanticism. The album's influence extends through: - **The Arctic Monkeys** and subsequent British guitar bands who adopted their gritty, lyrical realism - **The "indie sleaze" aesthetic** that would later be romanticized online - **The model of the doomed rock band**—where internal chaos becomes part of the art However, as one retrospective assessment noted, the album's "success has become more a document of contemporary narrative than inherent quality." The mythology of Doherty and Barât's relationship often overshadows the music itself. The album also served as the precursor to an entire movement. As one listener observed, it is "criminally underrated, the precursor band to an entire movement." --- ### Pros | Strength | Details | |----------|---------| | **Unprecedented lyrical honesty** | The autobiographical songs about Doherty and Barât's relationship are unlike anything else in rock—raw, wounded, and real-time confessional | | **Peak songwriting** | Tracks like "Can't Stand Me Now," "Music When the Lights Go Out," "What Katy Did," and "What Became of the Likely Lads" represent the duo at their melodic and emotional best | | **Authentic production** | Mick Jones's live-take approach captures the band's genuine chemistry and chaos; it sounds like "real people playing real instruments and singing real songs about things real to them" | | **Cultural significance** | It defined a moment in British music and indie culture, influencing bands like Arctic Monkeys and embodying the romanticized chaos of the era | | **Vocal contrast** | Doherty and Barât's contrasting voices and personas create a dynamic, theatrical listening experience | --- ### Cons | Weakness | Details | |----------|---------| | **Inconsistent quality** | Several tracks feel unfinished or ramble to a halt; "Don't Be Shy" and others lack the tightness of the debut | | **Doherty's deteriorating condition** | His vocals are sometimes incoherent; his personal struggles visibly compromise the music's execution | | **Voyeuristic discomfort** | The album can feel like "listening to two people you love arguing in the next room"—compelling but emotionally draining | | **Less consistent than debut** | Many fans and critics prefer *Up the Bracket* for its coherence; this album's peaks are higher but its valleys are lower | | **Mythology over music** | The narrative of the band's collapse sometimes overshadows the album's actual musical merits | --- ### Verdict *The Libertines* is an album that exists at the intersection of art and autobiography, brilliance and breakdown. It is "almost a classic album" but also "a terrible waste of a great band." The very qualities that make it compelling—the unvarnished honesty, the captured chaos, the sense of a band falling apart in real time—also limit its accessibility and polish. For listeners willing to engage with its discomfort, it offers some of the most emotionally raw and culturally significant British rock of the 2000s. For others, it remains a fascinating but flawed document of a band that burned too bright, too fast.
Number: 138 Date: 05/20/2026 Artist: The Libertines Album: The Libertines Year: 2004 Style: Britpop Familiarity: None (1) Rating: 3 Before: ======= I think I've heard of them but can't name any song by them that I know. During: ======= Oh, I like the first track, "Can't Stand Me Now". Looks like I don't have anything by them on any of my yearly playlists but decide to add "Can't Stand Me Now" to 2004. After : ======= So it was all 3's and 4's for me, more 3's than 4's. Not sure why it's on this list. 3 my personal rating 3 suitability for this list 2 impact ----------------------------------------------- 2.7 composite rating
A bit too long and no tracks particularly stand out
Quite enjoyable close to a 4 star
Ive never heard of this band. But I understand why. The style isnt really appealing to me. Similar to what I said yesterday about The Stones this sound is a little too chaotic for my enjoyment. It felt a bit overwhelming for me. My favorite song was Music When The Lights Go Out
canciones rescatables, not good, not bad. 3.5
Mejor que el album alternativo pasado. Def
Can’t stand me now is great obviously, there are a couple of other okay tracks but, as expected, I remain unimpressed.
A satisfactory fun rock record.
Ma sono gli strokes. Alcune hit
If you’re British, it doesn’t matter how mid you are, you’re getting on this list.
I was in my mid-20s when this came out, and was broadening out to listen to more varied genres of music when this came out, so I was fairly ambivalent to this lot despite the music press hype. This was second only to the first Franz Ferdinand debut in the NME albums of the year 2004, but I enjoyed this more than that one. It's loose, direct and quite whimsical in places. I don't quite see Barat-Doherty as the Morrissey-Marr of the 2000s and the destructiveness of the relationship seems sad more than anything else, but they got closer to that level than most.
I wanted to like this more than I did. Still enjoyed it.
Couldn't stand the vocals. 0/5
What is this doing on a list of just 1001 albums, utter tripe, plus we need the facility to give zero or minus stars as a rating in case an unsuspecting listener might think with 1 star it might be worth checking out
Honestly, I did not expect to like this at all. 00s indie rock with one of the ugliest album covers I've ever seen both go a long way towards lowering my expectations. However, perhaps in part because of those lowered expectations, I found myself really enjoying this one! They're clearly really talented songwriters, and the typical 90s garage rock guitar noise is broken up nicely by some skilled deployment of other instruments here and there. That's not to say the guitar work is bad, though: it's really skillful, and manages to stay fresh throughout. Ultimately what makes this work so well for me, I think, is the clear inspiration taken from 60s psych rock. Feels very Stooges- or Beatles-esque at points.
In the US this album wasn't on anyone's radar, so it couldn't possibly be overrated. But if I ever met someone who said they liked it, i'm sure I'd think differently of them now. I've heard of Pete Doherty but never knew why he had any notoriety (aside from his Aimee Winehouse connection). Of all the many, many bands from around the turn of the Century with the word "The" and then a single plural noun for a name, this is the worst I've one heard.
I like what Katie did. 4/5
We will forever wonder how good The LIbertines could have been had Pete not drunk away his talent. This follow-up to Up the Bracket is typical of their output, part brilliant songwriting (Music When the Lights Go Out, What Katie Did, What Became of the Likely Lads), part thrown-together shambles and songs that escaped the cutting-room floor (almost everything else). The highs are high, the lows are annoying. I'll give it a 3.
Oh great. A British alternative band with a singer doing a crappy Morrissey impression. Hard pass.
3/5 Solid, didn’t find my interest piqued all that much though.
Another early-2000s garage-indie album with one or two hit songs and enough going on musically just to be passable but not memorable; the list's special
Muy buen disco, solo conocía Dont be shy, pero me gustó
Pretty good fun. 3.5
honestly not even that bad but i was dreading it so hard
Can't Stand Me Now : esta buena, pense que no me iba a gusatr pero me copo dentro de todo.igual no lo escucharia. Last Post on the Bugle: se me paso volando nime di cuenta que sono, creo que es bueno eso Don't Be Shy: Me gusto tambien sorpresivamente. The Man Who Would Be King: tambien me gusto che, pero no la escucharia dia a dia, como dije antes. Music When the Lights Go Out: bien Narcissist: muy pegadizo el ritmo, mal. me gusto tambien. The Ha Ha Wall: bien Arbeit Macht Frei: esta es medio taladrante, pero no esta mal Campaign of Hate: lo mismo que la anterior What Katie Did: esta buena, bastante chill para lo que es este album. una parte del final no me gusto tanto, pero despues levanto para bien Tomblands: me gusta, normal The Saga: me estaba gustando pero me taladro, muy potente. Road to Ruin: tranqui no se si me copo tanto What Became of the Likely Lads: meh en conlcusion, me sorpendio por parte, pirque pense que lo iba a detestar, y no paso. la mayoria de canciones me parecio que estaban bien, pero hatsa ahi, no las escucharia para nada la verdad.
Okay this was a fun one to revisit, and it was better than I remember. It’s an album that on occasion threatens to be too Stokesy, but it does enough to sound uniquely theirs by the end of the album. Can’t Stand Me Now is probably the highlight and a uniquely written and performed back-and-forth song. It’s a rare intentionally meta song that works great. The whole album is solid after it, and reminds me of a very British version of early Kings of Leon with a huge dash of Strokes.
Forgettable
kind of fun, grew on me as it went on
Whoever called this "landfill indie" was right. Produced with an apparent intention to be sloppy but actually just sloppy. Fuck it, it irritates me.
British garage rock is not my thing. I like the garage rock sound generally speaking, and certainly American bands that do it well, but I just found this boring.
Fun album. Favorite songs: What Katie Did, Music When The Lights Go Out
Lowkey ragged.
Very arctic monkeys sound. I like it but doesn’t stand out
When The Libertines first came out, I didn't really get them. Self consciously sloppy playing, an obsession with an england that didn't exist, and a following more interested in drama and drugs than playing. Looking back, I think all that stands, but at least I can see why they appealed to some. Personally though, i'm still not a fan. There's the odd bit of decent prose and some energy, but the wasted mumbling and lyrics about 'white boys talking like they're black' just make me roll my eyes. Even for them, surely the first album is the important one, not this? Navel gazing self obsessed wankery. Only gets a 2 because there's at least a bit of variety.
Þetta er miklu skemmtilegri plata en ég átti von á. Söngvararnir verða seint kallaðir góðir en þeir eru samt skemmtilegir saman, og lögin er hressandi og fjölbreytt. Hendum fjarka á.
Really fun album. Great energy, fantastic hooks, is stripped down and still very intricate. Yes plz
For a split second I thought that was Cillian Murphy on the cover. Enjoyed this one quite a bit!! I had no prior knowledge of this group before this so it makes it even more fun that I liked this so much!
Interesting in places musically but otherwise the album doesn't do much for me. Might revisit or play the odd track randomly to see if it hits different next time but for now, a 2...
louis i lestat
I’ve always been aware of the libertines but surprisingly never listened to them despite this being from a genre and period that I was very into. Not surprisingly I enjoyed this a lot
Slightly messy but surprisingly fun.
Meh. Was classic indie English rock
It’s prob like 4 tracks too long but it’s an enjoyable listen. Would’ve really enjoyed an entire album of the faster and rawer stuff, like tracks 7-9.
Uninspiring stuff. Won’t go back to this.
pretty good, 4
A bit forgettable but I don't mind it. Nothing particularly exciting or interesting but every song is enjoyable enough.
Generic Garage. Unsure why its here.
Kind of a fun listen.
A great early 2000s masterpiece
This list is making me hate British rock of all kinds, and that feels unfair. I cant fathom why this needed an entry on this list outside of a personal validation by the author. Thing is, its not really bad or anything, but it sounds like most of the other indie stuff we've had from the UK which boggles my mind, I figure if you're going the route of alternative music then why make yourself sound so similar to others around you? Cant Stand Me Now actually had me bopping along a bit, but by the time Dont Be Shy started I was annoyed and over it.
One look at the cover told me everything I needed to know about this waste of a list spot. Completely forgettable and only on here because of the authors bias. This list needs a colossal overhaul because the amount of dreadful British trash is inexcusable and would keep me from recommending this challenge to anyone
This list really loves mid-aughts Indie Rock...wish I did. So is Libertine like French for "dirtbag" or something?
standard punk type album. Not better nor worse than most. An ok album that I would listen to if someone else put it on but would not request it myself
I appreciate the 1980s indie sound, and this is definitely accessible and exceptional at times. But it’s indie in the sense that they don’t seem to have a great deal of songwriting talent or prowess in their instruments. Good for them for making the old punk DIY aesthetic, but there’s nothing new here.
Rv
britslop. i liked what became of the likely lads
The fuck…. In 2004? 1.5
When they set out to make this album, did they have any idea how it was gonna sound? I hear Rockabilly in this on Narcissist, like this track feels less like a punk revival and more of a Kinks tribute. I hear so many disparate influences, and it feels like none of them have had any time to settle in, like a Meat Sauce that needs another 2 hours to simmer. First track has some genuinely pretty guitar work but the lyrics are not sticky enough for it to work, and why the fuck is there a harmonica solo??? You don’t fucking need it!!! The Ha Ha Wall has some genuinely good ideas that could’ve worked better if given the option to explore them more. I think they could’ve made a lot of these songs cooler if they weren’t comitted to this album being so explicitly commercial. As for a lot of the rest of the album, these guys don’t know when a phrase is good enough to be "the only phrase." Last Phrase on the Bungle riff is genuinely annoying. So is the acoustic fake out at the very end of the album. I was so ready for it to be over and then it’s so whatever acoustic jam. The vocalist is also just ripping off much better ones from this period, specifically Hamilton Liethauset of the Walkmen and Alex Turner (i suppose The Libertines predate Arctic Monkeys, but still AM improves on this p much every way) Also,,, MORRISSEY????? LIKE VERY OBVIOUSLY!! All of these English vocalists he’s taking heavy inspiration for, and it sounds so flat. And these girl group shoop shoop da da da’s, sang with such little affect, maybe the most egregious motifs on this album. The lyrics, too. God, so Nothing. Arbeit Macht Frei, how terrible. It’s not even saying anything interesting to say about it. This horrific concentration camp solo in a ooh rah singy song. Maybe they were going for a Victoria by the Kinks say, but it doesn’t work. It doesn’t work at all. I will say, the drummer has chops, I think, but if I could summate this album in one word, it would be "undistilled"
the first song was pretty good but the rest was decidedly Weak Sauce and featured a stunning lack of conviction from the singer. 2.5
fair enough i guess. undoubted proof that the first 1001 book was published in 2005. some nme bogroll. charmin, but still bogroll. i could've gotten away with listening to (at least) 5 better bands from the coveted uk classes of 2000-2004. most indie rags were at peak annoying/lowk racial. in the same way the strokes made overly bounced on velvet songs most of these are overly dick sucked beatles flow. i want to live in the world where baggy/shoegaze won over the gallaghers. nothing wrong with the gallaghers (apart from the obvious) it just portends a conservatism for "the greater good" that's overtaken just. everything. anyways i'm colonized (how could u tell?); i appreciate the shout at "white kids talking black," singles are decent, go listen to dfa1979 if you wanna hear a two piece that might Actually kill each other 2.5-3.4
Sharp, fresh lyrics, great tunes
A wonderfully chaotic collection of songs from a band falling apart at the seams. It balances jagged guitars with tender, poetic lyricis, the influence of Mick Jones being very apparent. Can't Stand Me Now is a painful duet which documents the fallout of Pete Doherty and Carl Barât, and a song I managed to squeeze into the Fielding Primary School PTA Quiz during my 11-year stint as co-quizmaster.
Catchy but not a huge amount of variety
Maybe it's the nod and a wink, cheeky chappy, music hall knees-up feel about this, but it doesn't rock my world. One or two enjoyable tracks but the rest of it is just meh. But I've boxed myself in by giving Michael Jackson 2* yesterday. So this will have to be 3*
It seems weird to me that this album was liked well enough that it would be called the third most overrated album of all time. It must have been much bigger in the UK than here in the US. It's not bad but it's not anything that I feel like anyone would have a strong reaction to, good or bad. It's middle of the road early 2000s indie. Was good for one listen but I didn't feel the need to play it again or play anything else from them. 3/5
It's fine, surprisingly poppy for a indie punk. Some good tunes but almost instantly forgettable.
Average early 2000 British band. Nothing special
They wrote this about each other, props to create something so beautiful and tortured and to do it together.
This is pretty cool. I especially like the guitar work. It's pretty interesting guitaring and worth more listens. I'd like to hear more from this band. They remind me a little of Arctic Monkeys.
I really enjoyed this...it had a nice blend of rock, emo and catchiness in a down and dirty kind of way. You can really feel the love and respect they share for each other too, despite what sounds like a pretty tortured relationship.
Not bad
I did not like this album, I did not like this singer. Couple decent bridges, but I’m getting more annoyed to have to listen to what I believe to be average albums including in this list. A third best Sloan album is so much better.
I like it, just some good ol indie slop. Do yall know the vr drunken bar fight game? This album reminds me of the music that plays in that game. 7/10
Ah yes, the poster boys for indie sleaze. This is more the pop version of garage rock revival. It has good riffs but it’s missing charisma. Hand claps? Subtle cowbell? Why? Listen to true purveyors of 2000’s garage rock revival on the list: The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Franz Ferdinand, The Strokes and Arctic Monkeys. Maybe The Black Keys, Interpol and Bloc Party for cross reference. Never J**. We don’t talk about ***. Overall: 2/10
I was never as crazy about The Libertines as some of my friends, but I can't deny the impact they had on the UK music scene. As much as they risked being overshadowed by the behind the scenes drama, they did manage to back up the hype with some fantastic songs. Really fun to revisit this.
2/5
it just kinda is
You know what, I listened to this album in the background while cleaning my living room with my partner. We had a good time listening to something that came out in our lifetime. In stark contrast to the last punk album we listened to, this one was More Varied, but still had a lot of the same milieu throughout. I dont see myself really going back to this album, but I actually didnt hate any of the listening experience. No individual song grading mean this is a total gut check of a rating. Sorry.
Yeah this has some ok aspects but drags and is meh overall.
I think this would be really fun to see in concert. This was generally enjoyable dance/groove music, but most of the songs I couldn't get that much into. I shamefully quite enjoyed What Katie Did
Points for nostalgia but its not aged well
I thought this was better when I was younger
I haven’t listened to this album in quite sometime and going doing so again I get why the Libertines had a loyal fan base. The songs get to the point and there are lots of ear worms throughout. 3.8
Given the hype around these lads at the time and the fact that Pete Doherty would tell anyone who would listen that he was the reincarnation on earth of the poet Shelley while high on smack, you'd think his output would've aged better. This album was meh. Can't Stand Me Now is alright, I suppose, but I was actually quite bored for long stretches. 2.7/5.
On the scale of bands being massively hyped in tabloids and music rags vs actual being good, The Libertines have to be on the podium. One or two songs are ok enough, but some are absolutely shockingly shite. So much of it is painfully annoying and at times just delivered completely half arsed. Probably the drugs but still. Having listened again 20 years older and wiser, I still cannot understand why this band were liked or got to anywhere near the heights they briefly ascended to.
Absolutely cannot get into this dudes vocals. There’s some interesting instrumentals that almost sound a little off-key, your mileage may vary with those aspects of the album. Yeah not feeling it.
Shit Arm, Bad Tattoo
Shit arm, bad tattoo.
No es tan bueni técnicamente o novedoso pero me gustó
As unoriginal and forgettable as it gets. There is no reason to listen to this over any Strokes, Arctic Monkeys or Franz Ferdinand record of the time, and I frankly wish I never bothered to put it on. The things I subject myself to for this generator…
Löst bei mir Nostalgie ohne Ende aus, weil ich die mit Freunden in der Schulzeit rauf und runter gehört habe. Hat sich gut gehalten, gefällt mir immer noch.
A mixture of the usual Libertines chaos and some great softer moments. A real masterpiece of early 2000s indie.
Heard it before. The Libertines is one of those early 00s British bands I never really got. Maybe they did live that rock n roll life but they're a bit insufferable to me. Awful vocals too. Don't Be Shy should be renamed to Don't Be Shite 2/5
me teletransporté a inglaterra en los early 2000. muy early arctic monkeys, skins, me gusta.
Tajuttoman hyvä rocklevy! Ei vain rymistelyä vaan myös dynaamisen soiton juhlaa. Ennen muuta aivan loistava rumpali. Huippuhetki levyn keskivaiheilla biisipari Arbeit macht frei ja Campaign of hate. The Libertines oli tuttu nimi ja musatyyliään olen kyllä kuullut mutta käytännössä minulle täysin uusi albumi. Jälkeen loistava löytö! 5/6
Good. Kept two songs
Did not enjoy it and found it very 'meh'. Shame as I saw they were inspired by some band (e.g. The Clash) which I really enjoy.
I think the polite term for this is, "They wear their influences on their sleeves?" Their influences are interesting and varied. Actually, I think I might go listen to some of those influences now.
Vocals are absolutely atrocious while the melodies are fairly basic. Needs a negative rating.
When this came up I expected to hate this however it wasn't quite as bad as expected. Nice production, ok songs, terrible singing.
Reminds me of the Clash in terms of proficiency and the Arctic Monkeys in vibes.
adolescencia pura
One review said landfill indie and I certainly cannot describe this any better than that.
This the indiest od indie records and that's great for people who like Indie but not so great for me.
Not bad. Good
01) Can't Stand Me Now - 10,0 02) Last Post on the Bugle - 8,5 03) Don't Be Shy - 7,5 04) The Man Who Would Be King - 8,5 05) Music When the Lights Go Out - 8,5 06) Narcissist - 7,5 07) The Ha Ha Wall - 8,0 08) Arbeit Macht Frei - 7,0 09) Campaign of Hate - 7,5 10) What Katie Did - 8,0 11) Tomblands - 7,0 12) The Saga - 7,0 13) Road to Ruin - 7,5 14) What Became of the Likely Lads - 8,5 TOTAL: 7,93 (79/100) Current ranking: 262/867
Quite enjoyed it! Kinda giving a more melodious and sentimental Strokes. Fully thought after the first song the two guys on the cover were gay for each other but I guess 2004 was too early for that. The Brits do the best garage rock because they get a little deeper. The Strokes rule but they’re a little too cool for school for me, a softy at heart, to fully connect. Anyway, this album has multiple standouts, and my favorite lines (that I actually hear while listening to them lol) are, “But since you said goodbye / the polka dots fill the skies / and I don’t know why.” Amen brother!
The vocals on Don't Be Shy were pretty bad. Pretty cool outro on The Man Who Would Be King. Overall a pretty cute album melodically.
Generic 2010’s British indie sleaze
this was pretty good im ngl better than expected very fun
I was briefly excited by what I thought was a standout track...only to find that Spotify had moved onto autoplay and the artist was Bloc Party. So yeah, this album didn't grab me. Not bad, but unremarkable to these ears. 3.0
Well this was.... meh. It had some great moments, such as Can't Stand Me Now, What Katie Did and Music When the Lights go Out. Acoustic hidden track France was a really nice moment as well. Unfortunately the rest just sounds like 00s guitar music that just doesn't do anything special for me.