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Amazon.co.uk Review
Rock'n'roll can pretty much burn off pure mythology alone, but what happens when the soap opera of drug abuse and broken friendships threatens to overwhelm the music? That's the problem the Libertines' eponymous second LP must face up to – and while it sometimes struggles to live up to the magic of its predecessor, 2002's Up The Bracket, it's still peppered with enough inspiration to explain why people still care about this band. Co-frontmen Carl Barat and Pete Doherty tackle their problems head on with the opening "Can't Stand Me Now", an anthemic, harmonica-accompanied number with echoes of The Cure's "Lovecats", that sees Barat sum up The Libertines' troubled history in the album's most quotable line: "The boy kicked out at the world/ The world kicked back a lot fucking harder". Further rollicking moments come on the Barat-sung "Narcissist" and knockabout closer "What Became Of The Likely Lads?" But there's some workmanlike moments, and almost inevitably, they feature Pete at the helm: see the hoarse, off-key "Don't Be Shy". All told, a merely good record. If The Libertines truly want a place in rock history, they'll have to prove they have the discipline to channel their undeniable inspiration. --Louis Pattison
Product Description
THE LIBERTINES The Libertines (2009 Taiwanese High Note issue 15-track CD album the 2nd longplayer from the indie rockers originally released in 2004 and produced by Mick Jones [Clash B.A.D. Carbon/Silicon] includes the singles Cant StandMe Now and What Became Of The Likely Lads plus bonus recording Cyclops; sealed & stickered picture sleeve)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
The first single from this album seemed to sum up the fractured state of the libertines as they appeared to be falling apart at the seams but this album would be a sad end if it were their last. Returning to what must be the most brutally honest production ever, the songs remain as vibrant and alive the fiftieth time you hear them. Even the initially dull "Don't be shy", which sounds like little more than a demo of a jam takes on a new life after repeated listens. "Music when the lights go out" is one of the most evocative "end of the night" songs I've ever played as a D.J. and there are storming rock 'n' roll chunks in the likes of "Tomblands" (particularly notable for what the Libs do best i.e. blur the lines between archaic music and lyrics and a cynical view of the state of the nation). It's not quite as punchy as the first but shows the first few steps towards progression. I only hope for us all that they continue to use the blueprint of Clash/Smiths and deliver on their potential. They have finally proven worthy of being more than just the london strokes and if Pete can make it through they could produce a canon of work to rival any English band.
Buy it, if only to encourage them to keep going.
Buy it, if only to encourage them to keep going.
16 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
The Libertines prove they are possibly the best band of the 21st century. This album is inspiring. There is no other word for it. While often quieter than Up the Bracket, the Libertines is an album that you can listen to again and again, without tiring of it.
It starts with the modern classic `Can't Stand Me Now', a great song until you realise that it's about the band's troubled relationship, when it becomes a brilliant song. The lyrics are to the point yet full of emotion, and the harmonica solo at the end is inspired.
Another potential classic is `Music When the Lights Go Out', which is one of the finest acoustic songs I have ever heard. The song has a bittersweet, catchy tune and Barat's electric guitar accompaniment complements Doherty's strumming perfectly. This is followed by `Narcissist', which has a completely different upbeat cockney working class feel to it.
The album is concluded ironically with `What Became of the Likely Lads', a tale of forgiveness between the two frontmen, which could quite easily bring a tear to the eye of the knowledgeable music fan. It leaves you wondering whether they knew the end was soon.
An album unique, not just in its music, but in the heart and emotion which has been poured into it. In a world filled with sometimes seemingly pointless love songs, this album is a refreshing change that should be treasured.
It starts with the modern classic `Can't Stand Me Now', a great song until you realise that it's about the band's troubled relationship, when it becomes a brilliant song. The lyrics are to the point yet full of emotion, and the harmonica solo at the end is inspired.
Another potential classic is `Music When the Lights Go Out', which is one of the finest acoustic songs I have ever heard. The song has a bittersweet, catchy tune and Barat's electric guitar accompaniment complements Doherty's strumming perfectly. This is followed by `Narcissist', which has a completely different upbeat cockney working class feel to it.
The album is concluded ironically with `What Became of the Likely Lads', a tale of forgiveness between the two frontmen, which could quite easily bring a tear to the eye of the knowledgeable music fan. It leaves you wondering whether they knew the end was soon.
An album unique, not just in its music, but in the heart and emotion which has been poured into it. In a world filled with sometimes seemingly pointless love songs, this album is a refreshing change that should be treasured.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
That I have managed to give this album four stars is testament to the strength of the libertines true qualities. Pete Doherty and Carl Barat possess a rare and precious songwriting talent. Coupling sublime melodies with alternately witty and heartfelt lyrics the sound of the Libertines is infectious, it makes you wonder why everyone doesn't write songs this way.
A main factor in the band's sound is the love/hate dynamic between the two co-frontmen. Anyone who has seen the Libertines live will have witnessed the amazing energy the two have, when they are feeding off one another. The problem on their second album is that one part of the partnership is not pulling his weight, namely Pete Doherty. Having grown to love a lot of the songs on the album after hearing them live or in demo form, it was a massive disappointment when I first heard the album versions.
Doherty slurs his way through "Don't be shy", robbing it of the urgency that made it so appealing at first. "Music when the lights go out" was wonderful in demo form, mainly down to a 1940s-style cello part. On the album version this has been removed and the pace has been quickened, giving the song an anodyne feel. When I first heard "Can't stand me now" I thought it was the best thing they'd ever done, but the slapdash way in which it has been produced fails to portray the subtle changes in melody and the charm of the vocal sparring between Doherty and Barat. Why Mick Jones was given production duties rather than Bernard Butler, who presided over "What a waster" and "Don't look back into the sun" is beyond me.
The album is still leaps and bounds ahead of pretty much everything else around at the moment. You can still hear the quality at the core of the songs, even though the production and Doherty's unfortunate state of health have had a detrimental effect over the album as a whole. On a positive note, the album portrays the rise in confidence of Carl Barat. Primarily a guitarist on the first record, Barat really finds his voice on The Libertines. In the songs with both on vocals, Barat often seems to be carrying his friend. In fact most of the stand out songs on the album are fronted by Barat; the turbo-charged "narcissist" and the anthemic "road to ruin" to name but two.
The real high point, and the song that sums up the whole Libertines pantomime is the magnificent "What became of the likely lads?" Fittingly, perhaps,the question is rhetorical.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
All hype from Strokes wannabes
The Libertines...Oh they were so dangerous! They were 4real! They were the band that England were waiting for!.......... NO, THEY WERE A REALLY POOR IMITATION OF THE STROKES.
Published 3 months ago by Mr Ticko
it gets better every time you listen..
This is one of those albums that get better with every listen.
Before you get used to the tracks they seem a bit disjointed but don't let it put you off - once they... Read more
Before you get used to the tracks they seem a bit disjointed but don't let it put you off - once they... Read more
Published 11 months ago by crooked house
excellent.
Excellent sale. Item was well protected and sealed.
Came within 48 hours.
Item is in near perfect condition.
Thanks very much.
Came within 48 hours.
Item is in near perfect condition.
Thanks very much.
Published 15 months ago by michael1
fantastic
This album is truely amazing. I have seen Peter Doherty play at least 5 times this year and can honestly say never fails to amaze his fans belting out old Libertine tracks. Read more
Published on 29 Sep 2009 by C. Ridgway
Love it!
This is quite possibly the best album of the twenty-first century, messy yet beautiful, energetic and emotional from start to finish. Read more
Published on 17 Jun 2009 by Ms. Ml Cane
I've heard worse but...
after listening to this again after shelving it for years it sounds like the musical equivalent of a Carry On film. Read more
Published on 13 May 2009 by Mr. Ray Parton
Energetic, exilherating and tragic
The Amazon review speaks of 'mythology' threatening to overshadow the actual musical quality of an album, but in this case the so called mythology of the libertines comes across so... Read more
Published on 4 Mar 2009 by D. E. Hughes
Tosh
What a let down. Aside from 'What Katie Did', total rubbish. I honestly swapped my copy for a mate's packet of Barbecue Beef McCoys and couldn't help feeling like I'd ripped him... Read more
Published on 28 Jan 2009 by Mr. S. A. Foster
Fantastic Album
i didnt used to know much about the libertines, but when i finally got into them (after the split unfortunatly) i loved them. Read more
Published on 16 Jan 2008 by I. K. Anderson
Can't stand me now
The Libertines were a tempestuous band, to say the least. Divided by drugs and personal problems, they never sounded as ticked off as they do in their self-titled album -- an album... Read more
Published on 7 Mar 2007 by E. A Solinas
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