The Libertines

2 1/2

While not flat out terrible, the once snarling collective finds the sophomore jinx setting in by providing contradictory values- the once unhinged, literate post-punk snapped off and boxed into tidy niblets of pop.

The Libertines have had a turbulent 12 months since the release of their debut album, Up the Bracket. Co-frontman Pete Doherty was awol from the band when he was arrested for burgling bandmate Carl Barat's flat, and subsequently jailed. But that's beside the point (except for those still foolish enough to equate drug addiction and petty crime with bona fide rock'n'roll credentials). All the credentials the Libertines need are there on Up the Bracket. Like the Kinks, the Jam, the Smiths and the arty, questioning wing of Britpop, the Libertines view Britain afresh. Theirs is an eccentric collage of island life - Boadicea and Chas and Dave, Sherlock Holmes and Sid James - in which wry cynicism competes with romantic idealism. It's an assertion of cultural identity that is witty and vibrant rather than dim and bullish, and it's best captured on the raucously stirring Time for Heroes: "There's few more distressing sights than that of an Englishman in a baseball cap. We'll die in the class we were born, that's a class of our own." The Libertines' strength - and their weakness - is a sense of barely contained chaos. Their boozy, last-orders punk thunders along the thin line between swagger and stagger, and the latter often hobbles their live shows. Whether they become greats or just one of those great what-ifs that Britain specialises in depends on whether they regroup, but they have the talent and the belief. Shamelessly intelligent, stylish, wayward and complex, if they don't shoot themselves in the foot, they can shoot for the stars.

I expected more from the Libertines - but that's what I get for putting my hopes on a heroin junkie. I like Doherty's voice and the CD has some pretty good tunes, especially the opening track, "Can't Stand Me Now". But it's like they're still trying to find themselves, and most of the songs don't hit the mark. But it's worth a listen now and then.

If the title of the first Libertines album came from 'Hancock's Half Hour' there would be no comedy the second time around. A fist fight between Doherty and Barat on the first day of recording in the studio, security guards sent in by the record company for the rest of the recording sessions and the lawyers still arguing about who wrote what (this is the only album I own where there are no songwriting credits).

It all starts pretty much perfectly though. 'Can't Stand Me Now' has Barat laying into Doherty and then Doherty's version of events in a call-and-response classic for the indie scene. Doherty sounding particularly troubled: "No, you've got it the wrong way round/You shut me up and blamed it on the brown/Cornered the boy kicked out at the world...". The talk of keeping it together and the assertion of "I'm still in love with you" sounds so much like wishful thinking though and something like what might have been. Great harmonica.

'Last Post On The Bugle' follows in typical infectious Libertines fashion. Crystal clear production courtesy of Clash legend Mick Jones. If anything the production values here are stronger than on 'Up The Bracket'.

'Don't Be Shy' is the shocker though. A most focused start, all tight and controlled although Doherty soon loses the melody and the plot. Any semblance of the song retaining its shape and structure soon goes and the listener is left with...well, a most addictive mess. The song unravels, sure, but at the same time its fascinating. The disintegration is compelling somehow and leaves me wanting to go back to it. Mmmm...

Similarly, the nod to 'Golden Brown' by The Stranglers at the end of 'The Man Who Would Be King' draws you in but this time in a knowing way. It's all good.

Except it isn't unfortunately. Clearly much of this is touched by the hand of God but it cannot quite rise to the heights - the sustained heights - of 'Up The Bracket'. And there's the problem. If there is one. To talk of low points on a Libertines album shouldn't happen and yet here we have 'Arbeit Macht Frei', the too-obvious if nicely frenetic 'Narcissist', the ordinary-sounding 'The Saga' and 'Tomblands' which is great but too reminiscent of 'English Civil War' by...The Clash.

If all this seems unecessarily harsh then yes, I accept that but it's all borne of an idea that The Libertines were destined to be among the all-time greats. Something to do with the legend and the perverse perfection of releasing two all-time classic albums and then (in whatever circumstances) splitting up. Think Joy Division. And this album is just missing something, something that could have sealed the myth forever. As it is we're left with one great album and one very nearly great one...There is nothing much wrong with almost all of this in reality. And it is clearly music for the ages.

So what will become of the Likely Lads? Well, it already seems to be turning into a story of diminishing returns and a story of something like alchemy being mysteriously missing.

The saddest thing about this album, this band, is the sincerity with which Doherty sings "It's important to me..." as the album draws to a close...save for the secret acoustic track with its lament of "Nothing but memories...". Indeed.

Given the circumstances, it is surprising that The Libertines were actually able to complete recording their second, and final, studio album. During and after their tour for their debut album ("Up the Bracket"), Pete Doherty had begun to steadily increase his indulgence in drugs and associate with an unsavory crowd. Barat and Doherty went to the U.S. in 2003 to promote The Libertines and work on new material. In New York, Pete and Carl both got tattoos of the word "libertine" on their arms, signifying their commitment to the band. However, Carl grew tired of Pete's addiction and dropped out of their recording sessions (which Pete continued by himself). Pete began to play more gigs separately from the band and refused to play with The Libertines on their tour of Europe. A whirlwind of unfortunate instances occurred afterwards, eventually leading to Pete breaking into Carl's apartment and stealing several items. Pete pled guilty to burglary and was sent to jail, but ended up being released after a fairly short amount of time due to judges' decisions and making amends with Carl. The same day he was released from Wandsworth Prison, Carl and Pete played a gig at a pub and they then began to work on new material for their second album.

The recording process of their self-titled follow-up album was chaotic and unpredictable, as Pete's further descent into addiction and tensions between band-mates threatened The Libertines' stability. Pete wavered between being in and out of rehab and also began to form another band, Babyshambles, around the same time. The Libertines played their last show on December 17th, 2004 in Paris, France, without Pete. Afterwards, The Libertines dissolved and the members have gone on to separate bands; Pete remained with Babyshambles, Carl formed Dirty Pretty Things with Gary Powell (and a new bassist, Didz Hammond, as well as Anthony Rossomando, who had been a replacement guitarist for Pete in The Libertines), and John Hassall went on to form a band called Yeti.

While "Up the Bracket" had a lot of firey, Clash-like energy, "The Libertines" is much darker and more introspective. Both "Can't Stand Me Now" and "What Became of the Likely Lads" are about Carl and Pete's love/hate relationship. Even though there are songs that don't seem to be directly about the two of them (like "Narcissist" and "Tomblands"), the prevailing mood of the album is much more somber than anything off of "Up the Bracket". Certain tracks that feature Pete as the main vocalist, like "Don't Be Shy" and "The Ha Ha Wall", are sloppy and sound a bit improvised. Though Pete and Carl tend to have a slurred, thick-accented tone in their voices as it is, these tracks are unfortunate testaments to the fact that the band was steadily falling apart.

This is a good album, the Libertines are a good Euro-Indie band which gave way to the Babyshambles. But since this is merely a compilation of their 2 albums, just buy the albums.

The Libertines-Time For Heroes; The Best Of ***½


I have to write this review from the perspective of someone who used this collection as an introduction to the band, because that is exactly what I did when I bought it. I knew who Pete Doherty was and I heard that the current drummer for the recent carnation of the New York Dolls had played with The Libertines so I thought it might be worth my while to give the band a try.

Now I usually do not buy greatest hits, or best of collections unless I own everything else by the band and wish to own everything that they release, but this was the only thing I could find from the band so I bought it. Before buying it I noticed that on the album cover was a sticker that was comparing the band to The Clash, which with them being one of my all time favorite bands that this was going to be a good purchess. After listening I feel I must warn that the only compareson between the two bands is that they are both from around London, were both young bands (with the exception of Joe Strummer) and the attitude. If I was going to compare the band to any early punk band from England it would be with out a doubt, The Jam. They whole sound, the vocals, the lyrics, and the guitar all scream the Jam, which is not a bad thing as The Jam were a phenomenal band.

So after listening to the band I came to the conclusion that from this collection I liked it. The song writing was great from Doherty, and the musicianship is pretty good from the `punk' band, though I would hardly call The Libertines a punk band from this collection, ,only `Mayday' even remotely reminded me of punk. For the most part they sound like a decent rock/mod band. But over all this is a great collection of songs, but not good enough to make me go out and but any of the bands actual albums.

I purchased this album recently in order to get The Libertines' singles. I owned the original albums when they first came out, and while there was certainly a collection of songs that I truly enjoyed on those records, I've never found The Libertines to be that spectacular of a band. I always felt that their albums featured a few songs that were great, while a majority of the songs were mediocre at best. As such, I traded away the CDs, and then spent a few successive years missing the critical songs. As such, when this "best of" compilation came out, I took the opportunity to pick it up, as it contains a good collection of songs for a casual listener of The Libertines (and it can be had for a low cost).

It's true, that since The Libertines only put out two proper albums, it isn't that significant of an investment to purchase both of those; however, if you're like me, and you want the singles on one disc, and don't want to sift through the material that isn't as good, then this is a good compilation for you.

If Rough Trade would've repackaged their two studio albums, and perhaps even added a bonus disc with a fair amount of B-sides and rarities for good measure, there would be nothing wrong with this compilation. But, they didn't! This is pretty much a waste to buy, unless you're missing the few bonus tracks and the couple of EP songs they have on here.

This includes their six single songs from the two albums they released, two songs from the I Get Along EP ("The Delaney" and the song which is also a single, "Don't Look Back into the Sun"), the bonus tracks from the US and Japanese releases of Up the Bracket ("Mayday" and the single "What a Waster"), four other tracks from Up the Bracket, and only ONE other track from their self-titled second album The Libertines. If one is going to be technical about it, Up the Bracket is the "better" release (and not nearly as melancholy as their second), but their second, self-titled album is a perfect mirror of the turmoil that was going on within the band at the time. By only listening to this compilation, you are almost completely missing out on that side of The Libertines; "Music When the Lights Go Out", "Narcissist" (with a nod to Oscar Wilde's Dorian Gray), "Tomblands", "The Man Who Would Be King" (the first Libs song I heard), are all great songs that appear on the second album, but not on this so-called best-of compilation! Other tracks I love from Up the Bracket are missing; "Vertigo", "Radio America", "The Boy Looked at Johnny", "The Good Old Days"...

This is a fantastic band, one of my top favorites. "What a Waster" is one of the greatest singles released by any band, in my opinion. I'm not knocking this CD down because there is anything wrong with the songs, individually. I just feel that 'The Best of: A Time For Heroes' gives one a very muted feel for The Libertines. If you're looking for an "introduction" of The Libertines...well, they released only two studio albums, so listening to those ought to do the trick!

Wow, this album, is just so great, such great songs, it opens with a killer trio that will leave you wanting for more, key tracks on this album are:Horrorshow,Vertigo,Time For Heroes,I Get Along,Up The Bracket,and The Good Old Days

I absoutely adore this album. It's intelligent, witty and overall a very good time. I say, buy it now.

There are very few albums of the 2000s that look like they'll be viewed as "classics" in years to come; the kind of albums that change the way people view music, maybe even inspire them to start bands of their own. This is definitely that kind of album.

What is it about it that makes it so good? Though this may seem like a digression from the main point of the review, the band's history is inseparably intertwined with their music. The Libertines is a band that ended up attracting a very devoted, loyal fan-base in the UK. The songwriting partnership of Pete Doherty and Carl Barat appears unlikely from a technical aspect, since they are actually quite different (both music and personality-wise). However, their varied vocal and lyrical styles complement each other rather harmoniously. Besides, they had the same objective: to play music, get it heard, and get signed!

The popular British music magazine, NME, heavily promoted the band from their early days up until their demise. The success of The Strokes, a successful American band at the forefront of the "garage rock revival", helped open the door for The Libertines to get signed to a record label (Rough Trade). Over time, The Libertines became well-known for their intense, impassioned live shows, including performances held for fans at their own house! They popularized a "mythology" of the band in some of their song lyrics and interviews: The Libertines were hypothetically "sailing the good ship Albion (also an archaic name for Britain) to Arcadia", a utopian land without rules or authority. This notion has been particularly important to Pete, as he has continued these references in his subsequent band, Babyshambles. It embodies the poetic spirit of The Libertines very well, as it is a metaphor for Carl and Pete's 'quest' to revive a sort of British romanticism in music.

The Libertines' style is mainly reminiscent of 70s British punk-rock bands (especially The Clash). Then again, there are a few slower and heartfelt tracks, like "The Good Old Days", "Tell the King", and "Radio America", which show the more literary side of the band, as opposed to the cocky, modern tone of tracks like "Up the Bracket", "The Boys in the Band", and "I Get Along". The whole album is varied enough to be interesting and enjoyable, and the band's incredibly distinctive style is a result of Pete and Carl's mixed influence of music and literature alike. The Libertines' debut, " Up the Bracket", has made quite an impact on contemporary British music and will (hopefully!) continue to affect music overall for many years to come.

How could they part their own ways? This two vocalists went over to form the Baby Shambles and Dirty Pretty Things. For footage of them and similar groups buy Later with Jools Holland....cool Britania 1 and 2. Excellent band and cd by the way...

Having grown up in London in the 70s and 80s, I actually saw the Jam, the Buzzcocks,and a host of other like bands so it is hard for me to appreciate this album; it is derivative to the point of plagarism. If you want to hear this sound, go back to the origionals plus when Paul Weller was in the Jam, he was never an uber-tosser like Pete (of course, even Weller succumbed to the inner-wanker when he formed the Style Council but I suppose one should forgive him for that.)

This CD has hardly left my CD player for the past month. After a month of the musical doldrums brought on by Joe Stummer's untimely death, the music of the Libertines has lifted my spirits. Their music has tremendous energy that recalls The Clash's London Calling era and The Jam. Produced by Mick Jones, he has left his mark all over it. If we can't have the Clash, at least they left some great followers in the Libertines.

A great listen all the way through. Give it time and they'll be playing sold out venues in the US...

Ah, the Libertines. Like the Santa Ana winds blew the stale smell of cigarettes and greasy chips in my face while watching episodes of "The Young Ones" in my bedroom adorned with old Jam posters. Ok, I was trying to get a vibe across. If you need it in spoon fed pap form...think Supergrass meets The Strokes produced by Paul Weller back in the Jam heyday. I got this cd in Tokyo and man did a big painful smile come across my face. From track one "Vertigo" all the way to track 12 "I get Along" which really busted me up since that track was also on their debut single "What a Waster". Although I loved Waster, I really thought "I get Along" was the killer track. Here, it has been slightly redone and has never sounded better. I can see how people might write these guys off as Jam rip-offs etc. But I see them as being more clever and cheeky for that. The lyrics are way better than they need to be and the craftsmanship is apparent in it's rawness and clarity. nothing overdone and overdubbed. Simply perfect if you ask me and since you won't, get this cd and judge for yourself. If you like these guys and wanna expand your brit-rock horizons may I offer up these deserving bands...1. The Datsuns"The Datsuns" 2. V Twin"The Blues is a Mindfield" 3. The Coral "The Coral" 4. Radio 4 5. Ikara Colt 6. The Beatings

Although I do not yet have the CD for these guys, I did just see them in concert, and all I can say is WOW!! They opened for Morrissey, and blew the crowd away. It was like seeing the Ramones for the first time. I hope this is the start of a new musical renaissance, which sees boybands and manufactured music fade, and a livelier music scene happen, with original sounds and high energy lyrics! If you like your music rebellious, in which you can ride along the tide of rebellion with the band rather than having it thrust in your face, this is your scene! Put this music to the test if you are about to hit the highway, the powder in the mountains, or bike through a canyon of double-decker buses! The party has begun-grab your leather jacket and hightops, and jump into the crowd!

I completely agree with alexliamw's excellent review of this album. When I first heard it I thought it was pretty average but the more I listen to it the more I find to like.

It's more rough and ready than the other other slightly mainstream sounding punk/rock bands that alexliamw mentions but that's my kind of thing - In fact it sometimes sounds as if the band only started practicing on their instruments a couple of months before recording the record...

This is a far from earth-shattering album but a very good debut. I'll give it a full 4 stars.

This album is a definite classic, taking into consideration that Peter Doherty is a sloppy junkie at the time this is recorded. Wonderful melodys and punk....as in punk rock kiddies.

ONE OF THE GRETEST ROCK BANDS OF THE WORLD.
THIS IS MUSIC AND THEY SHOULD BE #1 IN THE BILLBOARD, THE ALBUM IS GREAT, THE SONGS ARE GREAT, THE DVD IS GREAT,THE FOOTAGE, THE VIDEOS, THE EXTRAS.
THIS IS WHAT I CALL A ROCK ALBUM.BUY IT NOW IF YOY LOVE ROCK.

This was one of the best albums of the year 2004. It's surprising that The Libertines made it through the year and that Pete Doherty is still alive. Even though this record seems like a reflection over the past two years of the band, this record is more relaxed than its predecessor. The first single "Can't Stand Me Now" is almost as good as "Don't Look Back At The Sun."

Other songs like "Narcissist" and "Campaign of Hate" are about the media fascination with The Libertines. There are not a lot of outright rockers like "I Get Along" but there is one hardcore punk song. There are zydeco and rockabilly influences. Most of this album is an exploration of The Libertines' sound. Once again Mick Jones (of The Clash) is back as a producer. I am not sure if this is their "Give Em Enough Rope" or "London Calling." It is a thrilling album throughout.

Now re-released with the DVD, it is even better. The DVD is really Pete Doherty centric. The Libertines did tour half the of the year without him. There is footage from 2002 and 2003. Five songs from a Japanese gig. One song in Spain. Then there is a bunch of footage of Pete and Carl playing songs in Filthy McNasty's in London. A video of "Can't Stand Me Now." A documentary is pretty good but adds nothing to the myth. The menus are exciting. This is a must have item.

This album is a definite classic, taking into consideration that Peter Doherty is a sloppy junkie at the time this is recorded. Wonderful melodys and punk....as in punk rock kiddies.

ONE OF THE GRETEST ROCK BANDS OF THE WORLD.
THIS IS MUSIC AND THEY SHOULD BE #1 IN THE BILLBOARD, THE ALBUM IS GREAT, THE SONGS ARE GREAT, THE DVD IS GREAT,THE FOOTAGE, THE VIDEOS, THE EXTRAS.
THIS IS WHAT I CALL A ROCK ALBUM.BUY IT NOW IF YOY LOVE ROCK.

This was one of the best albums of the year 2004. It's surprising that The Libertines made it through the year and that Pete Doherty is still alive. Even though this record seems like a reflection over the past two years of the band, this record is more relaxed than its predecessor. The first single "Can't Stand Me Now" is almost as good as "Don't Look Back At The Sun."

Other songs like "Narcissist" and "Campaign of Hate" are about the media fascination with The Libertines. There are not a lot of outright rockers like "I Get Along" but there is one hardcore punk song. There are zydeco and rockabilly influences. Most of this album is an exploration of The Libertines' sound. Once again Mick Jones (of The Clash) is back as a producer. I am not sure if this is their "Give Em Enough Rope" or "London Calling." It is a thrilling album throughout.

Now re-released with the DVD, it is even better. The DVD is really Pete Doherty centric. The Libertines did tour half the of the year without him. There is footage from 2002 and 2003. Five songs from a Japanese gig. One song in Spain. Then there is a bunch of footage of Pete and Carl playing songs in Filthy McNasty's in London. A video of "Can't Stand Me Now." A documentary is pretty good but adds nothing to the myth. The menus are exciting. This is a must have item.

This CD has hardly left my CD player for the past month. After a month of the musical doldrums brought on by Joe Stummer's untimely death, the music of the Libertines has lifted my spirits. Their music has tremendous energy that recalls The Clash's London Calling era and The Jam. Produced by Mick Jones, he has left his mark all over it. If we can't have the Clash, at least they left some great followers in the Libertines.

A great listen all the way through. Give it time and they'll be playing sold out venues in the US...

Ah, the Libertines. Like the Santa Ana winds blew the stale smell of cigarettes and greasy chips in my face while watching episodes of "The Young Ones" in my bedroom adorned with old Jam posters. Ok, I was trying to get a vibe across. If you need it in spoon fed pap form...think Supergrass meets The Strokes produced by Paul Weller back in the Jam heyday. I got this cd in Tokyo and man did a big painful smile come across my face. From track one "Vertigo" all the way to track 12 "I get Along" which really busted me up since that track was also on their debut single "What a Waster". Although I loved Waster, I really thought "I get Along" was the killer track. Here, it has been slightly redone and has never sounded better. I can see how people might write these guys off as Jam rip-offs etc. But I see them as being more clever and cheeky for that. The lyrics are way better than they need to be and the craftsmanship is apparent in it's rawness and clarity. nothing overdone and overdubbed. Simply perfect if you ask me and since you won't, get this cd and judge for yourself. If you like these guys and wanna expand your brit-rock horizons may I offer up these deserving bands...1. The Datsuns"The Datsuns" 2. V Twin"The Blues is a Mindfield" 3. The Coral "The Coral" 4. Radio 4 5. Ikara Colt 6. The Beatings

Although I do not yet have the CD for these guys, I did just see them in concert, and all I can say is WOW!! They opened for Morrissey, and blew the crowd away. It was like seeing the Ramones for the first time. I hope this is the start of a new musical renaissance, which sees boybands and manufactured music fade, and a livelier music scene happen, with original sounds and high energy lyrics! If you like your music rebellious, in which you can ride along the tide of rebellion with the band rather than having it thrust in your face, this is your scene! Put this music to the test if you are about to hit the highway, the powder in the mountains, or bike through a canyon of double-decker buses! The party has begun-grab your leather jacket and hightops, and jump into the crowd!

I completely agree with alexliamw's excellent review of this album. When I first heard it I thought it was pretty average but the more I listen to it the more I find to like.

It's more rough and ready than the other other slightly mainstream sounding punk/rock bands that alexliamw mentions but that's my kind of thing - In fact it sometimes sounds as if the band only started practicing on their instruments a couple of months before recording the record...

This is a far from earth-shattering album but a very good debut. I'll give it a full 4 stars.

The two demos on this cd add very little to your Libertines collection. There is a reason these remained demos.

Wow, this album, is just so great, such great songs, it opens with a killer trio that will leave you wanting for more, key tracks on this album are:Horrorshow,Vertigo,Time For Heroes,I Get Along,Up The Bracket,and The Good Old Days

I absoutely adore this album. It's intelligent, witty and overall a very good time. I say, buy it now.

There are very few albums of the 2000s that look like they'll be viewed as "classics" in years to come; the kind of albums that change the way people view music, maybe even inspire them to start bands of their own. This is definitely that kind of album.

What is it about it that makes it so good? Though this may seem like a digression from the main point of the review, the band's history is inseparably intertwined with their music. The Libertines is a band that ended up attracting a very devoted, loyal fan-base in the UK. The songwriting partnership of Pete Doherty and Carl Barat appears unlikely from a technical aspect, since they are actually quite different (both music and personality-wise). However, their varied vocal and lyrical styles complement each other rather harmoniously. Besides, they had the same objective: to play music, get it heard, and get signed!

The popular British music magazine, NME, heavily promoted the band from their early days up until their demise. The success of The Strokes, a successful American band at the forefront of the "garage rock revival", helped open the door for The Libertines to get signed to a record label (Rough Trade). Over time, The Libertines became well-known for their intense, impassioned live shows, including performances held for fans at their own house! They popularized a "mythology" of the band in some of their song lyrics and interviews: The Libertines were hypothetically "sailing the good ship Albion (also an archaic name for Britain) to Arcadia", a utopian land without rules or authority. This notion has been particularly important to Pete, as he has continued these references in his subsequent band, Babyshambles. It embodies the poetic spirit of The Libertines very well, as it is a metaphor for Carl and Pete's 'quest' to revive a sort of British romanticism in music.

The Libertines' style is mainly reminiscent of 70s British punk-rock bands (especially The Clash). Then again, there are a few slower and heartfelt tracks, like "The Good Old Days", "Tell the King", and "Radio America", which show the more literary side of the band, as opposed to the cocky, modern tone of tracks like "Up the Bracket", "The Boys in the Band", and "I Get Along". The whole album is varied enough to be interesting and enjoyable, and the band's incredibly distinctive style is a result of Pete and Carl's mixed influence of music and literature alike. The Libertines' debut, " Up the Bracket", has made quite an impact on contemporary British music and will (hopefully!) continue to affect music overall for many years to come.

How could they part their own ways? This two vocalists went over to form the Baby Shambles and Dirty Pretty Things. For footage of them and similar groups buy Later with Jools Holland....cool Britania 1 and 2. Excellent band and cd by the way...

Having grown up in London in the 70s and 80s, I actually saw the Jam, the Buzzcocks,and a host of other like bands so it is hard for me to appreciate this album; it is derivative to the point of plagarism. If you want to hear this sound, go back to the origionals plus when Paul Weller was in the Jam, he was never an uber-tosser like Pete (of course, even Weller succumbed to the inner-wanker when he formed the Style Council but I suppose one should forgive him for that.)

This CD was my intro to the Libertines. I'd read about their guerrilla concerts and their lack of interest in signing with a big corporate label. They weren't exactly a household word in SF, but I figured they were worth a few bucks for a five-song EP.

The recording faced heavy competition -- my CD player has been dominated by PJ Harvey and Radiohead lately. But the Libertines held their own.

The music explodes out of the speakers, combinging the charm of the early Beatles with the power of the Clash and the Sex Pistols. Like the latter, the Libertines careen along the edge of musical disaster, always on the edge of a most un-musical breakdown. But in these five recordings, they mostly dodge disaster and pull off some of the wildest rock and roll ever.

This EP is available used for rock-bottom prices -- no excuse to miss it.

This CD was my intro to the Libertines. I'd read about their guerrilla concerts and their lack of interest in signing with a big corporate label. They weren't exactly a household word in SF, but I figured they were worth a few bucks for a five-song EP.

The recording faced heavy competition -- my CD player has been dominated by PJ Harvey and Radiohead lately. But the Libertines held their own.

I haven't tracked the words on the EP -- it's the music that hooked me. It explodes out of the speakers. Like the Sex Pistols or the early Grateful Dead, the Libertines careen along the edge of musical disaster, always on the edge of a most un-musical breakdown. But in these five recordings, they dodge disaster and pull off some of the wildest rock and roll ever.

This EP is available used for rock-bottom prices -- no excuse to miss it.

although i hated The Libertines second album (first one was ok), this little ep is a nice slab of their shambolic, messy, upbeat Clash-lite style of punk. the production is unique and full of little audio surprises (which kind of remind me of that underground lo-fi band Beatnik Filmstars), and these songs have a well written and well performed quality. it always amazes me how totally drunk and trashed that The Libertines sound on record. makes me wonder how much a mess it must really be to witness the band live in all their ragged glory. pretty cool.

I bought this awhile back. I had heard of the Libertines through friends and downloaded one song, which I fell in love with. This cd has 5 great songs on it. It's great way to be introduced to this band. The songs are clever and memorable and will have you singing along. But that doesn't mean this band doesn't rock hard.