Search - Libertines :: Up the Bracket

One of the Greatest British Albums of the 2000s

MoogleFan | 01/27/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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."

You need this.

Kelli A. Tammone | 03/09/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

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

Masterpiece

E. Aguilar | California | 03/24/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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"