Pete Doherty may not be the most appealing musician to many. He is the typical mischevious frontman...has a great voice and is overflowing with potential, but also a selfish drug addict that was kicked out of his own band. Many similar tales of smack smuggling, controversy creating leads have been tossed around the music world like nothing, as if its something to expect of every good band with a young and talented member somewhere. So what makes this guy and his band so special? Well, for one thing, The Libertines are an exceptionally sounding punk-pop group (the punk comes first) with a slew of great songs and fun lyrics. Typical, huh? Yeah mate, thats how everyone describes good bands! Well calm down, I know. The Libertines as well as the earlier stated are a band who doesn't believe in clearing the path to a new music era, nor are they the Pink Floyd of their genre. What they concentrate on is the present. Thats why I love 'em. This band wants to write a load of crowd pleasing, hooked up catchy tracks for everybody to enjoy. Granted not all of them will, but you can't be perfect, now can you? The Libertines are the band that you'd listen to trudging on down the street, kicking a can heading to your friends pad to jam. Or you can crank up this album whilst cruising down the highway on the way back from the concert. Its good music, thats all anyone should care about. Alot of
Up The Bracket can easily be related to some modern music you hear on the radio, namely The Strokes and The Beatles. Kind of like a combination of the two this band is. The Libertines sport the poppy ballad songs of the latter, and the catchy sunshine day tunes of the former. Upbeat is the word to use when asked to explain this album, so if anyone asks thats what you tell them.
So I hope you listen to some classic Punk Rock. Honestly, this band sounds like The Clash. Just amped up with the ring of modern rock. They are certainly not as reggae influenced, or straightforward punks, but you can see obvious influence riddled amongst the music. More of
Bracket is Strokes type shout pop. The major focus on this is none other than the vocals, with Doherty and company belting out the usual pop-punk flow with their voices accompanied by dirty, sloppy instrumentation. But in a good way! You can tell when you listen that
Up The Bracket was the result of a few jam sessions like all great records within this genre. It just seems so classic and fun I can't believe how recently this was released. Gritty, grinding rock is the theme of the album. So we know how the band plays out, but what is Pete singing to make the record complete? Occasionally you'll hear a bit about his use of drugs, but alot of the lyrics are not intertwined and describe whats mainly on Doherty's mind at the moment of the session. Kind of like how Kurt Cobain professed to scribbling up the writing for his songs a few minutes before the recording was scheduled. Yep, there is no genius here. While Doherty is no Roger Waters, he still as I mentioned before is a master of the craft of catchy. The Libertines actually make you want to listen to the music and not decipher it, which is a nice break from what the majority of people listen to.
Of course, perfect shouldn't even be a word. There is nothing on
Up The Bracket that really make the record crash and burn, despite the obvious lack of time and effort put into it (which is remedied by the sound, baby, the sound). Perfect is an album that has absolutely no downsides and appeals in great ways to the billions of people upon this planet. Heh, you and I both know The Libertines are incapable of that. Even a die-hard fan must admit to seeing problems in the music. What makes this record not as excellent as it could be is its repetition. Repetition. Repetition. Doherty writes lyrical clones and riff upon riff, the stuff we've all heard and known before. I'll tell you this can become very unsatisfying and tired after a while. It shouldn't bore you through the first, second, third or even fourth listens. But this is by no means a classic record.
What I'd like you to expect of this when you listen is to listen for its influences. That may help you enjoy alot more if you can relate
Up The Bracket to
Is This It? and various Clash albums. Pete Doherty is nothing more than a heroin addict who just so happens to be a musician. He made himself that way, he really did reveal what could have been a very successful and celebrated career. It is certainly rare to see more than that in him from the far away, fan based angle that we're all staring with. The Libertines had potential. Babyshambles is exactly what it calls itself, the shattered remains of the fetus that was Pete Doherty's musical spark.
Credits:
Vocals/Rythm Guitar: Pete Doherty
Vocals/Lead Guitars: Carl Barat
Bass: John Hassall
Drums: Gary Powell
