Originally published in The
Aquarian Weekly
Babyshambles/Shotter’s Nation/
Astralwerks Records
Pete Doherty? You’re
kidding
me, right? This guy
has made
more appearances in
Magistrate’s Court
than he has
on stage, and most
Americans
know him better as the
despoiler
of supermodel Kate
Moss than
as a former member of
the
extinguished supernova known
as The Libertines.
This album
has got to be a mess,
right?
Right. And what a glorious
mess it is.
Defying all expectations,
Babyshambles’
sophomore album is one of the
best of the year. It’s
full of punk
attitude and recalls the ’70s
sound of Elvis Costello
and The
Clash, as well as
earlier masters
of the form such as
The Kinks
and The Stooges.
No one in their
right mind
would try to predict how
long
this band might last.
They’re
here now though. Grab
this one
while you can.
In A Word: Snarling
Grade: A-
—by Ken Shane