Review: The Libertines - Up The Bracket and The Libertines

I nice fellow from the UK e-mailed to recommend The Libertines since I'm a follower of sorts of the new retro-new wave bands. Check out this band history. Seems this Pete Dogerty character is a real fugg-up.

I listened to Up The Bracket and The Libertines and they left me cold. I tried working out to them and I kept having to remind myself to pay attention. It was as interesting to me as background noise. Allmusic says they're influenced by The Clash, The Kinks, The Jam, The Smiths and The Cure. I NEVER would have picked any of these bands, especially The Clash.

The faster (and better) songs were either like The Strokes (a band credited with NYC influences that don't exist) or Iggy's "Lust For Life". The slower tunes I think are trying to be blues rock or something. Their ventures into quiet all fail and the vocal harmonies are horrible. There's a scene in This Is Spinal Tap where the band visits the grave of Elvis Presley and they can't harmonize on "Heartbreak Hotel". The Libertines suffer a similar fate.

I'm not going to say this sucks because they have a following and are reviewed well elsewhere. I take that to mean it just has no appeal to me. I can say with conviction that The Libertines are not a a great retro-anything band. In this style I highly recommend Stiffs, Inc.