Disused Mexican banks, Little Britain, Pete Doherty and drunken Sky TV appearances are all on the agenda as Paul Nolan and his temperamental tape machine meet Carl and Didz from Dirty Pretty Things.
“You fucking love it, yeah, yeah, yeah.” Dirty Pretty Things alight upon the stage of Mandela Hall, an unruly rock ‘n’ roll tornado, all braggart charm and uncompromising swagger. How could we not fucking love it?
From the ashes of The Libertines comes Dirty Pretty Things, Carl Barat's new band. But can Pete Doherty's old sparring partner escape the legacy of his old group?
Discuss: The Libertines – one of the most exciting personality clashes since Mick & Keef/Strummer & Jones/Morrissey & Marr, or Jam-my dodgers in matching emperor’s new Sgt. Pepper suits who struck lucky with a couple of decent tunes?
Aw, who cares.
For all his protests otherwise, more than a hint of Pete Doherty’s shadow hangs over fellow Libertine Carl Barat’s much anticipated comeback single. When Barat (who taught Doherty how to play guitar) sings lines such as “I gave you the Midas touch before you turned around and scratched out my heart” you can’t but bring to mind the duo’s tempestuous relationship. This though is no bad thing. The Libertines were at their best when telling it how it is, and like their last record, ‘Bang Bang You’re Dead’ feels like a front line report from Barat’s being. Musically the shambolic beauty of The Libertines remains, though thankfully without ever a hint of it all about to implode. The boy’s done good.
