Maybe carl was the talented one after all
After what felt like 24/7 coverage from the NME, The Libertines’ shambling mess of a split has joined that of The Beatles and, indeed, Charles and Di in the annals of acrimony. But, while praise of Macca and Lennon’s solo offerings is inevitably qualified by the fact that they’d have been better together, Carl Barât seems to be coping just fine without his drug-chugging former bandmate Pete Doherty. While at first ‘Buzzards And Crows’ sounds a dodgy opening note (it’s not sure if it’s a sea-shanty or a circus song), its chorus – which has the dignity of a drunken aristocrat tottering to keep his balance – proves it's only a false start. ‘Hippy Son’ reminds you just how beautiful a marriage The Libs made between squalling guitar wrenchings and bright vocal melodies – but what’s really striking is how well it’s replicated here.
Another notable element of The Libertines' brief run was the number of soundalikes they spawned, but the perky, Kooksy brightness of ‘Plastic Hearts’ casts the imitative efforts of Luke Pritchard in a particularly unflattering light. The album’s not just about how good Carl is without Pete, but rather about a band set for greatness in their own right; ‘Kicks And Consumptions’ gives Anthony Rossomondo’s flinty guitar stylings an airing, while the rhythm section shows itself to be as tight as the Obama-Clinton battle on ‘Chinese Dogs’. On ‘Tired Of England’, one of the standout tracks, Barat makes a move towards Paul Weller territory, deftly lifting the Modfather’s plangent vocal cadences and pessimistic-but-pleased sentiments. That’s not even the best bit, though: on ‘Come Closer’, one of many sublime quiet moments, there’s the hint that Carl would welcome back his old bandmate with open arms.
Key Track: ‘Truth Begins’
“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?
Read More Dirty Pretty Things return to Ireland in September for a brace of shows
Read More 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?
Read More 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.
Read More 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.
Read More Tonight, the tiny confines of Cork’s Cyprus Avenue mark the band’s first Irish and UK date. For the most part, it’s a triumph.
Read More The former Libertines frontman Carl Barat is to make his Irish debut with Dirty Pretty Things with a date in Cork.
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