Bang Bang You're Dead

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.