down in albion

Babyshambles, or better said, Pete Doherty are to release their/ his debut album. Who would've thought that the first junkie-slash-rockstar-icon (at least in Britain) of the 21th century could manage? There's the various tabloid stories of course. The erratic live performances (IF he managed to arrive at all). The coke habit ( don't forget the Kate Moss-snorting-coke-in-the studio-fiasco). Not to mention the second Libertines album, which showcased their knack for writing great songs but also contained a plethora of fillers. But here I am now, listening to Down In Albion. Having Mick Jones of the Clash producing the album must be inspirational to say the least, because the same problem which plagued the London Calling and Sandinista has reared its ugly head again. It's a tad bit too long (or in Sandinista's case, MUCH too long). They had the chance to stop after Albion and let the listener to bask in the after glow of its glorious melody. Instead, they chose to continue with the husky Back From The Dead. Then came Loyalty Song, which would've given them a second chance to close the album on a high note. Again they refuse. Enter Up The Morning, which would've make a better b-side, and Merry Go Round, a song that could've lighten up the mood if placed in the middle of the album. The first half of the album is brilliant though. Opening track La Belle et Las Bete, at first glance, isn't the most approriate track to open the album with. Especially in light of Kate Moss's singing. But after a few listen it just feels right. Fuck Forever and Kilimangiro are already landmarks in Pete Doherty's career despite the latter having a horrific title. A'rebours showcases the Pete Doherty swagger. Stick & Stones is a reggaeish track which may or may not be inspired by the Clash/Mick Jones. In Love with a Feeling is another classic Pete Doherty ballad. Pentonville mixes a rap/dub vocal over Pete Doherty singing with an acoustic guitar. The aforementioned Albion is an anthemic homage to England and next Babyshambles single, a song with majestic melody that rivals Oasis's Live Forever. Pipedown, 8 Dead Boys are fillers but not without their merits. In fact part of the charm here is it's imperfection. Whether with the Libertines or with Babyshambles, there's this aura of vulnerability and honesty which permeates through the songs. Like the second Libertines album, the lesser songs don't disrupt the balance of the album, they emphasize it . They never sound polished and kudos to Mick Jones for capturing the moods so perfectly. In short: a perfect Pete Doherty album, which, in a perfect world, could've also been a perfect Libertines album.

HIGHLIGHTS: Fuck Forever, A'rebours, Kilimangiro, In Love with A Feeling, Albion