When Pete Doherty's problems with heroin led to the breakup of the Libertines in 2004, it seemed unlikely that he would be able to continue musically for any length of time while landing himself in handcuffs, jail cells and rehab on a semi-regular basis. Nevertheless, Doherty formed a new band, Babyshambles, shortly after splitting with the Libertines and, against considerable odds, has released a new full-length album, 'Down In Albion.'
Singles released over the last year revealed that Babyshambles was a departure from the sound of the Libertines. Although Doherty's voice and his nods to the Clash and the Smiths will be familiar to listeners, 'Down In Albion' is not simply a carbon copy of the Libertines' output, or of any other band for that matter. Written and recorded over the better part of a year, due in part to Doherty's legal problems, the extra time seems to have been a blessing, as 'Down in Albion' comes across as a more thought-out effort than the Libertines' most recent self-titled release.
Rooted in punk, reggae and '60s guitar pop, for the most part Babyshambles avoid the off-kilter guitar jams of Doherty's previous band, and opt instead for a sound that seems to be working with equal parts Dylan and the Buzzcocks. 'Down in Albion' begins on a high note with 'La Belle et La Bete,' a tale of drug-addled Bohemianism backed by bass and drumlines that bare closer resemblance to swing music than anything more contemporary. 'Fuck Forever,' the album's second single, bookends its verses with a huge, stand-alone guitar riff and an equally percussive chorus, before closing with Doherty's strangled shouts of 'I could never play this on the radio!'
The rest of the first half of the album is filled with tracks that similarly seem to gel in spite of themselves. Doherty sings like the world's oldest 26-year-old and the guitars continually threaten to push out into chaotic incoherence, but the tight song structure and Adam Ficek's drums keep the band moving forward. 'Killamangiro,' the album's first single and most instantly catchy track, tips a hat to the band's punk rock influences and 'The 32nd of December' skillfully blends British trad-rock with Dylan gone electric.
Though not for a want of strong tracks, the album's odd second half does not hold together quite as well as the first. The long, meandering 'Albion' and 'Pentonville,' an almost completely unadulterated reggae number, is set against several of the album's most straightforward 3-minute pop songs.
'Down in Albion' seems to be an overall win-win situation for Babyshambles. Fans of the Libertines will be pleased to find some of Doherty's strongest songwriting to date and the tighter song structures and melodies are well-suited for a wider audience. As long as Doherty can keep his jail time to a minimum, Babyshambles should have a very bright future.
