Cultural phenomenon Pete Doherty has somewhat outgrown The Libertines spectacle. Through his name alone he has kept the band whirring away in beloved spots of indie fans, and the likes of Up the Bracket live on through his presence. Naturally, talent plays its part too – as can be heard in this debut album from the Doherty-led group, but much of it, like it or not, comes through the public life aspect. Now gearing up to release All Quiet on the Eastern Esplanade, the band are back and so too is Doherty and his wistful, introspective lyrics. The likes of Run Run Run are feeling very middle of the road at the moment – so what better time to relive the glory days than now? Up the Bracket marked the first album from The Libertines, their swinging punk rock a real high for the early 2000s.
Clapping, foot-stomping opener Vertigo has that steady blur of garage rock and punk to it, a track filled with soul and holding firm with an energy The Libertines would rely on time and time again. Steadiness is not for everyone though, Up the Bracket soon finds itself up the creek without a paddle and struggling to find ways of furthering this swing-time influence. Death on the Stairs with its jutting guitar, the two-strum thump before Doherty comes through to deliver some sharp and stern lyrics. Their punk-oriented push comes not just from their pace but the topics Doherty selects – incredibly well-written and punchy numbers which still hold relevance today. They fade in and out, the likes of Horrorshow an instrumental-heavy piece rarely leaving room for Doherty and his “it’s a horror show come on down,” invitation.
Parts of Up the Bracket, fondly remembered for the interplay between Doherty and Carl Barât is a little lighter now than it was. Boys in the Band sounds out of place considering the rabble-rousing exploration of their sound in preceding tracks. “They scream and they shout,” yet they do very little of either – The Libertines painting themselves as something they are not before they achieve it. Bold move. Mick Jones of The Clash on the production side of creating this can certainly be heard, though it feels like Up the Bracket is more dependent on the controversy of individuals than it is on the musical style – which is straightforward, guitar-thrashing heavy and always brushing around the past. Bernard Butler, the guitar mastermind of the early Suede era, would be drafted in as producer for future records as The Libertines continually looked back at the music era which defined them.
Up the Bracket flirts with greatness but never pushes on to achieve it. Title track Up the Bracket is, along with Radio America, the closest the band gets. It has the chirpy excitement of a debut band still, plugging away with the chance of big things before them though already expecting it. The Boy Looked at Johnny has a real confidence to it, a streamlined appeal to coincide with the thoroughly enjoyable but softer Tell the King. Influences from all over the place, from early days with The Strokes to the love Doherty had for Oasis and their like back before the turn of the century, all play a part in this one and form solid numbers like Begging. The Libertines mark a debut with decent material, and interesting interplay between instrumentals and vocals but never mount a fully-tuned push to the next level.
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