The Libertines: Up The Bracket

The Libertines: Up The Bracket
Label: Rough Trade
Release Date: 2002
Review Date: 2003

Not to be confused with west coast punkers Libertine, The Libertines are essentially a more raucous and thoroughly British version of the Strokes. Throw in a little Hootenanny too. I don’t know what “Up the bracket” means, but I’m sure it’s a charming and/or rude English colloquialism. That’s all you need to know really, except that this record is a bit too long. You’ll find yourself enjoying it at first but as time drags on you’ll start to wonder if the CD is repeating itself until you come to an especially catchy track like “What a Waster.” Up the Bracket could have done with a bit more variety and lyrics that were little more discernible to keep it all from running together. Otherwise it’s a very fine debut effort that makes you want to look forward to the next release to see how they adjust to the Strokes having fallen off the end of the earth, if and when that happens. You’re going to hea this eventually, so it’s worth nothing that it was produced by Mick Jones of the.. (are you kidding me? You don’t know how Mick Jones is? Shame on you.)

Online Action: thelibertines.com
Online Action: roughtradeamerica.com