The Libertines still represent a huge proportion of British indie rock. As
for the two follow through projects, well let’s just say their combined
discography is nothing on The Libertines. Dirty Pretty Things released one
decent album in 2006 with Waterloo to Anywhere. Their sophomore effort
signalled the dying generation of post-Libertines indie rock in Britain. Romance
at Short Notice flopped and DPT split up soon after. They couldn’t compete
with growing markets, nor could they maintain a career where the audience drop
like flies for the latest electro rock release. For fans of Pete
Doherty, there's a band called Babyshambles. They made their mark in 2005 with Down
in Albion, a prudent release, but without the heart and soul of Doherty's
past. Down in Albion had the garage rock structures of The Libertines, with
punk aesthetics influenced by producer Mick Jones, and The Clash's fusion with
reggae with the track "Pentonville". Doherty and co carried on with Shotter's
Nation in 2008. It didn’t have the impact that Down in Albion delivered
three years prior. It's too standard, too much rock and not enough personalised
messages from the man of the hour. This made Grace / Wastelands
Doherty's most celebrated work since The Libertines. He had matured in to something
that earned him his title as a singer-songwriter. He wasn't far from great
British poetry with tracks like "Last of the English Roses" and
"Broken Love Song". Doherty was on the edge of folk rock stardom,
except the sales weren’t there. A star in Doherty's position can't be playing
solo sets and recording solo albums leaving the limelight and sinking back into
the hole he came out of. Instead, he re-invented Babyshambles.
Sequel To The Prequel opens with "Fireman", a song that’s
been knocking around since 1979. All jokes aside,
"Fireman" sounds like a diluted Stiff Little Fingers B-side. The
reason it's track one on Sequel To The Prequel is because they don't
want fans to think they've gotten soft since 2008. Which is why Doherty carelessly
sings: "Talk about North Korea, think about your career." Not
exactly the matured singer-songwriter from 2009s Grace / Wastelands wouldn’t
you say? Sequel To The Prequel bravely churns out extremely average
Babyshambles songs. There's no hiding behind Doherty's song-writing laziness.
He writes when he wants, he records when he wants; he goes to rehab when he
wants. "Nothing Comes To Nothing" acts as the lead single, without a
lead guitar to define it. Babyshambles sound dated and lost without a gritty
opening riff and well-written chorus - Sequel To The Prequel doesn’t
have any of it. "New Pair" splits the singles up,
featuring Doherty’s layered vocal effect that made Grace / Wastelands what
it is. But it only acts as a forgettable three minute blow over next to
"Farmer's Daughter". It's not a cover of Crystal Bowersox's terrible song, but a predictable Babyshambles track. When it all comes
together, Doherty and co sound absolutely terrible. High pitched extended
dreary vocals have never worked for Doherty in the past, so it's no surprise
that "Farmer's Daughter" receives a big 'oh'.
Babyshambles continue down a path of averageness
with "Fall From Grace". This recording sounds pretty similar to any
track from Kacey Musgraves' Same
Trailer Different Park. To emphasise this reference, Musgraves is a country
artist. The americana sound has been floating around British artists for a few
years now, with Mumford & Sons, Treetop Flyers, Jake Bugg, and Tom Odell
adding this American twang to their Nashville recordings. The line was crossed
when Mumford & Sons became the most popular band in America, Babyshambles
are taking this way too far. Doherty's past has been considered some of the
most British releases in popular music, this is just reciprocated garbage.
Down in Albion and Shotter's Nation are albums worth listening
through from start to finish. It's a struggle to listen through Sequel To
The Prequel without thinking out loud about Babyshambles' past. The acute
instrumentals have been replaced by complete bluntness. Some critics have been praising
this album for its re-discovery of abrasive sounds, well what have they been
listening to? Michael Kiwanuka and Coldplay. Every track on Sequel To The
Prequel is like a B-side to every track on Down in Albion. Nothing
stands out on this album. "Maybelline" sounds like Razorlight
covering the: "Baby, baby, baby," Justin Bieber.
Vampire Weekend pulled it off with "Diane Young", Babyshambles are
playing with fire, they’re driving a torched Saab.
"Dr.No" is the reggae track every Babyshambles album must include.
It's becoming a gimmick and with this track, Doherty does little to convince
otherwise. This would fit the opening titles for a Dr.No porn parody. It just doesn’t
fit with Sequel To The Prequel. Why Doherty has to do this, we'll never
know. He could release a reggae album and end up like Snoop Lion if he wants,
but keep it out of an album, especially at a pivotal point. This part of Sequel
To The Prequel has to be the weakest out of any Doherty related albums.
There's "Penguins", a delicate, but simple track. Doherty finally
shows his soft side, but to no avail. "Picture Me In Hospital" also
has the americana sound with its "Ring of Fire" sounding string work.
Poor, very poor.
I've been a supporter and listener of Doherty's related music projects for
many years. It's not often I'm critical of his work, as he usually pulls of
some very good music. The Libertines' albums are astonishing even to this day,
the previous two Babyshambles' albums are good, but not great; and then his
solo material completely changed everything and pushed him to become a
developed artist. What we have here is a delayed album that should have been
released in 2010 instead of 2013. Sequel To The Prequel has been on the
cards for many years, but Babyshambles have not. If you take Doherty out of the
equation, then Babyshambles mean absolutely nothing. The members of
Babyshambles are completely irrelevant when sided with the song-writing
celebrity that is Pete Doherty. There's no point in lying to ourselves about
this album, it's bad. It's a poor Babyshambles album and the worst music
Doherty has released, ever. Indie rock as a genre is dead in Britain, it's like
listening to cassette tapes. This album is dated, uninspiring, slow, and straight
up cheap.
~Eddie
4.5
