Film Review

09 January 2009 03:04 BST

Babyshambles: Shotter's Nation

Parlophone, out now .

In a nutshell...

Traditional. Chaotic. Lacking Carl Barat.

What's it all about?

More famous for the lead singer's antics and past, Babyshambles follow up last December's Delivery EP with Shotter's Nation – their second full album. The first single from it, Delivery, has been a surprise cross-over hit, reaching the top five.

However, that doesn't tell the whole story. A troubled period in between 2005's Down In Albion and this recording - largely down to lead singer Pete Doherty's numerous court cases and romantic liaisons - put the band rather on the back foot. A widely-publicised reunion between Doherty and fellow ex-Libertine Carl Barat lead to unfounded rumours of the demise of the 'shambles.

Who's it by

Babyshambles was formed when Pete Doherty was unceremoniously thrown out of his band, the Libertines. The rest of the Libs formed Dirty Pretty Things while Doherty recruited a line-up which has altered as many times Doherty has appeared in court. Currently, drummer Adam Ficek, bassist Drew McConnell and guitarist Mick Whitnall back up Doherty's vocals.

As an example…

"You've finally left school/Oh what on earth/ Do you intend to do?/See if you can, take the man, go round town/Where all your Skins, and Mods/You get together/Make pretend/It's 1969 forever/Find a girl, have a drink /Have a dance and play" – Delivery

Likelihood of a trip to the Grammys

The US doesn’t really take to Brit indie so it's very doubtful. However, expect Doherty et al to be on the nominations lists of the NME and Q Awards next year.

What the others say

"Towering above all of these are the changes he's wrought on Pete's voice. Gone are the nails-in-the-groin mewlings and say-what mumblings of 'Down In Albion', replaced with all the androgynous and coquettish sensuality that indiedom first swooned for back in 2002 when the Libs' debut single What A Waste' came out. Christ knows how a voice can sound doe-eyed, but this one certainly can - and it's instantly recognisable from the very first startled inflection." - NME

So is it any good?

Pete Doherty has always been surrounded by hype. Anything that he does is watched by legions of fans and the masses of press. Shotter's Nation needed, therefore, to be a big record. After Down In Albion, which spawned the ultra catchy Killamangiro, Babyshambles need a killer album to dampen the growing numbers of critics.

Shotter's Nation is a decent effort. It's possibly the best Doherty-influenced record since the early Libertines. It's much tighter and while the chaos is still there, it is much more like a professional recording than the mess of previous efforts. Next single You Talk is punchy and album opener Carry On Up The Morning displays the state of mind of Doherty perfectly well.

However, notions of Shotter's Nation being a return to form are slightly misguided seen as though there has never really been a consistent level of form with either Doherty, the Libertines or Babyshambles. There She Goes is a lounge-esque swing effort which Doherty's voice doesn't suit, while the appointment of Kate Moss as co-writer on three tracks was a mistake.

Despite this, Shotter's Nation is not that bad. If you’ve only ever heard of Doherty through the gossip columns of tabloids and you want to know how he sounds - this is a good introduction. For the hardcore fans, it is a disappointment. It does though remind us that, overall, Pete Doherty is a musician. Something which many have forgotten.

7/10


Richard Fox

Test your film knowledge and win...