Good news; it’s not shit – something which, I think, was very much the collective worry when the news about this record came tumbling out.
In fact, ‘Gunga Din’, ‘Fame and Fortune’ and ‘Heart of the Matter’ could quite possibly be up there with their best. But neither Pete nor Carl are twentysomethings with the world (and paraphernalia) at their feet, and inevitably this shows in just how topheavy Anthems for Doomed Youth is. The last six tracks could disappear from my music library overnight and I would find it difficult to be annoyed.
But who cares? I guess? We’ve got to hear more Libertines than we thought was feasible until quite recently, and it feels completely genuine. I was born just a little too late to fully appreciate this group in all their addled glory, yet this album tells me exactly why a generation clasped them like they did, and why their appeal will survive many more to come.
benedict tetzlaff - deas. 