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PopMatters

OK, but is it as good as Up The Bracket? Naw, but it's better than last year's The Libertines.

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The New York Times

It's a messy, sometimes insane CD... [but it's] mysterious and subtly seductive. [8 Dec 2005]

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NOW Magazine

A shockingly good batch of rock, pop and punk tunes.

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Pitchfork

In parts, Albion's shambolism is stunning, but that's no excuse for moments of total sloppiness.

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New Musical Express

There's a 10 out of 10 album that's been thrown away here; as it is, it's the best demo you'll hear all year. [12 Nov 2005, p.41]

Stylus Magazine

It is a measure of Albion’s strengths that it can make itself heard above the crumpy distortion and shrill feedback generated by its author.

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Spin

Producer Mick Jones does his best to juice up these almost-songs. [Jan 2006, p.91]

Rolling Stone

A beguiling, infuriating mess. [26 Jan 2006, p.55]

The Guardian

Much like its maker, the album stumbles from peak to trough, testing the listener's patience while retaining its eccentric charm.

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Dot Music

Many of The Libertines' finer qualities are made all too apparent in their absence on "Down In Albion", none quite so painfully as Carl Barat's Django Reinhardt via Johnny Marr charm with a guitar.

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Billboard

An erratic mix of messy ambition and indifferent sloppiness that sounds like it's falling apart even before it really has a chance to get it together. [11 Feb 2006]

All Music Guide

Even within the album's murkiness, however, hints of the promise and intermittent brilliance Doherty had in the Libertines can still be heard.

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E! Online

A frustratingly half-assed album, full of great ideas executed in the poorest way possible.

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Blender

Even the strongest songs... are hobbled by sickly vocals and Mick Jones's pallid, needle-thin production. [Mar 2006, p.109]

Prefix Magazine

Mostly, this record is yet another reason to wish that people with real talent would stop throwing it away.

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Mojo

A frustrating listen. [Jan 2006, p.119]

Q Magazine

There is something dispiriting about trawling through so many songs which show glimpses of lucidity, even brilliance, but always seem to either nod off or descend into chaos by the end. [Jan 2006, p.120]

Uncut

A self-indulgent but sporadically compelling mess. [Jan 2006, p.102]

Drowned In Sound

It sounds like The Zutons trying to record one of their more out-there b-sides having just lost the ability to play music.

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musicOMH.com

There's too much that should have never seen the light of day, that is little more than a band riffing on ideas in the studio without ever taking them anywhere near consummation. But Down In Albion just about remains afloat because there are moments on it when Babyshambles make us care.

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Filter

This is a brutal disappointment. [#19, p.97]

Playlouder

'Down in Albion' is a truly abhorrent and occasionally upsetting record.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this album is 7.4 (out of 10) based on 98 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Chris S gave it a9:
This album is so much better than Shotter's Nation. And yet, it achieves fourteen points fewer than the follow-up album, whose only saving grace is the lost art of murder. Yes, during the first few listens, it sounds awful. But, as with all great albums, you can't just listen once through and make a judgement. It seems, though, that the critics' expectations of this album were so low that they heard it once and wrote quick, rushed, and, to be honest, entirely unhelpful reviews; it makes you wonder why people are payed so much to write such rubbish. After the first few listens, the negative sides of the raw sound disappear, leaving only the lyrical brilliance and the pure music - the latter is not brilliant, and definitely not genius, but very good. It's very hard to find any other relatively mainstream (and yes, Babyshambles are mainstream, by the proper definition) albums of the past decade that are on this level, and, in a few years, when popular opinion, and therefore critical opinion, is no longer so much against Doherty, then this album will receive the recognition it deserves.

Mike C gave it a9:
While yea its messy, if you can get past that, you'll realize its a great album.

Dabba doo gave it a10:
F.ck forever is a great song, but some moments the cd gets tired, but still a great cd that every person should listen to a few times so it will grow on them

Jeff baker gave it a10:
I am from the U.S. So if not a Doherty fan would not be aware of his tabloid exploits. I love this album in all its gritty uncomprimicing glory. I believe too many criticts based their review on their personal opinion of pete's behavior. Makes me wish I were British.

Paul R. gave it a5:
Too long. Only a few good songs. Get the Dirty Pretty Things album instead Carl was the better half of the Libertines

Palfs C. gave it a9:
Quality to be honest. Messy and lazy and brilliant.

Athena gave it a2:
Incredibly messy. Aweful to listen to- a complete waste of money

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