Music
All-Time High (And Low) Scores
Best of 2009
Best of 2008
Best of 2007
Best of 2006
Best of 2005
Best of 2004
Best of 2003
Best of 2002
Best of 2001
Best of 2000
Best of the Decade
Upcoming &
Recent Releases
75
2562
54
30 Seconds to Mars
62
50 Cent
71
AC/DC
70
The Album Leaf
52
Kris Allen
68
Tori Amos
66
Animal Collective
84
Animal Collective![]()
77
Annie
57
Apse
63
Asobi Seksu
59
Bad Lieutenant
83
Julianna Barwick![]()
82
Beach House![]()
72
Beak>
72
Bibio
65
Justin Bieber
76
Biffy Clyro
74
Blakroc
75
Mary J. Blige
78
Blockhead
52
Bon Jovi
54
Susan Boyle
57
The Bravery
39
Chris Brown
64
V.V. Brown
70
Basia Bulat
79
Chew Lips
74
Citay
65
Clipse
66
Cold War Kids
75
The Cribs
58
Dashboard Confessional
81
Dave Rawlings Machine![]()
70
Delphic
78
The Doors
58
Echo & The Bunnymen
73
Edan
59
Editors
69
Eels
80
Felt
74
First Aid Kit
69
Flyleaf
83
Four Tet![]()
82
Ben Frost![]()
82
Fucked Up![]()
83
Charlotte Gainsbourg![]()
63
The Gilded Palace Of Sin
68
Githead
65
Joe Goddard
58
Good Shoes
72
Gucci Mane
75
Holopaw
82
Jesca Hoop![]()
79
Hot Chip
72
The Hot Rats
88
Ray Wylie Hubbard![]()
54
Hurricane Chris
66
Allison Iraheta
59
Jay Sean
82
Freedy Johnston![]()
57
Nick Jonas And The Administration
73
Norah Jones
49
Juvenile
58
Ke$ha
62
R. Kelly
66
Alicia Keys
68
Kid Sister
81
King Midas Sound![]()
63
Lady Antebellum
76
Lady GaGa
71
Adam Lambert
78
Lawrence Arabia
61
Leona Lewis
74
Lightspeed Champion
36
Lil Wayne
82
Lindstrom & Christabelle![]()
77
Lissie
78
Los Campesinos!
70
Lostprophets
73
Magnetic Fields
72
Massive Attack
64
John Mayer
71
Paul McCartney
58
Katherine McPhee
86
Memory Tapes![]()
72
Midlake
88
Motion City Soundtrack![]()
63
Mr. Hudson
53
Mudvayne
75
Oh No Ono
70
OK Go
72
Ola Podrida
61
OneRepublic
80
Owen Pallett
80
Pantha du Prince
90
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers![]()
80
Phantogram
60
Pit Er Pat
63
Priestess
70
Radian
79
Corinne Bailey Rae
54
Rakim
79
Real Estate
77
Retribution Gospel Choir
76
Rihanna
64
Rjd2
65
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez
77
Sade
77
Gil Scott-Heron
72
Shakira
82
Shining![]()
61
Snoop Dogg
62
Snow Patrol
71
The Soft Pack
80
Spoon
64
Ringo Starr
59
Stereophonics
76
Angie Stone
79
Surfer Blood
74
Switchfoot
75
Them Crooked Vultures
74
Robin Thicke
50
Timbaland
79
tUnE-YaRDs
80
Vampire Weekend
79
Laura Veirs
79
Tom Waits
78
Wale
65
The Watson Twins
66
Kanye West
76
The Whitefield Brothers
64
Robbie Williams
80
Yeasayer
62
Young Money
75
Neil Young
61
Rob Zombie
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
Waterloo To Anywhere
EMAILPRINTby Dirty Pretty Things

Generally favorable reviews
Based on 25 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 30 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Interscope / Mercury
Release Date: 08 August 2006
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Alternative, Rock
Summary
Dave Sardy and Tony Doogan produced this debut LP for the new band from former Libertines member Carl Barat.
Also By This Artist: Romance At Short Notice
Also On Metacritic
MUSIC: Babyshambles: Down In Albion The Libertines: The Libertines The Libertines: Up The Bracket
Also On The Web: DPT @ MySpace Official Artist Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Slant Magazine
Punchy, ragged, and frenetic, Waterloo To Anywhere surges forward, not-so-subtly aping The Strokes, The Clash, and The Ramones as well as delivering that precise buzz that can only be felt by the young, drunk, and excited.
Read Full Review >Entertainment Weekly
Think of it as a spin through London's sordid nightlife, with Barat as your cynical, grumpy guide. [11 Aug 2006, p.69]
New Musical Express
Smart; savvy; insanely resilient: 'Waterloo To Anywhere' is just the ticket.
Read Full Review >Urb
While the album is a fun first listen, it's in taking that second and third spin of Waterloo to Anywhere that the band's infectious quality becomes a full-fledged epidemic. [Sep 2006, p.142]
All Music Guide
Barat's music doesn't have the baggage associated with Doherty's brooding, poetic aspirations, but it doesn't quite have the same impact, either.
Read Full Review >E! Online
Of course, it sounds ragged as all hell, but that was half of his old band's charm.
Read Full Review >Billboard
A good old-fashioned mod-punk'n'roll record--nothing more, certainly nothing less.
Read Full Review >Prefix Magazine
Although it's a top-heavy record, Waterloo to Anywhere gets stronger with each listen; the melodies come through and the energy that at first seems restrained starts to break free.
Read Full Review >Mojo
This is the far meaner, angrier and punkier [of the two post-Libertines albums] [Jun 2006, p.98]
The New York Times
Unfortunately his slurry vocals are often mixed too low, and his world-weary bons mots are undermined by jaunty melodies and tempos.... But Mr. Barât packs an electrifying amount of rage and misery into 33 minutes of music.
Read Full Review >Rolling Stone
An exceptionally well-crafted punk record: catchy, noisy, beat-y, quick.
Read Full Review >Observer Music Monthly
Barat does a great job of revitalising the ramshackle thrills that the Libertines did all too briefly so well.
Read Full Review >BBC collective
Waterloo To Anywhere is more pro and muscular than former endeavours, chiming more with labelmates Razorlight’s ambitious professionalism.
Read Full Review >Dot Music
The fear was always that Dirty Pretty Things would resemble The Libertines with a vital ingredient missing, and that's surely what's transpired.
Read Full Review >Pitchfork
For what it's worth, Waterloo goes round-for-round with Doherty's solo vehicle, but too much of its pop luster succumbs to could've/should've-been pathos, both lyrically and musically.
Read Full Review >Playlouder
This is an album of gin-fuelled laments, uprisings and battered beauty: such dignity and sharp proficiency shows he can only do better.
Read Full Review >PopMatters
In all its unfussy delights, it’s very nearly the great record that Babyshambles couldn’t quite get together.
Read Full Review >Stylus Magazine
With no foil to Barat’s grumpiness and bitterness, it’s therefore difficult to see anyone getting nearly excited enough to love Dirty Pretty Things as much as many loved The Libertines.
Read Full Review >The Onion (A.V. Club)
There are flashes of inspiration and personal expression all over Waterloo To Anywhere, but too much of the record feels unfinished—and worse, one-note.
Read Full Review >The Guardian
It doesn't sound like a masterpiece; then again, it does nothing to damage its maker's reputation, which is more than you can say for Doherty's post-Libertines efforts.
Read Full Review >Drowned In Sound
Waterloo To Anywhere might not redeploy any cultural guidelines, but take it at its own merits and you may be pleasantly surprised.
Read Full Review >Uncut
It has more garage-rock energy than the enervated Babyshambles. [Jun 2006, p.98]
Blender
Barat lacks Doherty's flash of unhinged genius, but his grasp of rock's basics is far firmer. [Sep 2006, p.139]
Q Magazine
A tough, focused, danceable album. [Jun 2006, p.113]
Under The Radar
Essentially, Dirty Pretty Things sound like a sober and well-rested version of The Libertines… which honestly takes somea little of the fun away. [#15]
What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 7.9 (out of 10) based on 30 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Ori I. gave it a10:
I was so disappointed when the Libertines have broken up, but this album definitely makes it a bit easier for me. What can I say.. They "gave me something to die for" once again.
Jeff B. gave it a6:
An average album. Clean guitar playing when compared to babyshambles but lacks the excitement. Every song sounds the same and the album starts to become a tedious and boring listen. Barat is a better musician than Dohorty but he lacks the creativity and song writing ability. He needs Dohorty to add that spark that this album lacks. That intensity and knack for penning the perfect line.
Paul gave it a9:
Great, a very catchy collection of tunes on here. Not quite as good as the Libertines but miles ahead of Babyshambles.
James C gave it an8:
The Libertines with a bit more precision. It's got the Midas touch.
jyotirmaya d gave it a7:
A solid effort that expounds upon the oft sloppy work of the Libertines. I will still be listening to this album after 20 years.
Dan O gave it a9:
Whats wrong with the critics they missed something here. I cant stop listening to this CD it is (without too much thought) my #1 album of the year. Solid from beginning to end and I do believe will stand the test of time. Awesome! buy it NOW
Andrew A gave it a6:
Let's say the obvious thing, better than babyshambles, worse than libertines. This is a nice record, but not mind blowing. If you are a fan of the genre you will enjoy it, if you are not, keep listening to the libertines and just give this cd a couple spins.
