Romance At Short Notice
by Dirty Pretty Things
  • Record Label: Vertigo
  • Release Date: Jun 30, 2008
Metascore
58

Mixed or average reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 12
  3. Negative: 1 out of 12
  1. Hot Press
    80
    Maybe Carl was the talented one after all.
  2. Mojo
    80
    The songs are beautifully crafted in that Davies/Weller/Doherty English tradition. [Aug 2008, p.103]
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  3. New Musical Express (NME)
    60
    Sure, there’s a residual whiff of mediocrity here, but Carl’s clearly found something else in himself as part of this new gang, and as Dirty Pretty Things’ music grows in assurance, it appears Pete will remain a solitary man for some time yet.
  5. The Guardian
    60
    An endearing example of raucous rock with a cynicism-free soft centre.
  6. Uncut
    60
    Dig beneath the murky punk riffs (“Chinese Dogs”) and difficult time signatures (“Buzzards And Crows”) however, and you uncover a lyricist of rare promise, at his best when he’s on home turf.
  7. Observer Music Monthly
    60
    His post-Pete Doherty project evinces dreary futility: he thinks he's Morrissey, but he sounds more like Sandi Thom.
  8. AllMusic
    60
    Dirty Pretty Things move their music forward with this album, but they've sacrificed their clarity to achieve that.
  9. Drowned In Sound
    50
    Enough signs are pointing in the right direction, but Romance At Short Notice isn’t brave enough to follow each road to its end.
  10. musicOMH.com
    50
    It's a passable enough indie guitar album, but this is a genre that requires shaking up by a truly revolutionary record. This, unfortunately, isn't that record.
  11. Q Magazine
    40
    Taking into account the great things expected of those once promising likely lads, Romance At Short Notice offers only more disappointment. [Aug 2008, p.144]
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  12. NOW Magazine
    40
    'Buzzards And Crows' is a natural opener with its whirly fairground sounds, and 'The North' is a pleasant enough ballad, but when Barat croons, “Yeah, I get the fear, but I couldn’t be bothered” (just one of the many incomprehensibly suburban lyrics in this forgettable collection), the sheer laziness says it all.
  13. Dot Music
    30
    Songs that used to bounce and strut with foolhardy glee now amble, lamenting, the stench of booze and self-pity turning Romance At Short Notice into a wake.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 13 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 13
  3. Negative: 1 out of 13
  1. MoiMe
    Jul 13, 2008
    8
    Really much better than their first and everything Babyshambles have ever done. Liking it a lot. PS. Mojo gave it 4/5, which hasn't been Really much better than their first and everything Babyshambles have ever done. Liking it a lot. PS. Mojo gave it 4/5, which hasn't been included in the overall score so far...… Full Review »
  2. CDub
    Jul 8, 2008
    5
    A big step back from their promising first album, which I love. There are only about three songs on the entire record that really rock or A big step back from their promising first album, which I love. There are only about three songs on the entire record that really rock or even echo of punk, sadly the overwhelming majority of these songs are slow little strummers and sing-alongs. Really too bad, does not live up to my admittedly high expectations.… Full Review »
  3. JavierM.
    Jul 7, 2008
    6
    Tiene calidad, pero, donde esta ese ramalazo punk del album anterior? Ya hay demasiados grupos haciendo este tipo de musica
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