User Score
Generally favorable reviews- based on 107 Ratings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 75 out of 107
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Mixed: 14 out of 107
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Negative: 18 out of 107
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- Most helpful
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PeterDNov 17, 2005The good outweighs the bad, by far. Still, this could have been a masterpiece.
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markhNov 20, 2005Genius. Very, VERY good. Some moments of poor production but all in all a very good record...and I hated the Libertines!
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RobbieDDec 6, 2005It is a very good album. It could easily be the libertines third album. Some songs are just too much to listen too (Pentonville) but the songs that worth listening to overpower the terrible and make you want to hear them all over. i dont know why they didnt put some songs on the album like the song "babyshambles" that is a good one!
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JamesFJan 12, 2006First couple of listens and this album sounds alright, enough to pick out a couple of highlights in arebours and back from the dead. Listen to it a few more times and suddenly every song becomes a highlight. Listen to it constantly for 3 weeks including while you sleep and it begins to dawn on you that this could just well be the best album you've ever heard. Genius.
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giuliaJan 20, 2006yeah, it gets better. and its of course not perfect, and it could have been even better, but there are some very good songs on it
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GZoSTJan 20, 2006I honestly don't know what all the complaints about production are about. Sure, it's kind of low-fi, and he could have worked on some songs a bit more. But at the same time, it all makes perfect sense as it is - the brilliance of the songwriting outshines everything. Leagues better than, say, the new Strokes - which gets better reviews for some reason.
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GarySJan 3, 2006Nearly as good as the Libertines. To be remembered in the decades to come!
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karlhJan 7, 2006This is a very strong album but an album littered with mistakes and bound to turn away the non Doherty fans and leave them to brand this album a failure. I am a huge fan of the Doherty sound but even I have to admit that the band
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echoboxJan 7, 2006too many records are just too perfect. this record is a mess in the best possible way. a sloppy masterpiece? time will tell, but for today it's just great fun! the british (pre-reprise) replacements
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TeenageSodomyMar 20, 2006
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SammyHMar 29, 2006
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KMApr 10, 2006It is a perfect reflection of the man: confusion, a lack of focus and structure, some of what is here has no place, and yet there is an undeniable brilliance underlying the album. Pipedown fires me up like nothing I've heard since Debaser (Pixies), and that is a huge compliment.
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kategJun 5, 2006the best album ever. Pete, you're amazing!
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JoeDJul 6, 2006One of the best albums of the year for sure. but its not for those panic at the disco-loving ladies. Its for people who know good music.
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ChrisSFeb 7, 2009
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trevorNov 22, 2005Love the album!
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nevermindNov 23, 2005amazing
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ChristophZNov 20, 2005One of this years best!
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mikeoDec 14, 2005i thought the album was brilliant well worth waiting for, i think it is a masterpiece
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LauraCDec 1, 2005A fantastic debut album from Babyshambles. Although weak in some places it has potencial. Pete Doherty is an amazing peot with a unique and inspiring voice
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StephenODec 24, 2005The album Down in Albion is one of the best lyrically of its time, although maybe messy and very unpredictable at times it gives of a 'glint of perspiration' doherty's messyness and pure love for rock and roll shines through the highlight has to be albion whilst the worst point is pentonville allround except the song cant stand me now its doherty's finest moment.
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SusanBDec 3, 2005A wonderful effort, far better than what I expected to hear. La Belle Et La Bete is beautiful, and Pete's lyrics are insightful, touching and witty
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DavidDec 5, 2005Pete keeps em comin. The musicians aren't quite The Libs but Pete's tune are still cool. I think some of the sloppiness and studio sounds all add to this albums charm.
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ArnarThorIJan 1, 2006Brilliant album, another masterpiece created by the fuckin master of the universe, Pete Doherty greeetings from iceland :D
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carlbJan 16, 2006basicly its an amazing album from bilo, hes put together some catchy stuff. i heard the demo which was even better, like the origial sticks and stones is much better than the album version, but give it a few listens and youll love it.
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michaeleJan 19, 2006brilliant
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ConstantJan 30, 2006
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TMJan 3, 2006Basically sounds like an album of Libertines offcuts(but that's still pretty good).
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MichaelMJan 5, 2006The Best album i ever Heard in my life!!!!!!!
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ElvarFJan 8, 2006Of course you give li'l Pete and his babyshambles the ten, waht else can you do. Yeah It's messy, sometimes so messy that you start to wonde rid some of these tunes were writen on the spot (dig the end of la belle et las bete) bur stills it grips you and pulls you down with it. Still they could have dithced Pentoville, but hey no ones perfect. Great fucking album!
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MartFeb 11, 2006Top-notch album.Pete is so important to music.Production is poor to be honest and it does become tedious towards the end but there's enough brilliance here to keep you happy.Still not better than Up The Bracket though.
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mickismcnaFeb 16, 2006pete doherty is the best song writer at the moment in popular music and fuck it this album has some dodgy moments its captures a fucking ideal and puts out a message, with anyluck the next album might hold together a bit better but for now this is a hell of a lot better then a lot of the badly written shite out by mainstream indie bands
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BMar 20, 2006It didn't catch me at first, but then I found parts of songs going on in my head. It got better with each listen and now I LOVE it! It is a bit sloppy but it fits what they're about :) Pete Doherty is such a good lyricist and songwriter with the potential to do even better.
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CharlieBoyApr 25, 2006
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tsliceJul 28, 2006the reason this album is so good is that it sounds like im in the studio while it's being recorded and that is a grand feeling, in my opinion. not to mention pete doherty's beautiful words. i'm ready for more.
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smealmonkeyAug 30, 2006This album is almost as good as up the bracket and is better than The libertines second album and is a perfect mix of music
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nevermindAug 8, 2006amazing
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nevermindFeb 22, 2007amazing
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MikeCJun 8, 2008While yea its messy, if you can get past that, you'll realize its a great album.
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KieranSJan 21, 2010How this album got so many bad reviews is beyond me. Apart from Pentonville and possibly La Belle et las Bete, every track on this album is brilliant. It stands to wonder why NME gave it 7/10 on first review, but then put it in there top 100 albums of the decade list; I guess, like so many other reviewers, they listened to it once and then reviewed it on face value.
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cristianNov 17, 2005copado!
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[Anonymous]Nov 18, 2005
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KrisNov 19, 2005This album might not be the critics' favourite because of the inconsistency, but the chaotic mess is very actually quite nice in a way. It shows how the band really is: chaotic and unprofessional....and free minded.
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AmerBNov 25, 2005
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RobbesPNov 25, 2005in some years time this album will be cited as a classic. equally ace, but much more moving than the libertines.
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lydiafDec 10, 2005totally ace album, the out of tune parts make it more humane. the track Albion is stunning and i love listening to it. Beautiful. much greater than what i anticipated.
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RobertSDec 31, 2005stunning, simply amazing. get this album.
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JonnyDec 3, 2005The sloppiness of this album is part of it's charm
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dylancNov 6, 2006Raw, uncompomising... Genius has never sounded so good!
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infinityMar 15, 2006it's loose and rough and sloppy, yeah, but it's charm grows with listens. it's not the libertines, but it's got some great songs endearingly mumbled out.
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MrSkintApr 14, 2006This album is amazing, the production may be sub par, but its the sound of a real rock n roll band. Raw, honest and intense, a quite refreshing break from all the other usual phony tripe. Its a shame that the reviewers have been influenced so much by the media, when hes dead, he will be looked upon as an idol.
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fredriksMay 31, 2006classic
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JeffbakerDec 2, 2007I 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.
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DabbadooDec 2, 2007F.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
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PalfsC.Sep 11, 2007Quality to be honest. Messy and lazy and brilliant.
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BobCNov 16, 2005
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JamesPNov 22, 2005
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JamesKDec 23, 2005''Down In Albion '' reveals to the public exactly why the world turns on its axis everytime Pete Doherty and Babyshambles take the stage, it is an album displaying the true qualities and raw passion that are embodied in Doherty lyrics, this album will forever live in Rock 'n' Roll folk lore, as so will the bands founder.
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davidsDec 31, 2005Amazing album. Some strange songs, but overall, amazing.
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Awards & Rankings
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A frustratingly half-assed album, full of great ideas executed in the poorest way possible.
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Mostly, this record is yet another reason to wish that people with real talent would stop throwing it away.
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FilterThis is a brutal disappointment. [#19, p.97]