Summary:Produced by Stephen Street, the third full-length studio release from the indie rock band led by Pete Doherty is its first release since 2007's Shotter's Nation.
I'm enjoying this album a lot. I don't know why the critics seem to not like the Babyshambles music. It's got a lot of influences fromI'm enjoying this album a lot. I don't know why the critics seem to not like the Babyshambles music. It's got a lot of influences from British rock, from 60s, 70s, 80s indie, and even 90s indie/britpop sounds. Once more, Pete did it again. Welcome back! You should listen to the bonus tracks, they're great also (specially the Velvert Underground cover, which is amazing on Pete's voice).…Expand
This is my first introduction to Babyshambles, I was listening to the current weeks new album releases on my phone, just flitting through toThis is my first introduction to Babyshambles, I was listening to the current weeks new album releases on my phone, just flitting through to see what was good and what wasn't, this album came on and I was well impressed. Really enjoyable chirpy songs and good songwriting by Pete Doherty who I originally thought a complete plank. From this experience, I'm going back to their previous albums.
Good Album.…Expand
It had been so long since I'd even heard of Pete Doherty that I was quite surprised to see a new Babyshambles record released in 2013. I wasIt had been so long since I'd even heard of Pete Doherty that I was quite surprised to see a new Babyshambles record released in 2013. I was even more surprised when I listened to it and found myself actually enjoying it. In his prime and working with Carl Barat in The Libertines, there was no denying the appeal and the talent of Doherty but at this stage that point in time seems like an age ago.
Down in Albion had some great moments but is all over the place and is ultimately a painful enough listen. Shotter's Nation goes to the other extreme and while again containing some decent moments, it seems that all the rough edges that made Doherty so endearing were hidden by slick production. His solo album was completely forgettable and I assumed he would spend his days shooting up in Paris with Macaulay Culkin.
He must have run out of money or something because he has managed to get himself enough together to write his most consistent album since his Libertine glory days. "Sequel to the Prequel" takes a huge range of styles and brings them all together to make a surprisingly coherent record. There is of course punk and indie rock on show but also plenty of country and folk with the occasional burst into reggae. It doesn't bring anything new to the party and Doherty and co beg steal and borrow riffs from everywhere including some of their own back catalog. However, the album has an undeniable energy and spark that had not been seen in years. Perhaps its because my expectations were so low that I really like the album. Perhaps its because its actually good. In any case, by making "Sequel to the Prequel", he seems to have earned himself a Libertines reunion and brought the possibility of new material with that band to life. That could be a disaster but it is still something I'd be excited to hear.…Expand
Overall there is nothing incredibly wrong here, but nothing incredibly right either. If this is your first introduction to Babyshambles, it'sOverall there is nothing incredibly wrong here, but nothing incredibly right either. If this is your first introduction to Babyshambles, it's bound to be a decent one. What they do, they do well. But like so many pop/rock/indie Brit bands who have gone before them (The Kooks, The Wombats, The Cribs), it seems Babyshambles seem destined to have had their day in the sun. The overall theme of this album seems to do little to deny that. Yeah it's alright but Pete you're getting a bit long in the tooth there mate. Don't worry we can't all be Jagger.…Expand
