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The Libertines | Up The Bracket

Now the party really starts.
CD, Rough Trade/Konkurrent

Tekst: Norbert Pek

Publicatiedatum: 14 oktober 2002

Erase your memory. Forget that you once heard the song What A Waster by the Libertines. Because that song made you want to hear more and made you think a brilliant album was coming up. This album is called Up The Bracket and it doesn't feature What A Waster, and because your mind is blank you won't know that it's still the best song by the Libertines you've heard. You'll forget the wish that the album would have a lot of different versions of the same song on the album, like the Strokes did on Is This It. You liked that one, you wanted to like this one. The reason why you have to start unprejudiced is because Up The Bracket really is a very nice album. Maybe openers Vertigo and Death To The Stairs don't have a lot of identity; the party really starts with Horror Show. Filthy punk rock with agitated singing on top of it. The sound of the Libertines is more Clash (oops, almost referred to Rancid) than Buzzcocks, because they really aren't that worthy. Maybe Time For Heroes and Boys In The Band do sound a little decent (which is positive, because it's a good variation). They stay raw because of things like a primal scream in the beginning of Up The Bracket and the distorted voice in the song. It sounds so spontaneous and ramshackle you start to wonder if they always put the first take on the record. But on the other hand, versions of songs like Begging and The Good Old Days aren't as logical as they seem. And there's also a new version of I Get Along on the album. But do we really want to know the recording tactics by the Libertines? One way or the other, Up The Bracket sounds so fresh and pleasant that you almost do forget What A Waster. Guess that's a compliment.

http://www.kindamuzik.net/recensie/the-libertines/up-the-bracket/1953/
Meer The Libertines op KindaMuzik: http://www.kindamuzik.net/artiest/the-libertines