Waterloo To Anywhere

In a world where everything seems scripted, the story of the Libertines is a heartening, if cautionary tale. Due to singer-guitarist Pete Doherty's increasing unreliability and just plain assholeness (he broke into bandmate Carl Barat's apartment and stole several items), the U.K. band imploded after its well-received debut, 2002's Up the Bracket. After participating in tense recording sessions for the Libertines follow-up, Doherty-musical maverick and coke-snorting companion of model Kate Moss-formed Babyshambles, whose 2005 debut was mostly derided in the British press.

Dirty Pretty Things is Barat's response to the tumult of the Libertines. Starting afresh with that band's drummer, Gary Powell, as well as Doherty's replacement, Anthony Rossomando, Barat has come up with a winner. Waterloo to Anywhere isn't one of the best records of the year by any stretch, but it is a careening album infused with a resilient rock 'n' roll spirit that can't be faked. Dry, sharp chords, souped-up reggae rhythms, sardonic riffs that answer the vocal melodies, Barat's guttersnipe singing, and Powell's relentless, powerhouse beat add up to a sound that seems to teeter on the edge of chaos without ever falling over.

As for the lyrics, well, it's tempting to read the events of the past few years into songs like "The Enemy" ("The enemy/As I know it/Is in my head") and "Bang Bang You're Dead" ("You are so easily led"). But to spend too much time analyzing the words for gossip is to miss the point of Waterloo to Anywhere, which rises above the Behind the Music clichés (drugs, supermodels, creative differences) to achieve a glimmer of rock 'n' roll greatness

By shawn conner
Source:Straight.com