When I first bought this album, having listened to, and adored, frontman Pete Doherty's former band The Libertines, I expected more of the Libertines' fast-paced mod rock with intellectual and romantic overtones.

What I recieved fullfilled half that expectation. Doherty's talent as a lyricist is showcased here to the extent that I would call Down In Albion, lyrically, his finest work. From the screeching yelps on "**** Forever", to the romantic croons of "Albion", the album manages to conjour up images of a Wordsworthian England, dragged forward to the 21st century of "Rebok Classics" and "pale thin girls behind the checkout." The punk-like energy that characterised The Libertines, however, is almost competely absent here, replaced with more accoustic, melodic work. Patrick Walden's guitar produces a spikey squeal, which complements Peter's yelps on the few faster paced pieces. If you buy this album expecting The Libertines, the only tracks I can really point you toward are… more »

When I first bought this album, having listened to, and adored, frontman Pete Doherty's former band The Libertines, I expected more of the Libertines' fast-paced mod rock with intellectual and romantic overtones.

What I recieved fullfilled half that expectation. Doherty's talent as a lyricist is showcased here to the extent that I would call Down In Albion, lyrically, his finest work. From the screeching yelps on "**** Forever", to the romantic croons of "Albion", the album manages to conjour up images of a Wordsworthian England, dragged forward to the 21st century of "Rebok Classics" and "pale thin girls behind the checkout." The punk-like energy that characterised The Libertines, however, is almost competely absent here, replaced with more accoustic, melodic work. Patrick Walden's guitar produces a spikey squeal, which complements Peter's yelps on the few faster paced pieces. If you buy this album expecting The Libertines, the only tracks I can really point you toward are "**** Forever" and "Pipedown."

However, as mentioned in the title, this album is definately not for everyone. Musically, I feel Down in Albion leaves alot to be desired. Mick Jone's production approach of "just leave the recorders on and see what the band do" worked well in the Libertines, as they were such a tight group, in tune with each other's thoughts. Here however, Babyshambles seem far more aloof; this is most obvious on the track "Up The Morning". Once the song gets going, it's another romantic tour de force for Pete, but the track itself has a full minute of what appears to be the band wandering around the studio, bumping into things.

Any fan of Babyshambles cannot afford to do without this album. The accoustic balladry and unique sound of Patrick Waldens guitar playing provide Babyshambles' highest moments, which are almost life changing, such are their magnitude. Sadly, however, it also provides the band's lowest ebbs; hampered largely by poor production, this album in places becomes an effort to listen to, and on many occasion, I simply turned it off, fed up of Pete's incoherent mumbles, and the sounds of guitars being tuned.

When the album does work, it trascends brilliance to become something incredibly personal, a feat achieved by few bands nowadays. For anyone new to Pete and Babyshambles though, I can't help but recommend the 2007 follow-up, Shotter's Nation, as it is more, dare I say it, mainstream.