Well my first post is coming from a very interesting, genre spanning super-group from the UK known as "Mongrel". This band consists of: Reverend and The Makers' Jon McClure, featuring Joe Moskow; Arctic Monkeys' Matt Helders and Andy Nicholson; Babyshambles' Drew McConnell; and UK hip-hop artist Lowkey. This album cuts across UK Garage, Rock, Hip-Hop, Electronica, Reggae and more... somehow keeping it very accessible to the average listener and very enjoyable.
Immediately, there should be a few key groups in that mix that have perked your interest. This album flows and rolls in a way which will make you want to listen to it time and time again; or roll down your windows in this nice spring air and just crank it. So to tie it altogether, the former bassist of the Arctic Monkeys (the original one, look in the YouTube videos from the first album) and their current drummer (who has got to be one of the most talented drummers around)... and from Babyshambles (which is Pete Doherty of Libertines fame) current project on lead guitars. Anyhow, enough is enough, preview some of the audio gold below and get on the Mongrel train.
Well, in our second installment of a two part series of post-Libertines bands, here's Pete Doherty's other love (besides music, writing, Kate Moss and recreational drugs), "Babyshambles". Unlike Barat's "Dirty Pretty Things", Doherty started fresh and retained no ex-Libertines in his band. Now this band was actually formed while Pete was still in the Libertines, but after they eventually split up, Babyshambles was his main focus. Touring right after the fall of the Libertines in fall 2004, but not putting out a full debut album (Down in Albion) until December 2005... Unlike Barat's DPT's, Babyshambles had a very different sound from the Libertines, only rarely replicating that sound on a few tracks. This new musical styling included even a raggae-fused song, which Doherty does a pretty good job at.
However, "Down in Albion" was very disliked by the music critics (compared to Barat's DPT and definitely the Libertines, and even though it was produced by former Clash member Mick Jones). Granted, that debut album was sporadic, the flow from track to track is not very good, and really there were only a couple of gems on it. Turning to their follow-up sophomore album, "Shotters Nation", Babyshambles have delivered a much more accessible and catchy album that reverts closer to the Libertines sound. However, if I had to take a choice of what album I would rank between DPT and Babyshmables, Barat's "Waterloo to Anywhere" would be the clear winner...
Without any further adu, you can nab the brand NEW Babyshambles album (which just dropped TODAY) here.
Let me set the scene: Britain, 2002... the indie rock scene in the country had been flourishing since the 60s, but things had begun to get a tad stale. After Oasis's rise of fame and success (and critically acclaimed records) had been leveled off a new force in UK music was about to emerge and reignite the modern British musical revival. A little band from London suddenly took the country by storm, which were known as The Libertines. Now, the frontman you may be a little more familiar with due to his love for drugs his turbulent relationship with super model Kate Moss (I know his name's on the tip of your tongue) -- Pete Doherty!
So The Libertines drop their record in 2002, "Up the Bracket" and it becomes the quickest selling debut album in the UK -- ousting Oasis as reigning champs. This album turns heads worldwide and becomes the talk of the indie scene from the UK (in the US we have The Strokes and The White Stripes and in Australia we have The Vines). The 'tines managed to rise to the top, hit rock bottom somewhere in 2003ish, (had something to do with drug ravaged Doherty) but again were able to churn out a second critically acclaimed album, "The Libertines". Well although they have no disbanded, the Libertines put out two amazing, rocking, clever albums. Some have pegged Doherty, despite his drug problems, as perhaps the Lennon of his era, a extremely gifted and talented poet and lyricists. Not only do both of these albums totally rock and roll but the lyrical content is top notch.
Now, a little later I will get into the spin-off bands which the breaking of the Libertines lead to, one led by Doherty, "Babyshambles" and another by co-lead singer of the 'tines, Caral Barat's "Dirty Pretty Things". Now back to why the Libertines were so important to blowing the lid of the modern-day British music revolution. These fella's put everything into their music and it ended up reaping its toll on some of them (Doherty)... Their music, his story, his continual media coverage on television gave this band so much press, they were delivered first hand to every living room and computer in the Western World. Following this new movement (we will say that Oasis existed in the 1990s generation of UK music), a whole slew of new acts came to the forefront. In the DIY/garage genre we have Mike Skinner's bedroom project, "The Streets" with raw, colorful rhymes and some of the most interesting beats you'll ever hear. Then we have bands such as (long existing) the Doves, Travis, heck, even Coldplay was a part of this. More recently the bands keep coming and coming, Art Brut, The Rakes, The Cribs, Arctic Monkeys, The View, Franz Ferdinand, Jaime T, Bloc Party, Maximo Park, The Futureheads, The Paddingtons, and the list goes on! I will try and cover all these bands in the future, but you should really go check them all out, they are all amazing in their own right, especially if you love the Libertines... all these bands either played with the 'Tines or Caral Barat or Doherty found a lot of these groups.
Anyhow, enough ranting and raving! I love UK music!!!
Download the Libertines first album, "Up the Bracket" here! And their 2004 album, "The Libertines" here.
Well my first post is coming from a very interesting, genre spanning super-group from the UK known as "Mongrel". This band consists of: Reverend and The Makers' Jon McClure, featuring Joe Moskow; Arctic Monkeys' Matt Helders and Andy Nicholson; Babyshambles' Drew McConnell; and UK hip-hop artist Lowkey. This album cuts across UK Garage, Rock, Hip-Hop, Electronica, Reggae and more... somehow keeping it very accessible to the average listener and very enjoyable.
