The much anticipated album from Babyshambles, given a mighty boost in the world’s general awareness by Pete Doherty’s drug problems, relationship problems, etc. I was listening about him before I decided to check out his music and I got a shock. The shock was the kind you’d get if Tom Jones started singing reggae, or Ozzy Osborne became a jazz singer. In other words something was just wrong. You see, in my mind rebels are more raucous than this.

All that aside, after a couple of listens I rid myself of expectations and set about listening properly. The sound of, pretty much, all of Down In Albion is a roughed up and curiously produced set of sedate indie-folk with the odd number that have some cheesy bad jazz and beat poetry. The only track really approaching raucous, namely Fuck Forever, just seems to exist so Pete can relish in some swearing. On the whole the album is alright; it doesn’t shine in any particular aspect and in fact the main thing that began to bug me listening to it was Pete’s slurring vocals.

Personally, the high point of the album was the opening song La Belle Et Le Bete, which is playful and novel with its light percussion and hushed vocals that break out into guitars for the chorus. I am sure Down In Albion will fly off the shelves with alarming speed.

Label: Rough Trade
Website: www.babyshambles.net
Release date: 14th November 2005

Tracklist:

1. La Belle Et Le Bete [5:05]
2. Fuck Forever [4:37]
3. A’rebours [3:23]
4. The 32nd December [3:08]
5. Pipedown [2:35]
6. Sticks And Stones [4:51]
7. Killamangiro [3:13]
8. 8 Dead Boys [4:16]
9. In Love With A Feeling [2:51]
10. Pentonvile [3:49]
11. What Katy Did Next [3:07]
12. Albion [5:24]
13. Back From The Dead [2:52]
14. Loyalty Song [3:32]
15. Up The Morning [5:43]
16. Merry Go Round [5:22]