Carl Barat's reputation as the (slightly more) responsible Libertine continues with Waterloo to Anywhere, his first album with Dirty Pretty Things, which also features former Libs drummer Gary Powell and guitarist Anthony Rossamundo, who filled in for Pete Doherty on the Libertines' last few tours. The album plays like a cleaner, slightly more straightforward version of the mod-punk Barat contributed to his former band: tightly engineered blasts of sound like "Deadwood" and the limber, bouncy "Doctors & Dealers" get the album off to an impressive start, which should please Libertines fans burned out on Doherty's seemingly endless vicious cycle of arrests and addiction -- and, more importantly, on Babyshambles' erratic performances on stage and in the studio. The snarling wit that Barat brought to the Libertines is also in full force on Waterloo to Anywhere, particularly on the songs Barat claims aren't about his ex-bandmate, but "Evil Carl," aka his own negative traits and demons from when the Libertines were still around. They're definitely songs about leaving someone or something behind: Barat insists that "the enemy is right inside my head" over a beat that snaps and bounces, and wants to "put all the rumors to bed" on Waterloo to Anywhere's standout track, "Bang Bang You're Dead." But, though the album is almost nothing but stomping rockers and Dirty Pretty Things' energy never flags, it feels a little too predictable. The second half of the album particularly suffers from samey songwriting (although the final track, "Last of the Small Town Playboys," is a notable exception), and it's all too tempting to replace Waterloo to Anywhere's less-impressive tracks with the handful of coherent songs from Babyshambles' Down in Albion for a would-be Libertines reunion. Barat's music doesn't have the baggage associated with Doherty's brooding, poetic aspirations, but it doesn't quite have the same impact, either. As their respective post-Libertines albums show, Barat is capable of being very good with Dirty Pretty Things, and Doherty is capable of occasional brilliance with Babyshambles. But, for greatness (or at least the potential for it), they need each other.
The Midas TouchWednesday, January 10, 2007by Jen TartaglioneIf Dirty Pretty Things’ debut Waterloo to Anywhere had a subtitle it would read, “Long Live the Lust of the Libertines.” The album itself is essentially Up the Bracket Part Two, but it would be unfair to say that it is just a last attempt at keeping the legacy of The Libertines alive; sans Pete Doherty and including a whole new line
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Amazing lyrics, screaming guitar, and catchy tunes are what make the band Dirty Pretty Things the band of 2006. Their first album Waterloo to Anywhere has yet to make a name for itself like something such as Rebellion by Arcade Fire, but there is no doubt in my mind that it is one of the top five best albums so far in the 21st century. It starts out with a pissed off song called Deadwood, and t...
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Some writing work lies ahead today, but I spent the languid hours of the morning making a mix to a new colleague of mine. This guy is pretty cool. Apart from his significant academic work, he's a vinyl head in his mid-fifties whose main music collector passion is original pressings of Blue Note jazz, but who is interested and knowledgeable about music in general. One night last week, as we were...
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I do fucking love it! How have I missed these guys so far?I downloaded "Waterloo to Anywhere" last night on the further recommendation of a concert buddy. And I can't stop listening to it! Each song is a little capsule of virtually perfect pop/punk/whatever the fuck you want to call it... and I'm helplessly addicted.Now I'm sad that I missed their concert last month... ah well, I will cross my ...
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I just got this one and I love it. Gin and Milk is my favorite track. The lyrics are just amazing. I am not sure yet but, I may like it more than I like the Libertines..I'll let you know.
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Dirty Pretty Thing's latest album - Waterloo to Anywhere - could be the best rock album to show up on the stage in quite some time. Tracks like Gin and Milk - which manages to snarl "No one gives a fuck about the values I would die for" and then two breaths later follows it up with "No one gives two fucks about the values I would kill for/ Give them something to die for" and yet somehow doesn'...
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If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere wellIt were done quickly: if the assassinationCould trammel up the consequence, and catchWith his surcease success; that but this blowMight be the be-all and the end-all here,But here, upon this bank and shoal of time,We'ld jump the life to come. But in these casesWe still have judgment here; that we but teachBloody instructions, which, being taught, ...
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Some writing work lies ahead today, but I spent the languid hours of the morning making a mix to a new colleague of mine. This guy is pretty cool. Apart from his significant academic work, he's a vinyl head in his mid-fifties whose main music collector passion is original pressings of Blue Note jazz, but who is interested and knowledgeable about music in general. One night last week, as we were...
More >
I do fucking love it! How have I missed these guys so far?I downloaded "Waterloo to Anywhere" last night on the further recommendation of a concert buddy. And I can't stop listening to it! Each song is a little capsule of virtually perfect pop/punk/whatever the fuck you want to call it... and I'm helplessly addicted.Now I'm sad that I missed their concert last month... ah well, I will cross my ...
More >
The Midas TouchWednesday, January 10, 2007by Jen TartaglioneIf Dirty Pretty Things’ debut Waterloo to Anywhere had a subtitle it would read, “Long Live the Lust of the Libertines.” The album itself is essentially Up the Bracket Part Two, but it would be unfair to say that it is just a last attempt at keeping the legacy of The Libertines alive; sans Pete Doherty and including a whole new line
More >
I just got this one and I love it. Gin and Milk is my favorite track. The lyrics are just amazing. I am not sure yet but, I may like it more than I like the Libertines..I'll let you know.
More >
Much has been made of Babyshambles since the break-up of the Libertines, but Libertine fans should be looking at Dirty Pretty Things. Deadwood was the best fricken anthem song of 2006.
More >
Amazing lyrics, screaming guitar, and catchy tunes are what make the band Dirty Pretty Things the band of 2006. Their first album Waterloo to Anywhere has yet to make a name for itself like something such as Rebellion by Arcade Fire, but there is no doubt in my mind that it is one of the top five best albums so far in the 21st century. It starts out with a pissed off song called Deadwood, and t...
More >
Dirty Pretty Thing's latest album - Waterloo to Anywhere - could be the best rock album to show up on the stage in quite some time. Tracks like Gin and Milk - which manages to snarl "No one gives a fuck about the values I would die for" and then two breaths later follows it up with "No one gives two fucks about the values I would kill for/ Give them something to die for" and yet somehow doesn'...
More >
| Title | Lyrics | Buy |
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| 1 Deadwood |
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| 2 Gin & Milk |
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| 3 Bang Bang You're Dead |
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| 4 Blood Thirsty Bastards |
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| 5 The Gentry Cove |
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| 6 Doctors and Dealers |
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| 7 The Enemy |
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| 8 If You Love a Woman |
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| 9 You Fucking Love It |
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| 10 Wondering |
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| 11 Last of the Small Town Playboys |
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Click to purchase…
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 "Waterloo to Anywhere")
