The Brilliance!

Kind of hard to put our typical ‘!!!’ after the title on this one - the album’s tone just doesn’t fit with it, ha, details. I started like really listening to the Libertines, Babyshambles, and all the studio/b-side Pete Doherty stuff last summer I think? Chuck sent me a track off ‘The Blinding’ quite a while before that, but it kind of didn’t stick with me, and then I guess I just randomly started researching his music a bit more. Actually, I think it was after seeing photos of him/Babyshambles in Hedi Slimane’s photo diary stuff. Anyway, I’m quite a fan of Pete’s work. Like it or not, he’s truly an iconic figure in British music and I suppose rock in general. All the music, drama, look, Kate Moss, drugs, etc. He kind of epitomizes the shambolic rocker we’d all like to be every once in a while right? His debut solo album, Grace/Wasteland, has been on rotate for me since a bit after it dropped. Compared with his studio stuff and band stuff, its quite different. Really, I guess dramatic, or maybe even theatrical at points. I believe he himself said its truly ‘him’ on this record, in that its exactly what he wanted. That always provides good context when listening. I’ve only been to London once, but listening to this album reminds me a bit of it - its just so quintessentially English, you know? Good album though, I’m still enjoying it, favorite track would be: New Love Grows On Trees.