On The Libertines’ fourth album, it looks like the Likely Lads have truly matured. A band that persevered against all odds in the noughties to create two albums worthy of indie’s diamond collections, members of The Libertines spent their 20s living life chaotically, with each controversy tracked by the British tabloids. As they return for their fourth album, the DNA of what makes a Libs tune may have softened, but it often remains just as brilliant as the golden days.
A large part of what takes up ‘All Quiet’ is its reflective songwriting, never more so than album opener ‘Run Run Run’ — a blitz through memory lane, or more so an attempt to try and escape it. “Tonight, we’re going to bring tomorrow’s happiness” sings Carl Barât, a man who appears to have found a new lease of life. While it doesn’t have the hook of Likely Lads, it doesn’t overly need to. It’s refreshing enough on its own to hear the gang back in the studio and making music, creatine tunes that sound like they’re having a blast without the stress of a potential cataclysmic fallout.
That lack of pressure follows its way throughout the whole album, with Doherty stating: “We really came together as a band. It was a moment of rare peace and unity, with all the members contributing”. It gives all band members a chance to shine, with ‘Night Of The Hunter’ being a true standout, featuring a Doherty who’s reflective of his age and journey: “Time for the radio to play your last song… Well, don’t blame me, it’s the world that made me”. The song’s potently haunting with its noise, possessing both wailing lead guitars and Pete singing like he’s just seen a deadman.
The album was recorded in The Libertines’ very own studio located in Margate, with Grammy-nominated Dimitri Tikovoï in the role of producer. Unfortunately, that is often where the record begins to stumble, with the production of some songs often coming off a tad flat. Gone are the days of the crunch and grit of ‘Up The Racket’ (as to be expected), yet songs like ‘Man With The Melody’ ironically lack a tune. ‘Shiver’ also feels like a missed opportunity, despite having great lyrics its chorus lacks any sort of punch and falls into the category of ‘almost’ great songs.
As things wrap up on the Eastern Esplanade though, you can’t help but smile. ‘Be Young’ is vintage Libs, with guitars banging off each other in the mix, fighting each other for the spotlight. “Sha-la-la’s” slow down the bridge, before it’s cranked back up to full throttle for good head-banging measure.
On their fourth studio album, The Libs have looked into the past to see their future. If you’re looking for a riff that’s as lightning as ‘Don’t Look Back Into The Sun’, you’re probably not going to find it here. What you will find, though, is a band that has found their feet again for the first time in twenty years. It’s more mellowed and mature than we’ve ever seen them, but the boys truly seem to have rediscovered their love of recording music. If that isn’t enough to make a day-one Libs fan emotional, then nothing ever will be.
Words by Niall McGreevy