The Libertines: The Libertines (with download) [ROUGH TRADE]

Why you'll love it

This Rough Trade pressing comes with a download and a printed inner sleeve. The Libertines went to No. 1 in the UK, "Can't Stand Me Now" reached No. 2, and NME voted it the second-best album of 2004.

This edition

• Download card included
• Printed inner sleeve
• Pressed in the EU

About the album

Carl Barât met Pete Doherty through Doherty's sister, his flatmate in Richmond. The pair named their band after a Marquis de Sade novel and spent their early days playing gigs in the Camden flat they called the Albion Rooms. By their second album they were leading the UK side of the garage rock revival, and their songwriting partnership is the whole story here.

Mick Jones, co-founder of The Clash, produced again, recording at Metropolis Studios in London in spring 2004. "Can't Stand Me Now" has the two frontmen sharing the mic, "What Became of the Likely Lads" is a bittersweet singalong, "The Man Who Would Be King" and "Don't Be Shy" swagger, and "Music When the Lights Go Out" is as tender as they ever got. Bassist John Hassall and drummer Gary Powell keep the whole gloriously rickety thing upright.

The cover photo comes from the so-called Freedom Gig at the Tap 'N' Tin in Chatham, Kent, in October 2003. They once considered calling themselves the Albions, which would have been tidier, though rather less fun to say at the till.

Also at Kops: more The Libertines on vinyl · browse Rock

Tracklist

Listen

On Rough Trade (cat# RTRADLP166), a reissue of the 2004 album.