The United Kingdom’s favorite brat, Pete Doherty, and his new set of misfits, The Babyshambles, recently released their sophomore effort Shotter’s Nation. This may not seem like exciting news given their rather disappointing debut, Down in Albion; but Shotter’s Nation is different: it truly feels like the work of a whole new band.
Okay, okay…so maybe not whole new band. As it is, Doherty’s typical croon and Whitnail’s guitar work are at once recognizable, allowing the album to carry that dance-y, angsty sound that has come to define them. What is new, however, is that instead of coming off as a jumbled mess of wannabe singles, Shotter’s Nation actually sounds like a real album. That is to say that there is a craft apparent on this work that was missing on Down in Albion. This is partially accomplished by the more polished and immediate sound adopted by the band. Their debut often sounded like it was recorded out of a cardboard box; on Shotter’s Nation the commercially accessible production work of Stephen Street clearly shines through. Furthermore, this newfound craftiness is accented by Doherty’s pseudo-sobriety, which lends itself to more catchy lyrics and cohesive arrangements.
I say ‘pseudo-sobriety’ simply because Doherty is still utilizing the revolving door of rehab; however, he no longer seems to be using it as his primary muse. The lyrical themes of Shotter’s Nation escape Doherty’s live-fast die-young past motifs and address more captivating issues such as unrequited love on “There She Goes,” and the realism of fame in “Deft Left Hand.” Musically, the band has abandoned most of the schizophrenic arrangements that plagued most of their debut. That’s not to say that each song here is sonically similar; but rather that each song is catchy and maintains that for the duration. There are very few rough-noted solos or whiny-screamed vocals interrupting the band’s musical skills. What remains is twelve two-to-four minute pop gems that truly play to the band’s strengths.
It has been traditionally difficult to bring up Doherty’s bands without comparing them to the Clash; luckily, in a way, The Babyshambles succeed in escaping this on Shotter’s Nation. However, the band trades in the Clash comparison in exchange for other British rock acts. With the White Album-esque bass of “Crumb Begging Baghead” and Kinks inspired riff on “Delivery,” the Babyshambles channel their country’s musical history quite well. But they don't rely too much on the past, and there are still plenty of surprises. The pop-driven ballad “French Dog Blues,” rolls with a bass line so pop-conscious and loveably catchy that it shines as one of the album’s surprising highlights. And the straightforward dance rock of “Baddie’s Boogie” is anything but straightforward at all; refreshingly pushing the growing-stale genre positively forward. Even the closing acoustic based, “Lost Art of Murder,” shows the gentle and folky side to Doherty and crew.
The Babyshambles may have started out merely as Doherty’s side-project during the recording of The Libertines; but Shotter’s Nation shows that the band is now the primary vehicle of very talented musicians. Shotter’s Nation may have difficulty standing next to much of The Libertine’s back catalog, but it's still one of the strongest pop-albums out of Britain this year.
For more information, visit www.babyshambles.net or www.myspace.com/babyshamblesofficial
