ABSTRACT
Wildly popular among both critics and the modish in their native England, the Libertines reached similar groups in the States, appearing on numerous best albums lists albeit never quite finding mainstream success. Indeed, what makes the record and, according to critics, the Libertines' live show work is the rhythm section: for all the craziness layered on top, the bass and drums miss nary a cue. The pair act as sort of musical glue, holding together the songs when they threaten to fracture apart, and, in doing so, set the Libertines apart from much of their competition. The simplest assessment of the frontmen's instrumental skill is that the guitar playing of Barat and Doherty is sloppy almost extravagantly so. Appropriately for post-modern rockers, Barat and Doherty seem unsure whether to reject or embrace what came before. Consider the ways by which the Libertines attempt to align themselves with their British musical forbears.
