Up The Bracket

With the Clash's Mick Jones at the production helm, gravelly tracks such as Horror Show and The Boy Looked at Johnny rattle along like first-gen punk classics. But like the Strokes, The Libertines manage to imbue snotty garage rock with a sort of wistful romanticism that adds genuine soul to their raucous clatter. Although there's no sign of What a Waster, the single that made their name, there's no shortage of excellent tunes here. Boys in the Band is an affectionate ode to a groupie, with frontmen Pete Doherty and Carl Barat hollering: "and they all get 'em out / for the boys in the band." I Get Along proves that these boys have a knack for penning tight, nervy songs that evoke The Jam, The Smiths and The Buzzcocks.

CD version available here.