When The Libertines released their third LP, the charming but slightly overly polished Anthems For Doomed Youth, in 2015, it served as the rightful closing to the harrowing story of a band enduring all odds. It felt like an act. The tumultuous relationship between Karl Barat and Pete Doherty has calmed down and the latter has successfully left The Source and returned to the saddle, setting records that many thought would never come. Almost a decade on, The Libertines' fourth album feels like it barely lives up to the canon of being one of England's last great rock bands.
To some extent, “All Quiet on the Eastern Esplanade'' has the hallmarks of the Likely Lads' heyday. You can't help but smile at the breathless opening rush of the Barât-led “Run Run Run” and “Time For Heroes,” which stumble and tumble over your cheeks. While the song lacks the nuance of the classic singles that set the band apart from their landfill contemporaries, the tone is clearly defined. I'm still doing well! I'm still alive and well, thank you!
There are some bright moments here that deserve a place among “Don't Look Back Into the Sun'' and all the others, including Doherty's “Merry Old England.'' From a brooding piano melody to a peppy Bond-esque chorus, it features one of the most memorable vocal performances of the frontman's career. Its damning lyrics are a recognition that Blighty is no longer the same island it was 20 years ago, and are a perfect fit for the more mature author of this era. From Carl's perspective, “Oh Shit” is the same as “Run Run Run,” a less thought-provoking uptempo banger, but that's okay. It's enough to see the gang reunited and looking happy, healthy and having a good time.
What The Libertines fail to recreate on 'Esplanade' is the endearing shabbiness of their early recordings, and 'Anthems for Doomed Youth' also largely failed. Dimitri Tikovoi's glossy production, which follows the blueprint of Blur and The Rolling Stones' recent comebacks, is perhaps intended to give the album radio-friendly appeal, but it's a bit drastic. They just don't fit in with an act synonymous with vulgarity and indie sleaze. Shedding a youthful reputation as kitschy and dirty is certainly a natural evolution for men, all of whom can now be described as middle-aged. But like film grain filters in digital photography, the sheen of loud cuts like “Mustang” and “Shiver” feels out of place.
Before The Libertines could write a better hook than 'Can't Stand Me Now' or conjure up a romance as powerful as the one shared with Mike at Glastonbury nine years ago, pigs fly right. With a mythology that rivals their iconic and unusual discography (two critically acclaimed albums almost in quick succession, a 10-year comeback, and now this one), LIV is the most logical place for “equivalents” to aspire to. I know that it is. Promenade'. After all, even the weakest ribbed compositions are, to this day, a standard that many British songwriters can only aspire to. If nothing else, it's heartwarming to see that Likely Lads' story is still unfolding.