Babyshambles - 'Shotter's Nation' (Parlophone) Released 01/10/07

Since the release of their debut album, ‘Down In Albion,’ in November 2005, all has not been well with Babyshambles. Like the first two years of their existence – from when they were loosely assembled as an in-exile alternative-cum-rival to The Libertines in 2003 – the last two have been similarly capricious. Frontman Pete Doherty has continued to endure frequent and futile visits to rehab in a bid to beat his addiction to drugs; played more get-out-of jail cards than a swindling Monopoly player, and; graced the front cover of just about every glossy magazine from Grazia to Heat thanks to his sporadic relationship with supermodel Kate Moss. But that’s just him, what about the rest of the band? 

Well, most notably, the Babyshambles line-up of 2007 is a different one to that of their debut album. Out is former guitarist Patrick Walden; the man whose permissive guitar style, along with Doherty, gave ‘Baby’ the often all too apt ‘Shambles’ suffix, replaced by long-term friend of Doherty, Mick Whitnall. And out too is ‘Down In Albion’ producer Mick Jones in favour of the more resolute Stephen Street (The Smiths, Blur, Kaiser Chiefs). Indeed, while Doherty has more often than not been unwittingly playing the last twenty-four months of his life out on the front page of the tabloids, the rest of his outfit – completed by long term allies, bassist Drew McConnell and drummer Adam Ficek – have steadily been cleaning up the act out of the lime-light.

The result of this is, ‘Shotter’s Nation.’ An album, that if you know Babyshambles from their tabloid celebrity - that is, the band that a drug addict fronts - you’d say has been created against all the odds or if you’re a little more read than the 3am gossip section of a certain redtop, you’d say it’s the album that Babyshambles have always been destined to make.

Whereas, ‘Down In Albion,’ was a ramshackle collection of songs, pieced together over drawn-out and often underrepresented recording sessions, ‘Shotter’s Nation’ has for Babyshambles been stringently assembled. Everything, from the subtle key-changes in ‘There She Goes’ to the unexpected finale of, ‘Crumb Begging’ – which journeys from a brooding Stooges sounding opening to a frenetic Texan, deep south finish – is there for a reason. Yes, the familiar bent minor chords and toppling drumbeats (‘Carry On Up The Morning,’ ‘Side of The Road’) which have for so long characterised the energy of a Babyshambles live show are present on ‘Shotter’s Nation’ but now they’re no longer running loose with their old uncontrolled liberalism. 

Like the music, the lyrics no longer feel misconstrued either. Yes, they’re still tinged with a hint of Doherty’s trademark ambiguity, which instead of giving you the answer you’ve always been looking for, often leaves you with ten fresh new questions to ponder over - “You said that you loved me, why don’t you **** off? / Anyone would think that you owned me, ripping me off, ” he proclaims, for example, perhaps in reference to any one of his ten thousand ‘associates’ on ‘Unbilo Titled.’ But on the whole this is a far more transparent album. It’s apparent on the cathartic, ‘Carry On Up The Morning’ - “In the morning where does all the pain go, same place the fame goes, straight to your head,” he recites, evocatively, before adding, “Giving up trying to explain, just put it in a song instead.” And, it’s even more obvious on, ‘You Talk,’ which best exemplifies the poetic aptitude that Doherty’s always threatened his audience with. “Oh Well, I never, ever said it was clever / I just like getting leathered, looking for the light, the light behind your eyes.”