42. The Libertines – I Get Along
With their endless romanticism and blood-brothers mentality, but only one decent album in their catalogue, The Libertines’ legacy is arguably stronger in thought than in deed. However, I Get Along is one of the few moments where Pete’n’Carl’s belligerent, two-fingers-to-the-world personalities gelled with their scruffy, pub-punk music to produce something truly exciting. Barat’s breathless lyrics may be largely incomprehensible, but the spirit of rock rebellion is audible from the off: this is our gang, don’t get in our way. Indeed, Carl’s snarl of “fuck ‘em” halfway through perfectly crystallises that heady combination of mischief and menace that oozes from bands at the peak of their confidence, and is a glorious thing to hear. Rip-roaring and rabble-rousing, it’s hard to ignore I Get Along’s propulsion and bottle – The Libertines’ most gutsy performance was also their finest.
With Mick Jones as producer on both their albums the Clash comparisons are inevitable – the most significant difference between the two bands is that the Clash’s first album was their best by a million miles, and the Libertines’ second album is superior in every way to their first – so why won’t Music When the Lights Go Out, What Katy Did and Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads appear in the next 40 songs?