Peter Doherty (Parlophone)
In 2005, this would have been one of the year’s most eagerly awaited albums.
As it is, much of the interest listeners retained in Pete Doherty has dissipated on the back of countless junkie misadventures, a wildly indulgent book and a pair of almost unlistenable Babyshambles records.
No wonder his solo debut arrives without fanfare.
Grace/Wastelands is, at least, better than the two preceding Babyshambles albums.
The lumpen thrash that blighted the worst ’Shambles tracks is absent, and some effort has been expended in bringing colour to the washed-out ballads. Doherty even sounds relatively coherent throughout.
The problem is that he has nothing to say. The likes of Arcady are sappy retreads grounded in sentimentality; New Love Grows On Trees is a tiresome track mythologising Doherty and The Libertines’ Carl Barât.
Worst of all is Sweet By And By, a song lent dignity it doesn’t deserve by a jaunty accompaniment.
Less grace, more waste. Again. WILL FULFORD-JONES