Babyshambles’ The Blinding EP
It’s easy to forget that Pete Doherty is an artist/musician with the long-running series of headlines for everything except music.
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I have found a special love for The Blinding EP since buying it last year. I have Down in Albion and there are moments of brilliance there, but the album is way too damn long and there are too many songs that are, and I’m being charitable, are B-sides. Blinding is five songs and there’s not a bad one among them. Our boy Pete can still meander a bit too much during a song, but this is a terrific set of songs and it reminds us he was an artist before he became… well, you know.
At the risk of sounding like I want to be some sort of moral authority, The Blinding makes me wish this band could get into a studio with Mick Jones when they’re straight enough to focus on the work. The talent is there, and more often than not so are the songs.
Let’s talk about those for a second: I find ska music terribly grating, but I love “I Wish.” “Love You But You’re Green” meanders and flickers between coherent and not, but unlike some parts of Down in Albion, there “Green” is charmingly lost. I like it a lot. “Sedative” is probably my favorite on the set.
So here’s the dealeo: if you want to know why people cared about Pete Doherty in the first place, The Blinding EP reminds us. You really need The Libertines’ first record for Pete at his best, but The Blinding really isn’t a bad place to start by virtue of its length and its quality.
Filed under: Tags: Musical Musings and Random Ramblings, Pete Doherty
Ah, The Blinding. it is, well, blinding. i think it will probably, in time, be the record will folks will point at to say “ah, y’see, this is where Pete started comin back to us.”
which is not to say Down In Albion is anything less than a joy. i understand the trouble some folks have with it, and the trouble you yourself have sir Josh, but i still love it for all its hiccups and stumbles.
what is suprising about this EP is how tight it is. I Love You But Your Green excepted… that is the one dissapointment herein for my good self. i love the acoustic version that shows up in various bootleg download doohickeys, and it’s probably one of my favourite Pete tunes of all ever, but the Babyshambles version kinda leaves me a bit, well, green.
but yes. this bodes well for the forthcoming second record, and also the Pete Doherty solo acoustic album, which we’re suposed to have sometime soon.
mentioning Pete solo and acoustic, i don’t know if you caught it, but last week Pete and Carl re-united on-stage during the second night of the Evening With Pete Doherty live extravaganza, and performed a full set of tunes, leavin all and sundry gaspin with awe, even me, who only got to read about it. whispers of a Libertines reunion have reached a fierce pitch, but i think both parties are too involved with their “own” bands at present. which is all well and good. for those bands are beautiful. but still…
Agreed on that. Albion has some nice moments, but I just can’t bring myself to listen to it all much. The Blinding though, brilliant through and through.
I love it in spite of its hiccups and stumbles. There is something charming about them, but when the thing works you can’t escape how brilliant Pete can be and it’s hard not to want that from our boy every time out. Besides, ask Sir Saleski about this: I have a major bug up my ass about any album longer than 12 songs. I’m suspicious of them and can’t think of too many albums that should be allowed beyond that.
I think things are pointing toward Pete doing some amazing work, regardless which direction he goes. I’m ready for it.