Customer Reviews

Shotter's Nation

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Pete Doherty has been such a tabloid regular, it's a wonder he found the time to go into the studio with his band mates to record this, their sophomore album. Surprise surprise, it's not the shambles lots of people expected, proving that much like partner in crime Amy Winehouse, his extracurricular antics haven't overshadowed his talent.

It features 4 co-writes with his famous ex, Kate Moss (her photo originally appeared on the CD cover). Opening are a pair of highlights; the lovely "Carry on up the morning" (excellent guitar work), followed by lead single (and UK #6 hit) the more jagged "Delivery" (catchy chorus with nice harmonies). "Side of the road" is a tempo shifting rocker (soft to punk), very nice!

The upbeat country tinged "You talk" is one of the Moss co-writes, the others being "French dog blues", the harmonica (or accordion?) laced "Baddies boogie", and "Deft left hand".

"There she goes" isn't the LA's hit, but a brilliant bluesy song which wouldn't sound out of place on an album by The Cure, one of the highlights on this CD.

Calming things down are "UnBilo titled", the psychedelic sounding "Crumb begging baghead", "Unstookie titled" (an instrumental), and the rather sensitive acoustic ballad "Lost art of murder".

The album made #5 in the UK, outperforming the band's debut. Well done Pete and co!! Now, if only he can do this more often...

I was really surprised by the cleaned up sound when I first heard this. Down in Albion was really muddy and took about a year for me to really enjoy it. This album hit me immediately. I also was totally surprised by the negative rewiews. Oh well. This album is amazing. Two things changed. First, Mick Jones is no longer the producer. He did a horrible job on their debut. Second, they do not foray into reggae or dub. Those songs generally were the weakest spots on Libertines records and even the Babyshambles EP The Blinding. That may have been the Mick Jones influence also (Big Audio Dynamite anyone?) Doherty's writing is so personal that at times it's really creepy. Kate Moss is listed as a cowriter on 4 songs. The sound has a very mid 1960's sheen. On Unbiotitled, it seems as if Brian Jones was in the studio. Simply put, I can't believe someone so strung out as the media reports, could be so focused and delicate with these songs. Well Done. Now it's time to see if the Dirty Pretty Things can up the ante...

Shotter's Nation (CD/DVD) Folks, Please review the music and not the man! It is like crucifying Christ because you did not like the way The Bible ended! Personally, I thought "Down In Albion" to be a brilliant mess! "Shotter's Nation," 'owever is a cleaned up great record! Recorded "properly" like Mick Jones would not 'ave 'ad a clue as to what a proper recording might sound like! Yeah, right! Getting cleaned up, Pete decided it was time to make a clean record for the radio fans and not the 'ardcore who love 'im as much for anything as they do for everything! Folks, love 'im or 'ate 'im, 'e 'as 2 crooked fingers and a pulse and like Jack Nicholson's "The Departed" character said, quoting John Lennon, "I'm an artist, and if you give give me a tuba, I'll bring you something out of it!" I took to "Down In Albion" immediately whereas this one 'as taken me a day or two. Not the sequel to "DIA" asI 'ad 'oped though I really would of been disappointed 'ad it of been! I am not a critic or a guitar player so I will not suggest what you are suppose to like, but throw it back on the grill, flip it over a few times and I am sure you will find a well done "proper" record! As always, Play Loudly! Now, if you are thoroughly confused, read The Books of Albion! Peace, Love and Merry Xmas!

I admit, at first I didn't like the album. But the more I've listened to it the more I've grown to love it. It has a fantastic range like most of the music Pete Doherty writes. Theres a couple tracks written with Kate Moss, and, more importantly, even has a track written with Ian Brown (The Stone Roses), and I don't think anyone could have too much Stone Roses.

It's easy to dismiss Pete, but this is a genuinely good CD from a talented performer.

If Ray Davies had come up in the late 90s/00s, this would be his 'Face to Face' - his first truly great effort. Every song is superb and despite what the naysayers here say, this is light years beyond the Libertines, who now look like the caterpillar to Babyshambles' butterfly. Freed from Carl's self-consciousness and inability to continue growing as a writer/artist (Dirty Pretty Things, anybody?), Pete, despite his idiotic persistence in self-destruction and glorifying heroin culture (although the songs here paint a portrait of anything BUT glory), has truly blossomed as an artist - his singing is better than ever and the songs are remarkable. Let's just hope he sticks around to do his 'Something Else', 'Village Green Preservation Society', 'Lola' & "Arthur". I think 'Shotter's Nation' is an indication of even greater triumphs to come thanks to the strength of the ragged but determined band he's built around him.

Although the songs on this disc are reminiscent of everyone from David Bowie to Mott the Hoople to T Rex, the Sex Pistols and more, there's no denying that they are all great songs - I love them all, except maybe 2 that I just like. This is my favorite CD in a long time and I can't stop listening to it.

Shotter's Nation being Babyshambles 2nd studio album and their 2007 release is an album that I think is quite alright and I agree with Roling Stone magazine in that album is a 3 star effort. Singles released from this album were "Delivery" and "You Talk". The booklet is not very nice and looks almost like an afterthought. All the lyrics are included and a very strange cover. 3/5.

Heard/read so much about Pete Doherty (associated frequently with Kate Moss) I thought I'd check out the kind of music he wrote. I bought his "Down in Abion" CD and liked it so much I did some research and got The Libertines (his old group with Carl Barat, now with Dirty Pretty Things) "up the bracket". Both and this one are a punk style that reminds me of The Clash. I bought this one and was not disappointed, it's good stuff. I just hope he doesn't OD at a young age and the music stops.

I loved the Libertines and so I got the first CD which was a mess with promise and a couple of amazing songs. This is just weak and messy, ok one good song. He needs to really cleanup and maybe go back to his old band.

While this is much better that the first effort, this is by far no masterpiece. The production is horrible as is the playing. The singing is only slightly better as are the lyrics. I disgree with the NME who said the opposite. But as I wrote it could have been worse, far worse.