The Libertines

Rough Trade; December 2007

The short, bittersweet career arc of The Libertines (1997-2004) sent shockwaves throughout the world of post-punk/indie rock music that are still being felt todayopening the floodgates for a new wave of bands to do their thing through guerilla gigs and on-the-spot happenings. It also made Pete Doherty’s media-saturated self-abasement a cautionary tale on how not to party like a rock star. But beyond the hype and drama, The Libs were a compelling band in their time that crackled with wit and vitalitya quasi-Clash for the new millennia whose music was, appropriately enough, produced by Mick Jones. Time for Heroes takes bits and pieces from Up the Bracket and The Libertines, plus a few singles and B-sides. If you’ve never heard a Libertines tune, it’s a decent enough introduction, but you’re much better served buying their two original discs and listening to them back-to-back to fully dig the sound and fury of the once likely lads.