Pete Doherty has returned from the brink of despair and the road to disaster more times than Paul Merson, but this nonchalant live favourite of a 3 rd single represents a giant leap towards redemption. Doherty’s voice has not suffered one bit from years of indulgence, if anything, it has become crisper.

‘Fuck Forever’ continues the musically mellower and more laid back vein that was prevalent on the 2 nd The Libertines album, but the defiance is still there. It is a matter of regret that Mr. Doherty and his new found friends could not have scrambled together a debut album in time to give the Mercury Prize Panel a conundrum that would even have baffled the late, great Richard Whitely.

www.roughtraderecords.com

David Adair