Seeing as the tabloid press seems to have got sick of waiting for Pete Doherty to die and have instead decided to focus on Amy Winehouse, perhaps it's time to concentrate on what made Doherty famous in the first place.
Because, believe it or not, before the drugs, before the supermodel liaisons and before the time when What A Waster wasn't a self-fulfilling prophesy, Pete Doherty could write songs. Some very good ones. Not that you'd know it of course from the patchy mess of Babyshambles' first album, but to listen to tracks like Albion, Time For Heroes or his guest vocals on Wolfman's heartbreaking For Lovers, made you want to weep at what a mess he'd become.
Early reports are predicting that Babyshambles' second album is actually rather good, and if Delivery is anything to go by, there could be a lot of people eating their words. For Delivery is an urgent, vital reminder of what Doherty can produce when he puts his mind to.
Guitars jangle, the chorus rings out loud and clear, and Pete actually sings the lyrics instead of slurring his way through them. And what lyrics they are too, touching on presumed drug use ("I had a lick, it caved my skull in like a brick"). asking "what use am I to anyone", before crashing into the chorus of "here comes a delivery, straight from the heart of my misery". His best effort since the glory days of The Libertines - fingers crossed that the upcoming Shotter's Nation delivers as well.
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