Singles

Babyshambles - Delivery

Daniel Smith 16/09/2007

Rating: 4/5

In 2007, the population of Great Britain can be neatly divided into two halves; those who see Pete Doherty as a romantic, misunderstood artistic genius and those who just don't 'get' his music, and think his primary draw is, and always has been, his very public substance dependencies. But this latest single, 'Delivery', is sure to force many of those who hold the latter opinion to rethink their preconceptions about Doherty and his band, Babyshambles.

The song opens with a simple melody and cutting guitars reminiscent of Doherty's earlier work with indie legends The Libertines, but it eventually unfolds into a pleasant indie-pop treat that belies his reputation for artistic, but sometimes unfocused, music. The indie hardcore will undoubtedly miss the 'rough around the edges' approach - in fact it's a very big departure for Doherty in this respect, as 'Delivery' has clearly been rehearsed to within an inch of it's life. The performance on record, is tight, focused, well produced and straight to the point.

Of course, it would be wrong to claim that this single represents some kind of life-changing epiphany for the beleaguered Doherty. The tabloid and music press alike will no doubt continue to air his dirty laundry for many months to come, and he's not going to trump Cliff Richard in the 'clean cut pop star' stakes if he lives to be a thousand, but Delivery is a largely successful step in a more professional, polished and accessible direction for Babyshambles.

Watch the video here.

Released on 17/09/2007