Think you know Peter Doherty? Vilified by the world's press and written off at every turn, Peter Doherty finds himself constantly at the centre of a media maelstrom, a frenzy that bombards his private life with allegations, accusations, invasions and intrusions. They say that it's calmest in the eye of the hurricane, and that's where you'll find Peter; coolly strumming his guitar while the storm around him carries him ever closer to Arcadia.

Pete Doherty - Grace/Wastelands review

That quest for utopia still propels Peter in everything he does.

With the Libertines - Peter 'n' Carl Barat sailed devotedly through a life with no restrictions, where "if you've lost your faith in love and music then the end won't be long". Peter Doherty was the people's poet.

Watch "Last Of The English Roses" video:

Pete Doherty on amazon.com

Pete Doherty on amazon.co.uk

Then, Peter found himself canonized by other artists who saw in him the heart of a bohemian with the face of a cherub. He became the muse for fashion designers and became a fashion icon in his own right, effortlessly mixing vintage chic with high-end couture.

With Babyshambles, Peter Doherty is free to test the limits of his creativity. Babyshambles have defied their critics to become everything that rock and roll in the 21st Century should be: dangerous, provocative, edgy and unpredictable. With Doherty at the helm, what else could they be?

Today, 12th March 2009, Peter Doherty turns thirty years old. He capped the last year of his twenties by exhibiting his artwork in Paris, and selling out his solo show at London's renowned Royal Albert Hall. And on March 24, Peter will see the release of his first solo album, Grace/Wastelands. Putting out an album with only his name on the cover, says Peter, is one of the most frightening things he has ever done.

Dot Allison co-wrote and sings on "Sheepskin Tearaway," and his Babyshambles bandmates play throughout, but the biggest impact on the album was the inimitable presence of another unique English artist. "Graham Coxon ended up playing on most tracks," Peter beams. "He was probably in the studio more than I was, to be honest," he notes with a wink.

So, having laid himself bare, Peter has left himself open for critical analysis, but, for once, he is ready for it. "I'm really curious to find out what people honestly think of [the songs] , particularly critics, because in a way you can kind of bank on certain people's opinions, you know? You know that if someone's into you then they're into you, whereas critics are gonna look at it less subjectively and pick holes if you like. That's what I'm waiting for really."

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I've been waiting in the wings for awhile now for Pete Doherty to release a solo album, and finally that day has come. For me, his best performances have been the times that I've seen him play on his own with just an acoustic guitar and his voice. However, with debut solo album Grace/Wastelands, there's a mix of some of the acoustic Pete Doherty that is endearing and raw and also songs filled with the colorful musicianship of a full band.

With all that's been written in the media about Pete Doherty and his personal life, the highs along with the extreme lows, it would be easy to cast aside the idea that he might actually be a talented songwriter and musician. Grace/Wastelands is a great example of an artist at work - doing what he does best. This album excites me. For someone like Doherty who is young and in the public eye as much as he is, to release such an eclectic mix of songs so far away from the current chart releases is to be applauded. Grace/Wastelands should be listened to and digested like a fine wine.

Each song is a treat - and listening to the album for the first time, I soon realized that I didn't know what was going to come next. Maybe a record company's nightmare, but a refreshing change for me.

The first single set for release off of Grace/Wastelands is "Last of the English Roses". A very good choice. Immediately the the song is reminiscent of The Clash, the bass like Paul Simonon dub or something that Damon Albarn's (Blur) The Good ,The Bad and The Queen along with Simonon might have come up with and yet it's Albarn's Blur bandmate Graham Coxon who contributes his excellent guitar skills throughout the album.

Other musicians involved with Grace/Wasteland include Doherty's Babyshambles bandmates Mick Whitnall on guitar, Drew McConnell on bass and Adam Ficek on drums. Scottish singer Dot Allison co-wrote the duet "Sheepskin Tearaway" and Peter "Wolfman" Wolfe is co-writer and guitarist on "Broken Love Song".

On "1939 Returning" Doherty's voice is right up front in the mix, sultry even...nice acoustic guitars and strings. "A Little Death Around the Eyes" is so far away from the Pete Doherty that you think you know. The lyrics maybe, but the Leonard Cohen/Serge Gainsbourg feel is probably the most unexpected of the 12 track album.

Radio friendly indie/pop number "Through The Looking Glass" is such a contrast to some of the other, darker tracks.

There are some old-school surprises, like piano based "Sweet By and By". Some might wonder, "why is Pete Doherty singing songs his grandmother would like?" and the easy guess would be that the songs that he's producing reflect his taste in music. A wide range. The instrumentation on "New Love Grows On Trees" is tight - the upright bass is outstanding, another welcome change with this album. The lyrics so personal.

B-Side "I Am The Rain" starts with just Pete and an acoustic guitar, then the chorus lifts with tambourine and harmony, and then back to just the guitar during the verse - gradually building as the song goes on. An excellent example of good dynamics normally captured in a live setting, which this sounds like.

Hopefully this album will be recognized as one of the best releases of the year.

Grace/Wastelands track list:

Set for release March 2009

(Subject to change.)

1. Arcadie
2. Last of the English Roses
3. 1939 Returning
4. A Little Death Around the Eyes
5. Salome
6. Through the Looking Glass
7. Sweet By and By
8. Palace of Bone
9. Sheepskin Tearaway
10. Broken Love Song
11. New Love Grows on Trees
12. Lady, Don't Fall Backwards

(13. B-Side I Am The Rain)

Pete Doherty on amazon.com

Pete Doherty on amazon.co.uk

Photo credit: Kevin Westenberg

Babyshambles Official Website

The Libertines Wikipedia

By: Jenny May - BandWeblogs.com

The first solo album by singer-songwriter Peter Doherty (Babyshambles, The Libertines) is complete, and scheduled for North American release on Astralwerks on March 24, 2009, the label announced today.

Pete Doherty on amazon.com

Pete Doherty on amazon.co.uk

The album, Grace/Wasteland, was recorded over a month of sessions in autumn 2008 at London's legendary Olympic Studios with producer Stephen Street (The Smiths, Blur, Cranberries, Kaiser Chiefs). Street also produced the 2007 top 5 U.K. album Shotter's Nation by Babyshambles, Pete Doherty's current band.

Album collaborators include guitarist Graham Coxon (Blur), who plays throughout the album; Scottish singer Dot Allison, who co-wrote the duet "Sheepskin Tearaway," which was also featured on Babyshambles' live DVD Up the Shambles; and poet Peter "Wolfman" Wolfe, co-writer and guitarist on "Broken Love Song". Doherty had previously made a guest appearance on Wolfe's U.K. No. 7 single and Ivor Novello Award-nominated song "For Lovers".

Also contributing are Babyshambles members Mick Whitnall on guitar, Drew McConnell on bass, and Adam Ficek on drums.

Further album tracks include "Arcadie," "Through the Looking Glass," "Salome," and "1839 Returning."

"Last of the English Roses" is the planned first single.

With the Libertines, Peter Doherty recorded the U.K. No 1. album The Libertines, and the U.K. No. 2 single "Can't Stand Me Now." Babyshambles have released two U.K. Top 10 albums, Down in Albion (2004) and Shotter's Nation (2007). He is also the author of The Books of Albion: The Collected Works of Peter Doherty (Orion Books, 2007). Doherty was named Hero of the Year in February 2008 at the Shockwaves NME Awards.

Babyshambles Official Website

Pete Doherty Wikipedia