Now forty years old, Doherty could still pass for being in his twenties and is more alive than ever. Despite the darkness that surrounds his eyes and his broken teeth, he still upholds his rebellious aura. With Babyshambles and Libertines on hold, Doherty left for the fresh air and cliffs of Étretat where he met the Puta Madres. A new band was born. Engineered by Dan Cox and produced by Jay Stanley, their first eponymous effort brings back the poetry of the two now-defunct groups with heart-wrenching melancholy (Lamentable Ballad of Gascony Avenue) and ferocious violins (Someone Else to Be, Travelling Tinker). Some dislocated rock epics (The Steam, Shoreleave) and punk numbers (Punk Buck Bonafide) hold a striking tenderness akin to soft punk. Doherty performs a luxuriously delicate duo with Paradise is Under Your Nose. No longer the rough urchin from Hexham, Doherty has matured and has delivered a mixed record. To be left or indulged in. © Charlotte Saintoin/Qobuz