Dirty Pretty Things

Former Libertine Carl Barat's latest outing proves that he might've been the brains behind that band's crunchy punk after all (perpetual screw-up Pete Doherty certainly has only helped Barat's case). Dirty Pretty Things, named after Barat's London club night, replaces Doherty's schmoozy, leering vocals with Barat's more aggressive, nasal tonality; musically, Waterloo to Anywhere uses pointed, primal guitars and amped-up tempos to give chicks the punk rock brush-off -- which only makes them hotter, of course. First single "Deadwood" is urban noise at its best, but this entire album roars from start to finish.

Carving out a punk alternative after the collapse of Albion's dream ("The Gentry Cove," "If You Love a Woman"). (Grade - ***)