This is a common criticism all Libertines fans will have had to defend at some point in their lives. Often the band's deliberately ramshackle style and rough-edged production can grate on the untrained ear, especially when such listeners have no real interest in paying attention to the beautiful melodies and lyrical depth abundant in both albums. The general sound of decay and disorientation adds to their conscious self-deprecating charm and traditional sense of English wit. Other oft-repeated slurs include the fact that "Pete can't sing", or "they can't even play their instruments". Imagine how bad some of your favourite Pete-sung tracks would be if he belted them out with X-Factor perfection, or if the guitar solo in 'Time For Heroes' consisted of monotonously perfect notes.
