British rockers The Libertines have released a new track called “Glasgow Coma Scale Blues” from their forthcoming album Anthems For Doomed Youth.
The band was formed in 1997 in London, England. They released a studio album, Up The Bracket, in 2002, followed by a self-titled album in 2004. They split after the release of their second LP but reunited in 2010 for the Reading and Leeds Festivals. In 2014, it was announced that they would finally be creating new material together, leading to their third album, Anthems For Doomed Youth, which will be released on September 4. They signed to Virgin EMI at the end of 2014 in order to record the album, which is their first new release in over a decade.
“Glasgow Coma Scale Blues” is a feisty autobiographical track featuring noise guitar and angry lyrics like “I see you – in fact I’m looking straight through you” and “what happened to the joy in the hearts of the boys?” NME presumes that the song is from frontman and founding member Pete Doherty’s point of view, aimed at the other frontman and founding member Carl Barat, bassist John Hassall and drummer Gary Powell, all three of whom continued to work together after kicking Doherty out of the band for his out-of-control drug abuse. Barat and Doherty, who take turns on the track’s vocals, acknowledge their respective parts in the band’s split when they sing “one dream broken by two Libertines.” Listen to the three-minute song below.
The Libertines surprised the crowd at Glastonbury in July with a previously unannounced set during which they performed two new songs, “Handsome” and “Gunga Din.” They also performed at the European Open’er Festival in July. The quartet is scheduled to appear at Lollapalooza Berlin in September, along with artists such as Bastille and Fatboy Slim. In November, The Libertines will be one of the headliners for Mexico City’s Corona Capital Festival, with other headliners including Calvin Harris and Pixies.