Peter Doherty - Hamburg Demonstrations

Hamburg Demonstrations is Peter Doherty’s first solo album since 2009’s Grace/Wastelands. Very little has changed. His ‘sound’ is very much apparent here and whether you love it or hate it, it’s undeniably Doherty.

I Don’t Love Anyone… is a shimmering delight of a song with strong lyrics and great instrumentation. Oily Boker and Hell to Pay at the Gates of Heaven hit the mark too, the former with a nostalgic vibe and the latter a well formed track with clever lyrics.

However, some tracks feel a little unfinished and leave a bit to be desired. Birdcage has a smart lyric in ‘you said that we could never be together, you’re too pretty and I’m too clever’ but musically is somewhat clumsy. A Spy in the House of Love stutters to a premature end and I Don’t Love Anyone…V2 feels excessive considering the other, better version on this album. Flags from the Old Regime, complete with orchestral flourishes, is a shadow of its former incarnation despite the sentiment.

An album of extremes then with some songs needing a finishing touch, others paring back and a select few striking a happy medium. Despite this it’s not unenjoyable but certainly frustrating.