Peter Doherty ‘Felt Better Alive| A Scrapbook Of Honesty

Alas, the redemptive poet, Mr Peter Doherty, has returned with his first completely solo project since 2016, the stripped and intimate ‘Felt Better Alive’. 

Doherty has remained sober since December 2019, and since then failed to fall of the wagon. Since the lifting of pandemic restrictions in 2021, the Northumberland born creative has exerted many a solo tour, a collaborative album with French songwriter Fredric Lo and the resurrection The Libertines: barely scratch the surface of what the man has been up to. 

Felt Better Alive releases on Doherty’s co-founded label Strap Originals, reflecting on how modestly Doherty his latest project is. From the endearingly budget videos to the scaled back production, Doherty relies on the preference of his loveable side oppose to his 2000’s indie sleaze media hysterics.

Observational ‘Calvados’ initiates the illustrative kick of the album. Inviting some of Doherty’s most image-jerking work, ‘Picking her teeth with a pocketknife, Her soul a mess of blues and chicken wire, She brushes the dog, spits in the fire’. The track hires from the wordsmith’s life in Normandy where he currently resides, focussing on a new perspective of peace, family and cheese. 

Compassionate and heartfelt ‘Pot of Gold’ proceeds, dedicating itself to Doherty’s youngest daughter. Playfully twisting the words of the ‘Mockingbird Lullaby’ in an endearingly cheeky promise to provide for his family; ‘And if that lullaby is a hit, Dad can buy you loads of cool shit’.

Whist Doherty remains a forgivable thief, his court-case free sampling threads through his work, whether that be ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ take in ‘Ride Into The Sun’, a mere childhood lullaby, or even his own work, the songwriting snatcher keeps his tricks at hand. ‘The Day The Baron Died’, re-works ‘Baron’s Claw’ from 2024 The Libertines album All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade.  Doherty described the track to NME earlier this year as “A weird jazz number, with a silly, catchy little melody. It’s a kind of homage to [John Lennon’s] ‘Instant Karma’, not the lyrics but the weird off-time drum fill in the chorus. And I’m not gonna explain what the song’s about because I’m working on a follow-up”. With the rumours of a Babyshambles return brewing, could it be possible that the final instalment rears its head in the remaining Doherty project. 

‘Stade Océan’ and ‘Out of Tune Balloon’ continue the rural French picture Doherty paints. Their cod-country elements blended with the songsmiths charm drift into a cathartic and vibrant nature.  The title track shuffles through an almost skiffle traction, pondering on his fresh outlook. Introspection is a key motif for the album, indulging in self-reflection and the purities of life’s substance.

Tongue in cheek ‘Fingee’ rhythms within the albums organic dance, layering and weaving with its nonchalance.  Sealing the album ‘Empty Room’ woefully soothes, finalising its introspection, diligently divulging in some of his most personable work.

The shortness of the tracks provides glimpses into powerhouse of the creative, like peering through windows of his life. It’s sincere, jigsaw pieces to an album, not unfinished or idle but a scrapbook of honesty, that with further fulfilment would lack the same purity. Felt Better Alive is not a pretence or façade, and without forsaking that you risk not understanding its beauty. Granted Doherty’s active work on the scene could be perceived as an attempt to pay back his abundance tax repayments he’s spoken openly about: there must be gratitude within the intimacy. 

Feel better alive at Peter Doherty’s upcoming dates:

APRIL

25th FRI Sint Niklass De Casino *

26th SAT Paris Le Trianon * SOLD OUT 

27th SUN Leuven Het Depot *

28th MON Liege OM * VENUE UPGRADE

30th WED Amsterdam Melkweg *

MAY

1st THU Cologne Die Kantine *

2nd FRI Berlin Huxleys Neue Welt * VENUE UPGRADE

3rd SAT Leipzig Taubchenthal *

5th MON Munich Muffathalle * VENUE UPGRADE

13th TUE Bruges Cactus Muziekcentrum SOLD OUT

14th WED Brighton The Great Escape (Strap Originals showcase)*

23rd FRI Brighton East Brighton Park (with OCS)*

24th SAT Port Talbot In It Together Festival *

JUNE

2nd MON Barcelona PRIMAVERA Nitsa Club

15th SUN Terni ITALY Batavia Theatre

JULY

18th FRI Hitchin Priory (with OCS) *

20th SUN 1948 Fionnay Palp Festival

24th THU Bolesworth Together Again Festival *

26th SAT Southend Lazydays Festival *

AUGUST

12th TUE Edinburgh La Belle Angele – Edinburgh Fringe Fest

13th WED Edinburgh La Belle Angele – Edinburgh Fringe Fest