I'm running away with you...
Written: Feb 22 '05
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Beautiful A-Side,good B-Side,suitable video
Cons: So,what does Wolfman do?
The Bottom Line: Buy this single. I recommend it.Two great songs you won't find elsewhere and a nice video.
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| flash-hammer's Full Review: For Lovers - Wolfman / Peter Doherty Movies |
Released to immense success in the first half of 2004, For Lovers would, on paper, give the rather eclectic artist known as Wolfman a top ten hit with his debut single. The reason I say "on paper" is because the man himself wasn't actually the face of the song, but it was in fact former Libertine Peter Doherty whose voice you hear and face you see in the video.
Indeed, Wolfman is rarely mentioned without a reference to Doherty somewhere, because he is basically famous for being the man's friend, and the reason he is addicted to drugs in such a bad way. The Wolfman himself claims this is lies, but we'll get back to that in a minute. After supporting the Libertines at a few gigs last year, Wolfman and Doherty teamed up for this single after the the latter had been released from jail, a song which is actually, if the internet is to be believed, a reworking of a song Wolfman has been performing since the late 90s, a single that almost never saw release due to the fact Rough Trade weren't at all keen on the Wolfman (and let's be honest, with some of the shoddy stuff they allow on their label, you know you are in dire straights when Rough Trade takes that stance on you), however it did, and it is now probably more well known and liked than anything the Libertines released, or anything Wolfman or Doherty every will.
So, onto the guilty party for this single,Wolfman, or Peter Wolfe if you prefer, paints a very exciting and fantastic picture of his life so far, while I can't say if I totally believe his tales, involving the Pope,living with Shane MacGowan and getting shot at amongst others, his claims that he isn't a hard drug user at all, and the Libertines have launched a smear campaign against him amongst others, in fact I can't even say if his name really is Peter Wolfe, but even if he is making it all up, it sure as hell is entertaining.
Doherty however, and his problems, are well documented. Drug addictions, being thrown out of one of Britain's biggest bands, starting another band,members leaving and spending time locked up have went hand in hand with top ten singles,sold out tours and dating supermodels in the 25 year old's life so far.
A team up between the pair with pasts shadier than a blackout would bring a song of what type do you think? a fast,punky rocker like Doherty does in the Libertines? not a chance. For Lovers is in fact, a slow,rather haunting but beautiful piano-driven love song.
While it only runs 3:51, For Lovers seems to last so much longer, due to the fact it just sounds epic. From the piano, presumeabley Wolfe's contribution to the song, and the drums, to Doherty's tender and vulnerable reading of the lyrics, about simply running away with a lover, the song just works on a level unimaginable when you consider anything either party has ever released being so polar opposite of it.
Doherty's un-pretty voice always seemed to be catered for the rough and punky sounds of the Libertines, a slow-moving ballad was the last thing his voice would be expected to suit, but somehow it just does, the 'realism' of the voice actually adds to matters, and possibly the thought in general of Doherty, not the best looking guy in the world, with a voice like his to boot, singing about love and it's problems and such is so much easier to buy into than that of a pretty boy-band member, because it's highly possible things haven't always went smoothly for him.
No one could have expected just how much the song would have taken off, although it does seem to be one of those rare occasions where the British single-buying public actually show some decency of taste, something that the Libertines would capitalise on with their next single.
Speaking of them, Carl Barat pops up along with Doherty on the B-Side,Back From The Dead, which basically sounds like a Libertines song, if at a slightly more subdued pace than what you would expect from them,but in comparison to the title track, its a real rocker. Doherty and Barat trade vocals in this great song that wouldn't have sounded out of place on either of their band's excellent albums. The only thing that could really be considered as being a downside to this is that, with Doherty and Barat in presence, both of them accomplished musicians, you have to wonder exactly what Wolfman does on the record. In For Lovers, it can be assumed he plays the piano, but in Back From The Dead? no idea.
Also on the single is the For Lovers video, which, while nothing spectacular,fits the song perfectly. It's simply Doherty walking the streets of Paris, but for some reason, it just seems suitable for the song, making for a rather enchanting viewing and listening experience.
When all is said and done, while I usually complain about there only being one B-Side to a CD single, with For Lovers Im going to make an exception, because both songs are A-Side quality, and while throwing the video on seems to be a trick of Rough Trade's to try and compensate, the video for this song actually works well, and becomes a nice addition rather than an afterthought.
For Lovers, on it's own, just a CD with it on it, would have been good enough to get full marks from me, such heights do I rate the song's quality at, but with the inclusion of a more than adequate in terms of class B-Side and the video, I have no problems issuing this single with full marks in it's real state.
The only problem I have with this single, is that Im not sure whom to recommend it to. Im sure Libertines fans would be interested, not only just for Doherty's involvement, but because of the B-Side, even if For Lovers sounds so blatantly unlike anything they have ever done.
But there is where the problem begins, with it sounding so un-Libertines, Im not sure who else will like it, because a lot of people who aren't fans will probably be put off due to the involvement of the frontmen, which would be a shame. I've heard plenty of people who don't like the band make clear their enjoyment of the song, so it is probably worth a shot, even if you don't like them, if you are lucky enough to find a copy now.
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The Libertines - Up the Bracket
The Libertines - The Libertines + The Boys in the Band
Recommended:
Yes
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flash-hammer
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