Up the Bracket

Template:About Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |Template:Short description|noreplace}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Category handlerTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=The Libertines2004studioUp the BracketUpthebracket.jpgThe Libertines14 October 2002August 2002RAK Studios, LondonIndie rock, punk rock, garage rock revival, garage punk36:33Rough TradeMick Jonesx|2=</?t[drh][ >]|nomatch=}}|Template:Main other}}Template:Main other}}

Up the Bracket is the debut studio album by British indie rock band The Libertines. The album, released on 14 October 2002 by Rough Trade Records, was produced by Mick Jones (guitarist of The Clash), and was recorded at RAK Studios in London, England.

Peaking at No. 35 on the UK Albums Chart, the album has continued to receive critical acclaim, becoming integral to the development of the British post-punk revival movement of the early 2000s. It's also considered by some to be one of the greatest albums of the decade.<ref name="Pitchfork" />

The album's cover art is based on an image of riot police squaring up to protesters during the Argentine economic crisis of 1998-2002.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Background and release

Up The Bracket was released on 14 October 2002, peaking at No. 35 on the UK Albums Chart. The album was reissued on 8 September 2003 with bonus track "What a Waster", and a DVD featuring the promotional videos for the singles "Up the Bracket", "Time for Heroes" and "I Get Along".

In 2022 the album was reissued as 20th anniversary editions and box set that featured Live at the 100 Club disc, a disc of studio outtakes, a disc of demos/radio sessions/b-sides/live tracks, a cassette of early demos and DVD with music videos and live performances.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Title

The title Up the Bracket alludes to a phrase used by English comedian Tony Hancock, of whom the Libertines' Pete Doherty is an avid fan. In Hancock's Half Hour, "Up The Bracket" is a slang term meaning a punch in the throat.<ref name="Hancock">Template:Cite news</ref> Hancock is also referenced in the opening track, "Vertigo" – "lead pipes, your fortune's made", being a line from the Half Hour episode "The Poetry Society".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Reception

Template:Music ratings Upon release, Up the Bracket received generally favourable reviews. The online music publication Pitchfork ranked Up the Bracket at No. 138 on its list of the "Top 200 Albums of the 2000s",<ref name="Pitchfork">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and was ranked at No. 44 on a similar list by Uncut. British music website NME ranked the album at No. 10 on its list of "The Greatest British Albums Ever",<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> No. 70 on its "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list, as well as ranking it as the second greatest album of the decade.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Rolling Stone ranked Up the Bracket at No. 61 and No. 94 on its lists of "The 100 Greatest Debut Albums of All Time" and "The 100 Greatest Albums of the 2000s" respectively.

In April 2008, BBC Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe chose the album as one of his Masterpieces, playing the album in full with interviews from the band members, fans and fellow musicians who were influenced by the album.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Track listing

All songs written by Pete Doherty and Carl Barât.

1. "Vertigo" – 2:37
2. "Death on the Stairs" – 3:24
3. "Horror Show" – 2:34
4. "Time for Heroes" – 2:40
5. "Boys in the Band" – 3:42
6. "Radio America" – 3:44
7. "Up the Bracket" – 2:40
8. "Tell the King" – 3:22
9. "The Boy Looked at Johnny" – 2:38
10. "Begging" – 3:20
11. "The Good Old Days" – 2:59
12. "I Get Along" – 2:51

Bonus tracks

• "What a Waster" is listed as track 13 on US, Canadian, Spanish, Japanese and UK reissue editions

Charts

Template:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chart

Chart (2002–03)	Peak position