Pete Doherty – Felt Better Alive

Peter Doherty’s Felt Better Alive marks a triumphant return after nearly a decade, capturing the raw emotion, romantic decay, and battered beauty that have long defined his work. This album finds Doherty older and more reflective, yet still capable of tapping into that threadbare vulnerability that made Grace/Wastelands so resonant. With orchestral flourishes, acoustic strums, and wistful lyrics, the record plays like a weathered diary entry – a lived-in collection of songs that explores redemption, mortality, and Doherty’s enduring love affair with music and ruin. The title track alone is a sweeping testament to survival, regret, and the strange comfort of artistic purpose.

Rather than reinvent himself, Doherty leans into his signature melancholy, but with a surprising clarity. Felt Better Alive trades in the ragged chaos of his Libertines days for restraint and atmosphere, aided by lush arrangements and a clear-eyed focus. It's a deeply personal album, one that rewards close listening and affection for Doherty’s poetic, sometimes cryptic phrasing. The bonus Bootstrap Sessions included in the deluxe edition provide added texture, unearthing unreleased gems from a formative era. Altogether, this is a mature, quietly stunning album that might not shout for attention but lingers far longer than expected.

Reviews

“A tender, ruminative record that feels like an artist coming to terms with the wreckage and wonder of his past.” — The Guardian

“Doherty sounds more present here than he has in years; his voice, cracked but sincere, carries a kind of bruised dignity.” — NME

“The title track is among the most affecting things he’s ever written, balancing autobiography and symbolism with disarming grace.” — MOJO

“A beautifully ragged album that lives in the spaces between nostalgia and recovery.” — Uncut

“At his best, Doherty still writes songs like they’re confessions whispered from a rain-soaked corner booth at closing time.” — Clash Magazine