This reunion does mean something. Because The Libertines meant something. They were a band you could believe in. Their entire belief system was built on belief itself. Believing in something better. Just getting through things.

Daly, Rhian (3 September 2015). "The Libertines – 'Anthems For Doomed Youth' ". NME. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015 . Retrieved 13 September 2015. Italiancharts.com – The Libertines – Anthems for Doomed Youth". Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 September 2015. Ultratop.be – The Libertines – Anthems for Doomed Youth" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 September 2015.

When Doherty went to prison after breaking into co-frontman Carl Barât’s flat, it seemed likely that they would be a one-album wonder. Remarkably, the two frontmen were able to patch up their differences for long enough to produce the band’s self-titled second album – with its now iconic album artwork – before imploding once again and leaving many fans wondering whether they had seen the last of The Libertines. The album carries a delightful momentum even through the slower songs like 'You're my Waterloo' and 'The Milkman's Horse' which makes for an enjoyable listen from start to finish. It's clear to see the increased involvement of the rhythm section in not only arrangement, but also composition; the bass and drums are more together and crisp than they've ever been, and there is a light-hearted element in the music that makes it feel like a proper Libertines album - which it is.

Phares, Heather. "Anthems for Doomed Youth – The Libertines". AllMusic . Retrieved 16 September 2015. Dutchcharts.nl – The Libertines – Anthems for Doomed Youth" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 September 2015. And all that can apply to Anthems For Doomed Youth. A cloud of apprehension has been around anyone following The Libertines since they reunited, and deservedly so. It’s the same air that hung over Doherty’s time with Babyshambles, the 2010 Reading & Leeds shows, absolutely everything. We never know what’s going to happen with The Libertines next, and that’s what makes every moment as rewarding as it is. Again, Anthems For Doomed Youth just hits the mark. Several songs are just plain uninteresting, other times the album is meandering and awkward. But at least it’s here. At least it tries. At least a future exists.Ryan, Gavin (19 September 2015). "ARIA Albums: Bring Me the Horizon 'That's the Spirit' Debuts at One in Australia". Noise11 . Retrieved 19 September 2015. Anthems For Doomed Youth, their first album since 2004’s self-titled LP, begins promisingly. Raucous guitars, an anthemic feel and a chorus underpinned by a strong hook – it’s almost like they’ve never been away. However, it’s such a time capsule that it doesn’t take long to be reminded of The Libertines’ myriad failings: a by-numbers approach, untidy guitars that don’t know where they’re going, and lyrics that would raise a ‘See me’ in red pen if submitted for GCSE coursework. An ending fitting for the start,” Barât sung on the 2004 LP’s classic opener Can’t Stand Me Now, perfectly summing up the position the band were in at the time. Their eponymous second record should have been the start of something much bigger – it did top the UK Album Chart, after all – but instead it marked the end. Or it did, until they announced that they would finally record their long-awaited third album at the end of last year.