If the message in hit single “Don’t Look Back Into The Sun” was to avoid dwelling too much on the past, The Libertines didn’t take their own advice. As it turns out, a lust for the glory days of the band’s past was too much for members Carl Barat and Pete Doherty to resist. In one of the most remarkably unexpected reunions of the decade, the band reunited after nearly seven years apart. Better yet, the British indie stars took it upon themselves this year to venture out to Thailand with one mission in mind: record a new studio album. Their creation, Anthems For Doomed Youth, was finally released this past week. While it may fall far short of the heights of the band’s stronger albums of the early 2000s, Anthems For Doomed Youth provides moments that prove The Libertines remain fully capable of creating quality music.

With only two studio albums to their name before this year, it was a difficult to argue that The Libertines had a place among England’s finest. It’s unfortunate, because the band certainly had the potential to reach that prestigious status. “Don’t Look Back Into The Sun,” “Can’t Stand Me Now” and “Music When The Lights Go Out,” among others in The Libertines collection, could have turned into iconic classics. At the time, the duo’s raw, rough and classic sound resonated with British youth who craved a garage rock revival. If Doherty and Barat hadn’t disbanded so early in their careers, perhaps their music would have stood the test of time like so many of its type.

In Anthems For Doomed Youth, The Libertines don’t attempt to outdo or even match their previous sound. Rather, the band attempts to produce a different, slightly fresher sound for the current decade. This is evident in their choice of producer. Rather than hiring an experienced rocker like Mick Taylor of The Clash, who the band turned to on their first album, the group selected Jake Gosling. Curiously enough, Gosling is famous for working with pop icons Ed Sheeran and One Direction. Not exactly rock ‘n’ roll stars.

As it turns out, Gosling’s presence provides a clean and polished sound that benefits the album. It’s a necessary step at this point in the band’s career. The crisp sound also reveals that the vocals of Doherty and Barat haven’t eroded over the years. In fact, a casual fan would likely have difficulty hearing the difference between their voices from now and then. Barat, especially, sings with confident force.

There are certainly strokes of genius scattered throughout this album. The lead single, “Gunga Din,” is certainly one of them. Led by an usually smooth and powerful chorus, the song makes a case to be placed among the band’s best. More than ever on the album, Barat lets loose his fiery emotion. The Libertines also flirt with softer, tamer melodies throughout the album. This is significant because the band is best known for their sharper, more aggressive sound. In the case of “Anthem For Doomed Youth,” The Libertines succeed in this experiment of theirs. More traditional Libertines tracks, like “Barbarians” and “Glasgow Coma Scale Blues,” also prove to be enjoyable to the listener.

However, it’s also obvious in certain places throughout the album that The Libertines are no longer as immortal as some might have thought. “You’re My Waterloo,” a leftover track from the 2000s recording sessions, ends up being a major disappointment. Despite having the most unique and thoughtful lyrics on the album, halfhearted vocals for Doherty, an oversimplification of instrumentals and a lack of genuine emotion doom the track. This comes in strong contrast to the brilliant demo track from over a decade ago, and ultimately reveals the group’s changed perspective on their music. Meanwhile, the rocker “Fury of Chonburi” comes across as forced and bland. Some of the slower tunes too, like “Iceman,” miss the mark as well. At times, the album has the listener on the verge of counting sheep.

“Your only rule: stay alive.” In “Dead For Love,” The Libertines present themselves with this new word of advice. While the band may likely never again see the success that they once had, Anthems For Doomed Youth proves to be a noble attempt at earning relevancy once again. As far as reunion albums go, it’s surprisingly solid. The Libertines are certainly a band worth having back. Now their fans can only hope that the band follows its own advice this time: stay alive and relevant.