British indie-rock legends The Libertines have unveiled their haunting new single ‘Shiver‘, the latest release from their upcoming fourth studio album, ‘All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade‘. The title shares its name with an anti-war novel written by Erich Maria Remarque and marks their first album output in over 8 years, following up from 2015’s ‘Anthems For A Doomed Youth’.

Frontman Peter Doherty, Carl Barât (vocals/guitar), John Hassell (bass) and Gary Powell (drums) have established perhaps their most evolutionary sound yet, and are now a world away from precarious nights out and run-ins with the law.

A tale of two ideas, Carl and Peter co-wrote ‘Shiver’ together. Speaking on the making of the single, Carl commented: “Peter had a song and I had a song and we mashed them up and did it collaboratively.”

“I would probably find it difficult to work out who did what because we were both there the whole time through its creation. It should really be called ‘The Last Dream Of Every Dying Soldier’, but everyone liked the title ‘Shiver’,” Peter added.

Directed by Alex Brown, the ‘Shiver’ music video is a ‘Bergmanesque seaside funeral of a pearly king’, captured in a moody, cinematic black and white. The video stars all four members alongside a cast of eccentric characters who appear on the sleeve artwork, a strange yet endearing caricature of cockney and seaside culture, as well as the crossover between old school and modern day working-class Britain. The video was shot in Cliftonville, Margate and at The Libertines’ hotel The Albion Rooms, and is the third instalment in a series of Margate-themed videos, following on from their first single ‘Run, Run, Run‘ and ‘Night Of The Hunter‘.

Produced by Grammy-nominated producer Dimitri Tikovoï and recorded at The Albion Rooms in Margate, the album was created in just four weeks between February and March 2023 and finalised over seven days at La Ferme de Gestein Studios in Normandy.

Additional production and mixing were also finalised by Dan Grech-Marguerat, known for his work with Lana Del Rey, Liam Gallagher and Sir Paul McCartney. The band will be putting on a series of intimate gigs around the UK over the coming weeks, and will also be recording a session at BBC Maida Vale Studios later this month for broadcast on Radio 2’s ‘Piano Room’ in February.

‘All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade’ is out on March 8 2024 and is available to preorder here. The album will be available on CD, deluxe CD, 12” vinyl in limited edition coloured variants, deluxe double vinyl cassette and digital download.

Having already performed this week at Stockton Arc and Liverpool’s Cavern Club, you can still catch The Libertines in all of their glory on the dates below.

January

25/01/2024 – Milton Keynes – MK11
27/01 – Cardiff – Clwb Ifor Bach
28/01 – Derby – Hairy Dog
29/01 – Lincoln – Drill Hall

February

11/02 – Falmouth – Pavilions
12/02 – Southampton – Engine Room
14/02 – Stoke – Underground
15/02 – Leeds – The Wardrobe
16/02 – Glasgow – Oran Mor