Where to start with London Indie, 2002-07

London Indie, 2002-07 is a music scene from London, UK, 2002–2007. Its principal artists include The Libertines, Bloc Party, Babyshambles and Klaxons. This issue covers 11 essential albums and 23 dated events.

Start here

1
Up the Bracket
The Libertines · 2002
The Libertines' debut, produced by Mick Jones of the Clash, since credited as central to the British post-punk revival.
2
Silent Alarm
Bloc Party · 2005
Bloc Party's debut went platinum in Britain and was NME's Album of the Year for 2005.
3
Myths of the Near Future
Klaxons · 2007
Original release: Rinse · RINSELP1T · 12″ Vinyl · UK 2007
Klaxons' debut became new rave's flagship record and won the Mercury Prize in 2007.

Go deeper

4
The Libertines
The Libertines · 2004
Original release: Rough Trade · RTRADCDX166 · CD · UK 2004
The band's second album, again produced by Mick Jones, came out at the end of August 2004, entered the UK chart at No 1 and was voted NME's second-best album of the year.
5
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
Arctic Monkeys · 2006
Arctic Monkeys' debut followed two No 1 singles.
6
Up All Night
Razorlight · 2004
Original release: Vertigo · 986 710-1 · 12″ Vinyl · UK 2004
Razorlight's debut, released in June 2004, reached No 3 and produced five singles, among them "Golden Touch" and "Rip It Up".
7
Stars of CCTV
Hard-Fi · 2005
Original release: Atlantic · 5050467 8691 2 7 · CD · UK 2005
Hard-Fi recorded most of their debut in a disused minicab office that cost them about £300, and the footsteps and planes picked up by a microphone in the corridor are still on the record.
8
Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand · 2004
Original release: Domino · WIGCD136X · CD · UK 2004
Released by Domino in February 2004, the Glasgow band's debut reached No 3 in the UK on the back of "Take Me Out", won the Mercury Prize that September and…

For the obsessed

9
Bang Bang Rock & Roll
Art Brut · 2005
Original release: Fierce Panda Records · NONG38CD · CD · UK 2005
Art Brut's debut, released by Fierce Panda in May 2005, re-recorded "Formed a Band", which had first appeared on Angular's New Cross sampler in 2003.
10
Down in Albion
Babyshambles · 2005
Original release: Rough Trade · RTRADCD 240 · CD · UK 2005
Babyshambles' debut, produced by Mick Jones and released on Rough Trade in November 2005 after leaking online the month before, was seen as a move away from the Libertines' style.
11
Employment
Kaiser Chiefs · 2005
Original release: B‐Unique Records · BUN093LP · 12″ Vinyl · UK 2005
Released in March 2005 after the band's breakthrough on the NME Awards Tour, the Leeds band's debut drew on late-70s new wave and punk, carried "I Predict a Riot" and…

The stories behind every record are in London Indie, 2002-07, a members' issue.