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Six years after their debut, Gene is still crafting Grade A Brit-pop, albeit with more maturity and grace. Libertine finds Martin Rossiter and company in excellent form, but the album also sees the band making more subtle, personal music than the bombastic, angrier songs of Olympian, Drawn to the Deep End, and Revelations. Produced almost entirely by the legendary Hugh Jones with help here and there from the equally famed Stephen Street, Libertine is an album that reveals its delicate charms over repeat listens. The stop-start bombast and the catchy choruses of old have been replaced by occasional strings, complex arrangements, intermittent feedback, and a firmer focus on Steve Mason's jangling guitar. Whether Gene is shuffling about wondering "Does He Have a NameNULL" or asking the world "Is It OverNULL," they leave their musical mark with conviction, energy, and an overall charming outlook on the world. With their new maturity, they resist any urge to rely on hooks or overly banal catch phrases, though Rossiter's Morrissey-esque trill thankfully rears its head quite often. Standout moments are plentiful, with strong kudos going to the opening and closing tracks. There's not a clunker in the bunch, as at least six of album's 11 songs are among the band's finest creations. It's a blessing that Gene survived the harsh climate of indifference that permeated the music industry in the late '90s to release the fine, mature Libertine. ~ Tim DiGravina, All Music Guide