Tag: the darkness

You have to hand it to The Darkness, in the UK when rock music was about as popular as a fart in space suit, along they came from out of nowhere to blast it back into the mainstream. Now, there seems to be a young rock band around every corner in the UK and I think The Darkness should get a bit if credit for that.

Here they are with album number six and they are as a popular as ever and it’s a cracking rock record to boot. We are off to an epic start with their (I hope) very tongue in cheek Rock N’ Roll Deserves To Die and this is everything I expect from a Darkness record. Vocal histrionics, superb melody, a chorus to shout a long to, and fat crunchy guitars. This lays the path for the rest of the album.

There are quieter moments with Live ‘Til I Die where Justin is looking back on his past and the amazing Heart Explodes which touches on his loves lost and is a pure joy. The title track is a good old fashioned rock n’ roll romp with interspersed minstrel-esque moments that is pure anything goes Darkenss.

Favourite track? Well, that’s a tough one as there are a few for that honour but on this occasion it has to be the title track. A track that sees the band stretching themselves out of their comfort zone but being uniquely The Darkness. Justin is just the ultimate showman, those vocals and notes he reaches make them totally unique in the world of rock.

Thoroughly enjoyable record.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

There are times whilst going through my collection that I pull certain albums to review and I instantly feel old. Permission To Land is one of those as it has been twenty years since its release. I clearly remember the band’s appearance on Jools Holland where Justin is ripping the solo to I Beleive In A Thing Called on top of Jools’ piano. You just didn’t see hard rock bands ripping it up on mainstream TV at the time. It’s good old down and dirty hard rock, but with a singer who hits notes so high you’d think his nuts were  being squeezed in a vice.

This is still a fun record to listen to, and is guaranteed to lift you spirits when you are feeling a bit low. Black Shuck rips the dust off straight away with the AC/DC inspired riffage and groove. Get Your Hands Off My Woman is the obvious companion tune to “Believe” as it has the same feel. I Beleive In A Thing Called Love is such a monster tune it would be amiss of me not to pick it as my favourite tune. One of the deeper cuts that you don’t hear people mention too often is Givin’ Up. A simple, big chord DC stomp that doesn’t fail to get a that toe a tappin’.

It’s nice to listen to records that are just fun and happy.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

This is the band’s fourth album, and the second after their comeback. They have a knack for writing some seriously catchy rock songs and that seems to be dying art these days.

The album kicks off with Barbarian which was a lead off single, and has is typical Darkness – a nice fat riff with catchy hook and chorus. Open Fire starts off with a picked chord that sounds like early Cult, before an AC/DC straight rocker takes over. The title track follows with an acoustic intro that sounds a bit Eurovision until the middle eight. Roaring Waters has a very nice funky riff to start with a very unusual hook and chorus. Wheels Of The Machine is a slow acoustic driven piece. Mighty Wings kicks off with a keyboard intro that’s very reminiscent of Buggles, until normal service is resumed with a floor to the floor riff and groove. Then we change it up again with a very Queen hook and chorus. This is the best track so far! Mudslide has an Aerosmith sounding riff with a straight up groove. Sarah O Sarah is the weakest song on the album for me. Hammer And Tongs starts with a straight up Quo like boogie and stays for the whole song. Conquerors close out the album and is a lighters-in-the-air type of tune.

This is not a bad album, but also it’s not a great album.

7.5/10 from The Grooveman.

Who can forget the band’s appearance on Jools Holland’s TV show where Justin stood atop Joel’s piano while playing the solo to I Believe In A Thing Called Love? This was the moment when The Darkness exploded on the scene and have caused division in rock circles ever since. A lot of people hate them, and it’s obvious they have become an acquired taste, but I for one love them and they were a shot in the arm for a flagging rock scene in the UK.

They write some of the simplest songs imaginable and are so catchy and have you hooked in seconds, and then write tracks like Buccaneers Of Hispaniola that are so complex with grooves to shake your hips loose. AC/DC would have been proud of the riff and groove to Solid Gold – an epic hard rock classic with a great sense of humour. Southern Trains is all about their hatred of the local train company, and have turned a boring subject into a freaking awesome up-tempo groover. Why Wont The Beautiful Cry, lyrically, is another track where the sense of humour really is on point.

Japanese Prisoner Of Love opens up Side 2 and has a killer opening riff and groove before settling down into a very Queen-ish tune. Lay Down With Me Barbara reminds me of a seventies Steely Dan tune but with a very modern edge. I Wish I Was In Heaven is pure power pop nirvana, and the album closes out with Stampede Of Love which has a very southern country rock vibe and is somewhat of a surprise ending.

As I said earlier, you either love them or hate them.

9.5/10 from The Grooveman.