The Darkness - 'Permission To Land' (Must Destroy / Atlantic)
5/5
By: Matt Tomiak
Is it fair to say that The Darkness are a little bit special? Probably not. It'd be more accurate to describe them as abso-f**kin'-lutley jaw-droppingly incredible.
You couldn't make it up; who would have guessed that in the year 2003, Britain's most-talked-about band would have been a stadium rock-adoring, Spandex-clad, heavy metal quartet hailing from - of all places - a sleepy Suffolk town? But you better believe it - and needless to say, the gloriously, unashamedly OTT 'Permission To Land' is quite unlike anything else around at the moment.
The Darkness are the group that Bill and Ted's Wyld Stallions could have been. And there is just so much that makes this record compelling - Justin Hawkins' amazing falsetto vocals for one; this guy makes Muse's Matt Bellamy sound composed by comparison. The 'did they really just say that' lyrics ('Get Your Hands Off My Woman', in particular) for another. The undeniable sense of humour running through the album for a third; who could fail to raise a smile after hearing 'Friday Night?' ('Do you remember me/I used to sit next to you at school/We indulged in all the extra-curriculur activities/We weren't particularly cool'...). And - oh yes - in the shape of 'Growing On Me' and 'I Believe In A Thing Called Love' some unconditionally fabulous songs.
And because The Darkness genuinely believe in and adore this form of music (no 'ironic' raised eyebrows or 'tongue-in-cheek' Iron Maiden references 'round these parts), this all works a treat. Unlike so many 70s rawk-plundering acts of today, The Darkness aren't taking the piss.
The Darkness: for your amps going up to 11, for putting East Anglia back onto the world-rock map and for putting on the best damn show in town - we salute you.
Artists in this article: The Darkness
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