Album Review: The Darkness - 'Hot Cakes'

7 September 2012 | 10:56 am | Staff Writer
Originally Appeared In

Back with more of the same.

More The Darkness More The Darkness

The Darkness embraced seventies rock so much, that they re-created the classic rock n’ roll story. Release a debut album that propels you into fame, party so hard that you burn yourself out and eventually break up the band on to reform later with a weird goatee.

The downfall and following break-up of the band has served as the perfect lyrical theme for their third record ‘Hot Cakes,’ albeit set to the party fuelled rock n’ roll that you would expect from the group. The problem is, the clever lines and closely authentic vibe that ‘Permission To Land had has been replaced with a thinner, watered down version with opening track Every Inch Of You being far to blatant in its storytelling. Front man Justin Hawkins literally spells out his feelings on the group’s reformation straight away to set the scene for what is to follow.

The reason why this is un-cool, is because The Darkness are meant to be smarter than this. We expect more from them, especially if they plan on regurgitating the same style of music album, after album, which is exactly what they have done. The lead single from this record Everybody Have A Good Time ticks all of the classic rock boxes, both with its shredding guitars and simple lyrics, it also led to the band scoring the support slot on a Lady Gaga tour, so mull that over for a bit.

There is however one surprise, and it is a risky one, a cover of Radiohead’s Street Spirit (Fade Out) which has been given a complete Darkness make-over rendering it unrecognisable. The underlying theme of negativity may come through more than it is meant to, leaving a stark contrast to the feel-good party vibe that the music is trying to convince us exists. Final track Love Is Not Your Friend proves this, letting all of the sadness slip out as if it could not be held any longer, leaving the listener to feel like the hangover came too early.

At first, things kind of seemed like a well executed joke, however when the joke starts to become serious and loses its lustre, well, that’s just awkward.

1. Every Inch of You

2. Nothin's Gonna Stop Us

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3. With a Woman

4. Keep Me Hangin' On

5. Living Each Day Blind

6. Everybody Have a Good Time

7. She Just a Girl, Eddie

8. Forbidden Love

9. Concrete

10. Street Spirit (Fade Out)

11. Love Is Not the Answer