Permission to Land

Morro

This is stupidly fun

Cool! A very raw and visceral rock for a change. It has that Airbourne or AC/DC vibe.

80s sounds in the 00s. Love it. I Believe in a Thing Called Love is one of the highest highs of any album on this list so far. That said the rest of the album is a tough comparison to that peak. It’s all good but that one is SO good.

A beautiful homage to rock with a cheeky smile.

3.5

Solid rock album. I believe in a thing called love is a classic

3.5 - Good

british ac/dc mixed with quirky vocals and cool instrumentals

Pretty good.

This came out when I was in high school, and I thought I Believe In A Thing Called Love was the stupidest song I had ever heard. I was young and dumb. What a banger that song is if you don’t take it too seriously, and this approach is recommended for The Darkness in general. It’s all about fun and celebrating the excesses of rock and roll. IBIATCL is the highlight here, it’s a lightning in a bottle type of song, but on revisiting this Givin’ Up is another standout track to me.

I thought this one was a lot of fun. I liked the vocals but I can understand why people wouldn't. There are maybe some moments where it's too much for me. It's a little cheesy, but the energy is so fun I can forgive it. Not sure I'd come back to it, but I had a good time listening. Fav song: I Believe in a Thing Called Love - probably because I was already more familiar with it. I also liked Love Is Only a Feeling, Friday Night and Love on the Rocks with No Ice Least fav: Black Shuck

This album was very good, it’s got a hard rock and glam edge that a lot of (popular) albums of its era don’t and the vocals are really good. I absolutely loved “Growing On Me” and “Holding My Own” this was a good album that I’d never even heard of before now.

This album has a handful of really great songs and a few okay ones, but I'm just such a sucker for it. Every time I hear a song from this album I have to listen to the whole thing like five times in a row. I think I'm a Darkness junkie.

I love rock music that is fun and unserious! I know Justin Hawkins voice is marmite but I enjoy, plus they were so good live! Favs: I believe in a thing called love, Growing on me, Love is only a feeling Least: Givin’ up

Shreds, own this CD, but had only really listened to IBIATCL, the classic single. I'm into Makin Out and Givin' Up, those are actually two of my fave activities anyway.

I can remember hearing this for the first time and thinking 'they're just taking the absolute piss on every track'. Later in life, I would take on the 1001 albums generator challenge and listen to a lot of AC/DC, Aerosmith, Thin Lizzy and Guns 'n' Roses and realise that they were 𝙖𝙡𝙡 taking the piss pretty much all the time. I reckon The Darkness do it with a bit more obvious humour, irony and self-awareness, so fair play to them. The vocals, let's be honest, are pretty incredible and it's great to hear some joyous, unashamed rock riffs after a fairly indifferent run of albums lately. Givin' Up and I Believe In A Thing Called Love are frankly wonderful.

Bonus point for 'I Believe in a Thing Called Love'

Very fun album. I love the guitars on this, and the energy is infectious. The falsetto singing gets a bit much over the length of the album, but overall this is really good

Look, I honestly thought this band is a joke band/the album is a joke band. I was impressed... Looking forward to hear more

I remember when this album came out. The high pitched voice. The Guitar riffs. It feels like 80s hair rock made 20 years to late but still exactly when it was meant to. It came out of nowhere and is just as good today as I remember it when I first heard it in 2003 more than 20 years later.

it has every element of music that i love, and yet...

Only knew that one song, I Believe in a Thing Called Love, but dang this was a solid album! Will be back later!

I've always felt like the Darkness don't take themselves super seriously, and that's not a bad thing. Justin has fun with the vocals, the band is great behind him. I've never thought there was anything groundbreaking about this album, but I've always enjoyed it. I feel like this album has a great mash of rock influences shining through. From hair metal, to ACDC, to Queen, it's all evident.

I like the first song because there is a really good beat, I also really like the singer's voice, and I like the way the singer uses the lyrics. The whole album is very good. I am a big fan of it

the first song is good i like how the guitar sounds at the start i dont really like how the words are said but i like the drums i also like how all the instruments sound together there is not much more to say about this song. the next song is good i like how the instruments sound at the start and the guitar kinda sounds like it would be in a green day song i also like how everything sounds together. the last song is good It's calmer than the other songs i like it all the instruments sound good together there is not much more to say about this album overall this album is good I recommend it.

This was fun, tho that guy really can’t reach the high notes without forcing, couldn’t really relisten.

This is pretty lit! I knew only one song but the rest is also great

I have no idea if this album belongs in the 1,000 all-time, but I thought it was great. This artist and album is a new discovery for me, I love 80s rock-metal and I refuse to apologize for it. In fact, I feel bad for the rest of you. The rock riffs, the spectacular falsetto vocals - it is all very reminiscent of a flat-out rock band playing the Sunset Strip in the late 80s, early 90s. Solid 4⭐️ for me.

Some nice random fun. 4 stars

Once you get past the very heavy layer of cheese, it’s really a very competent album. The big hit was overplayed to death, and they really seemed to play up to the exaggerated caricatures they created for themselves. And why not? (££££s). I really did enjoy listening to this. So it’s an unashamed 4 from me.

I’ve never been sure if they were a joke or not. But after string of bad albums, I actually enjoyed this one. Probably getting a star more than it deserves but I’m okay with it.

Sounded cool, I had headphones too

I mean, it's fun. Ridiculous. But fun.

3.5 I’d say overall some strong songs but they all sounded the same

This album rocks hard! I wish the vocalist didn't sing in that range, but it works.

Was not expecting to dig this as much as I did. They are like a joke band that takes their craft very seriously. Super campy, super cheeky but also super well written and performed. I enjoyed the inspired blend of classic rock styles: glam, hair metal, AC/DC, all done in this knowingly absurd manner. Also kind of cool that the lead vocalist sounds like a young Thom Yorke.

The Darkness brought the light with this project. Am overwhelmingly smash of a record man. They absolutely killed it, lost me at a couple of moments on this record but they had me by the balls for the most of it. Just goes to show how much better your rock music can be when the voice of your lead singer doesn’t make you want to claw your eyes out. (Looking at you shrilly voice guy from The Only Ones) & I just cleaned the hell out of my house to this damn record, bravo!

Ha, I have been looking forward to this, since I had seen it while browsing what else might come in the 1001. Not as in looking forward to listening to this album, per se, but to getting this in the context of this project here. Because, look, this is dumb, but not any dumber than any of the music The Darkness was stoked to bring back; ironically or not, I don't care. And that hair glam hard rock has every right to exist in 2003, if we are to accept any of the garage rock revival bands everyone and their mates founded at that same time. Outside of the hit single, I had not listened to it before, but: It's fun. Plus, somehow, Justin Dawkins' channel appeared quite a bit in what Youtube decided to suggest to me over the years - he seems like a nice, proper dude. Did I or anyone need to hear that before our deaths? Oh, nah. But there's nothing wrong with it. Did I mention "fun"? Fun.

Good clean fun

I truly love the glam rock sound and killer guitar solos on this record, but some of the vocals really bring it down for me. I hope their latest record is a bit more restrained, but this one is still undeniably a fun time.

Just some fun glam rock, nice little palate cleanser after some of the more out there stuff. Although the vocalist is trying way too hard to stand out with his falsetto voice, I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Well isn't this a cheery surprise. I don't know if these guys were taking themselves all that seriously but damn is this the right mix of kickass and silly.

I use to perform in a cover band that had "I believe in a thing called Love" in the set list so I know that song front and back. However, I've never dived into the album before. Really fun. I love that classic rock sound with modern production.

Awesome but a pervasive sense of derivativeness comes over you as you listen. But, as an old friend said about lawnmowers…

We all know that I Believe in a Thing Called Love is living in rare air. But I have t confess that I wasn’t expecting to like this album as much as I did. Some really enjoyable glam rock that sounds like it fell right out of the 80s. I’ve always thought of these guys as one hit wonders, and I’m glad to discover they’ve got plenty more in the tank.

A very fun album with some nice, catchy riffs. I Believe in a Thing Called Love, Love Is Only a Feeling, Friday Night, and Love on the Rocks with No Ice the highlights.

THE The Darkness album. All the songs are pretty strong but especially Growing on Me and I Believe in a Thing Called Love.

Up to 11.

Well that was pretty good fun

pretty good rock album actually

Fun fun fun. When they first came out I did not like this at all. As a lover of big hair guitar rock I felt that maybe they were being disingenuous and it was a piss take. However, the further away from the record and the further along The Darkness' career you realise that it comes from a place of respect, skill and... Fun. And why the hell not

Ridiculous. And amazing. A parody? Sure. Rock brilliance? Absolutely.

3.5 Album starts out really strong, not enough great songs down the stretch.

Forgot how much I enjoyed this. Yes, it's a cornfest, but a lot of fun.

Way more start-to-finish fun than I expected as someone whose only knowledge of this band was the smash hit IBIATCL

Really cool album 👍

This is a real vibe. Liked it a lot.

I didn't hate this so I want to give it a 4. I don't think I'd listen to it much but I had a fun time listening.

Shit was gas

4/5 - great album, enjoyed it. A bit derivative at times, and the falsetto grates at times.

the opening lyrics to I Believe in a Thing Called Love sum this record up perfectly Can't explain all the feelings that you're making me feel This should be terrible but it's really not, loved it.

Was only familiar with one song, the obvious one, but really enjoyed the whole album!

## In-Depth Review of *Permission to Land* by The Darkness The Darkness burst onto the music scene in 2003 with their debut album, *Permission to Land*, a record that revitalized glam rock and hard rock in a time when they were fading from mainstream popularity. This review will delve into the album's lyrics, music, production, themes, and its influence, while also highlighting its pros and cons. ### ****Lyrics The lyrics of *Permission to Land* are characterized by a blend of humor, fantasy, and raw emotion. The band employs vivid imagery and storytelling that draws from various influences, including folklore and personal experiences. - **Fantasy and Folklore**: The opening track "Black Shuck" is a mythical tale about a ghostly creature from East Anglia, showcasing the band's penchant for dramatic narratives. Lines like “Flames licked ‘round the sacred spire” evoke a sense of grandeur reminiscent of epic tales. - **Humor and Irreverence**: Tracks like "Get Your Hands Off My Woman" feature tongue-in-cheek humor and brashness, with Justin Hawkins delivering lines that blend aggression with comedic undertones. The song's chorus is catchy yet abrasive, making it memorable. - **Emotional Depth**: The ballad "Growing On Me" reveals a more vulnerable side of the band. It explores themes of love and longing, encapsulated in the line “You will never fully fathom or understand, but you love her so much that after a while it doesn’t matter.” This emotional complexity adds depth to an otherwise flamboyant album. ### ****Music Musically, *Permission to Land* is a celebration of classic rock influences fused with modern sensibilities. The album features: - **Guitar Work**: Dan Hawkins’ guitar riffs are a standout element throughout the album. The tracks are infused with high-energy solos and powerful rhythms that pay homage to bands like Thin Lizzy and AC/DC. Songs like "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" showcase blistering guitar work alongside infectious melodies. - **Vocal Performance**: Justin Hawkins’ falsetto is both impressive and polarizing. His ability to hit high notes with precision adds an exhilarating quality to the music. However, this unique vocal style may not appeal to everyone, leading some listeners to view it as excessive or gimmicky. - **Diverse Sound**: The album traverses various rock subgenres—from hard rock anthems to softer ballads—demonstrating the band's versatility. Tracks like "Love Is Only A Feeling" contrast sharply with heavier songs like "Givin' Up," showcasing their range. ### ****Production Produced by Pedro Ferreira, *Permission to Land* has a raw yet polished sound that captures the band's live energy. - **Live Feel**: The production reflects the band’s live performances, maintaining an energetic vibe throughout. While some critics note that the album sounds slightly demo-like in quality, this rawness contributes to its charm. - **Instrumentation**: The mix balances guitars, bass, and drums effectively, allowing each instrument to shine without overshadowing others. However, some listeners have pointed out that the drum sound can be somewhat thuddy and lacks finesse compared to contemporary productions. ### ****Themes Thematically, *Permission to Land* is a celebration of rock 'n' roll excess intertwined with personal narratives: - **Rock 'n' Roll Lifestyle**: Many songs embrace the debauchery associated with rock culture—sex, drugs, and rebellion are prevalent themes throughout the album. - **Love and Relationships**: Several tracks explore romantic themes, albeit through a lens of humor or irony. The juxtaposition of serious emotions with playful lyrics creates an engaging listening experience. ### ****Influence Upon its release, *Permission to Land* had a significant impact on the music landscape: - **Revitalization of Glam Rock**: The album played a crucial role in bringing glam rock back into the limelight during the early 2000s. Its success inspired other bands to explore similar sounds and aesthetics. - **Cultural Impact**: Songs like "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" became anthems for a generation, often associated with nostalgia for early 2000s rock culture. The band’s flamboyant image also influenced fashion trends within rock music. ### ****Pros and Cons #### Pros - **Catchy Melodies**: Many tracks feature infectious hooks that are easy to sing along to. - **Energetic Performances**: The band’s enthusiasm shines through every song, making it an exhilarating listen. - **Diverse Range**: The mix of hard rock anthems and softer ballads provides something for everyone. #### Cons - **Polarizing Vocals**: Justin Hawkins’ falsetto may not resonate with all listeners; some might find it over-the-top. - **Production Quality**: While rawness can be appealing, some tracks suffer from less-than-optimal production values. - **Lyrical Content**: The humor may come off as juvenile or gimmicky for those seeking deeper lyrical substance. ### Conclusion In conclusion, *Permission to Land* by The Darkness stands as a remarkable debut that combines catchy melodies with flamboyant performances and engaging lyrics. Its blend of humor and serious themes creates a unique listening experience that resonates well beyond its initial release. While it may not appeal universally due to its vocal style or production choices, its influence on glam rock revival is undeniable. As such, it remains an essential listen for fans of rock music looking for both nostalgia and excitement in their playlists.

It’s fun and campy but the songs are actually good

This is an example of how to just have a fun rockin time and not take things too seriously. They remind me of 70s glam bands, specifically Sweet. 3.5 stars.

Really liked this.

Ridiculous in all the right ways. It's a bit much, for certain, but then again, that's the whole point. Extra awarded for me liking Justin Hawkins as a YouTuber and general rabble rouser.

This album lived up the name of this project. I loved it.

AC/DC + Tenacious D + Dennis and Charley day man song + Skid Row + Queen and it FUCKING WORKS.

Ever since I bought myself an animal print top and a pair of faux snakeskin boots, I’ve been on a huge hair metal kick, so this is maybe the best time for me to listen to The Darkness. It’s funny to recall how, at the time, I think most people claimed to enjoy The Darkness, or at least “I Believe in a Thing Called Love,” in an ✨ironic✨ way. Like so much of the so-called ✨ironic entertainment✨ of the ‘90s and ‘00s, though, in retrospect, it was always deeply and overwhelmingly sincere. Similarly, The Darkness approach their hair metal revivalism with the same level of irony-masked sincerity. The clumsily crowded lyrics, the extended guitar solos that sound like shredding but are pretty cut-and-dry, the over-enunciate operatic vocals and harmonies – it all feels tongue-in-check, but it’s actually as honest as a confessional. And while a lesser girl would say, “Ah, yes, so The Darkness is Camp™️,” I know better. And my own enjoyment is not camp, but deeply, deeply sincere. Permission to Land is just filled with excellent songs, many a million miles above “I Believe in a Thing Called Love.” There’s the hard biker bar headbanger “Love on the Rocks with No Ice,” the ‘80s power pop of “Friday Night” and “Growing on Me,” and the power ballad “Holding My Own.” Minus a couple mediocre or cliché duds here and there, this album is jam-packed. It’s fun as hell and instantly enjoyable. At the end of the day, that’s the goal of hair metal, but while machismo tainted the majority of the original wave, the innocent sincerity behind The Darkness’ music keeps the party alive. Permission to Land isn’t life-changing, but it’s certainly life-affirming. Not the most essential hair metal, or the peak, but revivalism has its own unique value, especially when it’s as entertaining as this. It just so happens that, compared to other revival acts, The Darkness came a lot closer to peak than anyone would expect, and that makes Permission to Land surprisingly more interesting overall.

Good fun record with Jusin Hawkin's acrobatic vocals and a party-time feel to all of it. Nothing too deep, and I had forgotten most of it, but spent a good time rediscovering it.

I loved this band back in high school man. Still hits.

First listen, the falsetto was too much. Second listen, I feel like I understood what the album was about. 4 stars.

Silly and good fun. It's not often that you listen to an album and get the feeling that the band just wants you to have fun. Some tight guitar work, some genuine bangers interspersed with silly and borderline novelty tracks. Just fun.

While the vocals are a bit jarring at times, overall this is a really fun album to listen to. This is easily a 3.5 on its way to a 4.0 rating. In all honesty, it's the vocal stylings that hold it back, even though I'm sure that's what makes the band and album so identifiable in the first place.

Solid rock album. I wish the vocal stylings weren't so distracting, but it was a fun listen.

This is purile, stupid and occasionally tasteless; and it's fantastic. With tongue firmly wedged in cheek, this band pulled off teh unthinkable and made solid 1970's rock/pop/metal for the masses in the middle of the Strokes/White Stripes garage rock boom. If you can't enjoy this album then you are definitely no fun at parties. Best Tracks: Get Your Hands Off My Woman; Growing On Me; I Believe in a Thing Called Love

Nicee

Fun album. A mix between AC/DC, Queen and Twisted Sister. Felt fresh and surprisingly quite different form most albums here. "I find that I believe in a thing called love" above the rest. Still the other songs hold a high quality. The vocals are really where it is at, and the falsetto is really cool. There are plenty of good riffs too. Think this gets a weak 4 as it holds a high quality throughout with a really good single.

Ha! I woke up this morning, saw what album I had and thought 'I'm going to give this a sub one or a four plus, entirely depending on my mood'. Turns out I was extremely ready for the ludicrous pomp of The Darkness. The thing is, there are at least five certified and extreme bangers on here. Get Your Hands off My Woman, Friday Night, Love Is Only A Feeling, Love On The Rocks and Growing On Me are all brilliant, and I'm only not including I Believe In A Thing Called Love because it's been done to death. Ultimately I'm a very serious man, and it's too silly to get a five, but hot damn it's close.

Sometimes you want music to put a smile on your face and lighten your mood, this album does just that.

4-

Melodramatic, explosive and charmingly cheesy. I just can't be a hater.

🔥🔥

This album, and in particular the singles, was ubiquitous in my formative years. It has aged unbelievably well for what was seen as somewhat of a kitsch project. Justin Hawkins is also famously one of the nicest men in rock, plaudits for that alone.

Mixed feelings. On one hand, the guitars and drums were hard. Great instrumentals. On the other, the vocals were annoying on most songs. 3.5

I could never work out if The Darkness were a genuine metal band, or if they were taking the piss out of the genre. Regardless, this is a solid album, and more importantly, it's fun.

This was a fun album in my college days. Very much throwback and a fad of a band, but it was class in its time. Not sure how well it has aged though but i enjoyed listening to it again for the first time one 20 odd years!

The Darkness are a band that came several decades too late but that clearly didn't stop them. I always respect the bands who just seem to be having fun. You may dismiss the idea of glam rock from the early 2000s as gimmicky. You may laugh at some ridiculous lyrics. But honestly, try not to have fun listening to this album.

Yo this shit is actually pretty good. The dude’s voice is a little much at times but it’s still impressive none the less.

This was a riot. I liked this album when it came out, but I haven’t listened to it in 20 years. A total blast.

Fun rock album

Hressilegt og gott. Talsvert rebel attitjúd sem fer vel í mig.

This album is good dumb fun. It does the hair metal thing really well and I enjoyed it a lot. My issue with it is that it doesn't offer anything new. It doesn't push the genre or subvert your expectations at all. The only reason that it seems to be here is that it's British and sold a lot. This list has really shown me just how stagnant music has been for a couple of decades now.

A nice selection of hype glam metal with some nice calmer rock songs. I enjoyed the entire album.

01) Black Shuck - 7,0 02) Get Your Hands off My Woman - 7,5 03) Growing on Me - 8,5 04) I Believe in a Thing Called Love - 10,0 05) Love Is Only a Feeling - 9,0 06) Givin' Up - 8,0 07) Stuck in a Rut - 7,5 08) Friday Night - 8,0 09) Love on the Rocks with No Ice - 7,0 10) Holding My Own - 8,0 11) Makin' Out - 7,0 TOTAL: 7,95 (80/100) Current ranking: 104/288 This album was totally different from everything that was out there at the time. I loved "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" and to this day "Christmas Time (Don't Let The Bells End)" is an inevitable part of my Christmas soundtrack. As quickly as they appeared in the musical sky, so quickly they faded away and went back into the darkness... But we will always have "Permission To Land" to remind us of the year 2003.

I mean, *seriously*? Well, after paying the right amount of attention to this hard rock revival debut, whose commercial success in the early noughts was quite unexpected, I readily admit that it was quite a fun ride. Strong whiffs of AC/DC, Kiss and Van Halen abound in The Darkness's music. "More fun than *Use Your Illusion*," magazine Classic Rock goes. Yep, I concur. Shorter, too, and far less self-indulgent--oddly enough for a band playing such extrovert songs. Oddly enough, for me, this music is even far better than the one of their other obvious models Judas Priest--because *Permission To Land* is both sonically more adventurous and blessed with catchier hooks and choruses. It's camp, over-the-top extravagant, thanks to the Sparks-indebted castrato lead vocals (people comparing the latter to Freddie Mercury clearly miss the true influence here), and it has its share of hilarious one-liners--which proves that the band don't take themselves so seriously, at least for this debut (and it's all the better when you have an outrageous song irresponsibly praising the use of heroin, I guess--which, given the outrageous performance in that track, no one in their right mind will take seriously anyway). "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" is the obvious highlight here, but there are so many other great songs as well, both rock bangers and the mandatory metal power ballads. The only minor issue is that the last quarter of the album can't quite keep up the pace initiated by the rest before, but nothing too annoying in the end. 3.5/5 for the purposes of this list of "essential albums", rounded up to 4. 8.5/10 for more general purposes (5 + 3.5) Number of albums left to review: 87 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 392 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 229 (including this one) Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 293

It was rock and felt like it the whole time. Enjoyed that, but it wasn't standout just good.

Ha! What great fun. Turns out I listened to this album 10 years ago and not since. So strange, anyway I really enjoyed this round and look forward to putting it on again. Faves. Love Is Only a Feeling, Friday Night

This was pretty inescapable when it first came out, but not gonna lie, it also felt like a much needed injection of straight forward fun into the UK music scene at the time. So, a slight nostalgia bump, but I think not quite enough to get to a 5 - the album is pretty front loaded and the second half doesn't go nearly as hard as the first. Fave track - "Growing on Me" this time around. "I Believe In A Thing Called Love" just got way too overplayed...

So good. Love this group.

Cheesy and it knows it. I'm all for it.

This would have fit right into my cassette collection in the late nineteen hundred and eighties. I have less use for it now but enjoyed it once.

I was so surprised to see this one on here! I don't know if my enjoyment was a 4, but I love something different and punchy and ridiculous being on this list. Definitely need to revisit this album more!

this is a pretty fun album. i like the crazy, over-the-top 70s glam/80s hair metal energy on this one, and had no idea the darkness was from the 2000s when I first heard their music. it sounds pretty authentic, though there's less pervasive misogyny and racism. even some modern acts haven't figured that out yet (looking at you, steel panther) I believe in a thing called love really feels like the standout track here, with the other ones around it supporting it and providing context. however, a whole album of this sound and energy gets grating after a while. they definitely deserved better than the one-hit-wonder novelty status they enjoy here in the US, but how much more? hard to say. favorites: black shuck, get your hands off my woman, I believe in a thing called love, love is only a feeling, stuck in a rut

Great album, it rocks, has nice grooves, excellent vocals, there's an element of fun too. Would be even better live than recorded I'd think.

Man, I had this CD in the car for a while. It’s not deep, it’s not a masterpiece, but boy is it entertaining. The best hair metal of the 2000s?

Loved it! Way better than i thought it would be!

This is great fun and I’d like to give it a 5, I think the joke wears a little thin towards the end and I was ready for something else. BTW, this is no longer on the revised list.

great album, i didn't like some of the songs

20 years later, it’s undeniable. Amazing execution on an idea

I had never listened to this before nor heard of this band. It's a fun rock record. It has definite Queen and T-Rex influences. I will be checking out their other material.

In a college drawing 101 class we would play CDs while we drew. Usually the teacher's, sometimes student contributions. 'I believe in a thing called love' played on a student mix-CD, and after it ended a taciturn latino kid who always wore a dodgers cap, and who was rumored to be in a cult-like church walked across the whole large ass studio, not saying a word as we all watched, also silent, and hit repeat on the boombox. We all (fairly diverse crowd of yung'ns, first generation hippie teacher, architecture and other serious students who had to be there, arty weird kids, and misfits like me taking it for fun) immediately knew and acknowledged that this was the only correct course in that moment. What a song. These boys (like the oft-maligned kid rock in his salad days) understand rock and roll. Catchy melody, energy, and singing that is fun to sing along with. The guitar is neither innovative nor virtuosic, but they sell it (solos get objectively better if you call them, and have a guitar drop into your hands in the video). The falsetto is ridiculous but perfect. I'd heard and like some of the other songs, and really the entire album catches the right balance of perfectly dumb and perfectly fun. Guitar!

Great album. Classic riffs with modern licks. Love it

Listen, I can’t give a British glam rock band from the 00s five stars, but this was really fun. They knew the assignment, and they committed to the bit. They even did it with good musicianship.

Heavy handed and very winking, while also shockingly good. 3.5/5

I liked this. It rocked decently well, and was a bit of an homage, or throwback, and yet managed to sound reasonably modern. I could see people not liking the vocals, though, it was a bit Geddy Lee-eque.

I still love this record. What an infectious combo of rock ethos, pop hooks, smirky innuendos, and of course Justin Hawkins' soaring falsetto vocals. And the songs are great too.

What a fun, over produced album!

I was at a BBQ at a friend’s house in around 2001/2. His old flatmate kept taking the music off and putting his band’s demo tape on. It got very annoying. My pal said they were never gong to make it as they had been trying for years. The Darkness did make it though. Can’t be too serious about music and sometimes it’s just fun to enjoy.

Listened Before? N I remember when this album came out. I was actually very excited about the single "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" and it was a huge hit as I expected. However, they didn't get much more play other than that. 2003 was a weird time where we were stuck between radio and streaming/file sharing. I never even ended up listening to the whole thing because I wasn't quite ready to pay for it. Now, though, I have listened to the whole album and I got to say it is a breath of fresh air for that particular time. Great hair-metal sound in a non hair-metal time. I really enjoyed this one. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: I Believe In a Thing Called Love

The singer’s voice is so distinctive you may forget how weak some of songs are.

Great fun.

A very fun and over-the-top album. If you look beyond the slight silliness the guitars are genuinely rocking, and Justin Hawkins is a unique and talented singer Docked one star because the last few tracks tail off in quality a bit

Um álbum muito divertido, bastante euforico e que demonstra tudo o que um álbum de rock moderno deve ambicionar. A voz aguda do vocalista lembra por vezes Robert Plant. As guitarras pesadas e com uma boa quantodade de distorção tornam tudo mais interessante. Poucas são as coisas negativas que tenho a apontar a este álbum, ele nem é muito repetitivo, cada música tem alguma coisa que a distingue da anterior. Contudo, mesmo sendo um álbum divertido, não vai muito para além disso, gostaria de voltar a ouvir no futuro, mas não guardo muita coisa presente nele. Destaco a música Black Shuck e o Love is Only a Feeling. Nota: 7/10 data: 06/06/2024

It rocks

Such a fun band and sound, especially in the early 2000s when it was all hoobastank and yellowcard

The beginning had me thinking I would tire of the sound and of Justin Hawkins' voice pretty quickly, but not at all. Somehow they take all these rock & roll cliches but instead of turning it into something generic, they create an album that's super fun and unique in its own familiarity. Standouts are Get Your Hands of My Woman, Growing on Me, Love is Only a Feeling, Givin' Up, and Love on the Rocks with No Ice.

Sincerity goes a long way. You can be uninspired throwbacks putting music that isn't pushing any envelopes, and it can still RULE because you're doing so without an ounce of irony and a true love for the genre you're playing within.

I enjoyed this. It's a little crazy over the top but fun.

Liked it

The power of not taking yourself seriously and sounding good at the same time is a challenge few can accomplish - and these guys do. Saw them as an opener for Lady Gaga(!) a few years ago and they really got the crowd going. Highly recommend.

I am surprised to have never heard of this band. They shared a lot of resemblance to many iconic rock bands which I definitely liked. There were times where the voice was slightly difficult to get behind but I think that’s what made it so interesting. Definitely would listen again.

This is absolutely and utterly ridiculous and I could/can never tell if the singer was serious or channeling Jack Black / Tenacious D. Fkn hell - i'll admit it's also kinda fun right from the first chords of "Black Shuck." I haven't listened to any sort of glam metal for about 35 years so I still react a little "meh" to the idea of this but the guitars are so goddamn AC/DC sounding (huge props to the engineer and/or producer for working out those perfect huge tones) that it's hard to resist. The album is a bit much overall - however using the "nothing can exist in a vacuum" cliche, if these guys had released this in 1983 they'd probably be lumped in with Autograph and Fastway but say what you will, releasing this album unapologetically in 2003 took balls. It's all an absurd schtick as I'm sitting here laughing at the lyrics on "Friday Night" but sometimes you really do need a strong kick-in-the-balls counterpoint to the precious Morrisseys of the world. Points for bringing stupid hard rock back. I'm in. 7/10 4 stars.

I really like the Darkness. Are they making groundbreaking leaps in musical advancement, pushing the frontiers of human sonic exploration? No. Are they a novelty band parodying a genre of music that went out of fashion decades ago? Yes. Are they a lot of fun? Yes! I Believe in a Thing Called Love is the standout song and it’s clear why everyone thinks it’s the One Hit by these absolute Wonders, but Love Is Only a Feeling is also a really good power ballad and I love the riff in Black Shuck. Love on the Rocks with No Ice is good, but it doesn’t need to be 6 minutes long, and Holding My Own also over stays its welcome.

I thought I was going to enjoy this but not as much as I actually did. Generally just really good and really fun. Every song was different enough while sticking to a vibe which is what I want in an album.

This is pretty good

This is such a fun album. I’ve watched the Justin Hawkins Rides Again YouTube channel several times but this is the first time I’ve listened to The Darkness. It’s so over the top! It’s not something I’m going listen to every day, but it is unabashed in its silliness, while at the same time exhibiting some real bonafide musical talent. 3.5 stars

Well obviously I like the song called I Believe In A Thing Called Love! But it was nice to hear the rest of their songs! 4/5

Juuuu-stin Hawkins rides again, ..., agaaain. Straight-up middle of the road rock, but I rather enjoyed it.

Wow, ok, so I don't know that I know a single song by this band that isn't "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" but I do like that song and I am excited to hear the rest of the album. I feel like they may be a one hit wonder, so I am worried the rest of the album may be lacking what the one hit has. We'll see. BLACK SHUCK that dog don't give a fuck! Haha interesting opening. Get your hands off of my woman motherfuckerrrrrr. Lol. Without the lyrics in front of me I don't think I'd know what they were saying in any of these songs. For some reason on Spotify they sound a little fuzzy in general... Not sure if that's just how they are or if it's the quality on there. Growing on Me is good too. Damn I can't believe I never listened to this whole album. I ended up enjoying most of this album! The homage to hair/glam metal is strong but doesn't ever truly step into the realm of parody. Some of the songs are hilarious (my favorite being Get Your Hands Off My Woman (motherfucker!)), but honestly they still rock! I can't understand half the lyrics without looking them up, but when I do I am surprised that they actually aren't all jokes. There are some heavy themes here. Heroine use (may just be an homage to rockstardom), rocky relationships, finding new paths, and, of course, love. I did not expect to enjoy much of the rest of the album this one hit came from but I admittedly did and, you know what, it does deserve to be on this list!

Has the right amount solid riffs, comical lyrics and all around fun.

Riff fuelled high glam-ping! Go Justin!

Fantastic album - and a great live act. I’ve seen them in concert quite a few times now and they don’t disappoint. Probably the best gig was in The Fleece & Firkin in Bristol, which only holds a couple of hundred people. Justin did some guitar solo while the rest of the band stood behind the bar, and I shook hands with Rufus Taylor! Spandex-tastic!!

A spandex-clad beauty of an album from a band that knows how to put on a live show. LOVED it!

Aaaah Permission To land . You are permitted to land . This was a damn good record. From front to back , no skips , they somehow managed to keep my attention all through, while blasting some very good music through my ears. Favourite tracks were "Get your hands off my woman (obviously) " "Growin on me" and "Givin up"

Some bands have a sound, and that’s why you listen to them, well executed album and a unique fun sound, sure made me think… what happened to these guys, probably playing the casino circuit…

I consider them classic glam rock revivalists and they’ve got it down to a science! We cover “I Believe in a Thing Called Love,” but it’s just such a ridiculous song. Flamboyant and fun!

For nostalgia I have to give this a 4... 68/100 but would still happily listen to it over and over just like I did in 2003.

A few songs get a little screechy and I started feeling some concern for the lead singers vocal chords. Over all a strong album that I would listen to again

The Darkness really annoyed me at the time for some reason but revisiting this it is actually a fun listen packed full of bangers and good musicianship. Loved it. Nice one generator

I only knew "I believe in a thing called love" from this group that I didn't even know the name. The Darkness are to be re-listen and added to my rock folder 📁 4,5/5

This album is catchy and fun. Is it cheesy? Of course. Is it meant to be profound? Definitely not. Just throw it on and enjoy it.

4/5. Yeah, I mean it's basically rock. The singer has a unique high octave operatic tone they can reach and the normal singing is nice to listen to. Guitar work and instrumentation resembles Boston in a good way but some songs don't land as effectively. First half is so good and I do like how they have no filter, fills in some of the passion missing from older classic rock albums. It's a little silly, and that adds to the charm, I just wish more of the songs landed, overall a good newer rock album, hard to find.

Campy as fuck. Somehow I enjoyed this. It may not look like it, since I listened to the whole thing with a straight face, but I was ~internally~ vibing, so that must count for something.

Fun all the way

Great album I knew a few songs from but never could have identified. Really enjoyed this album. Learned later it was one of Kelly and her family’s favorites in the era.

7/10 some songs were really good some songs were laughably shit mostly alright I guess

Hilarious

Super cheesy glam rock. Is it super influential? No. Is it a good listen? Hell yes

Really fun album. I listened to this a ton when it was new. It’s not a five star in my book, but it’s loud and fun.

Vraiment belle découverte. Tout après Logical progression sonne super.

The Darkness continues a fun, slightly campy classic rock sound for the early 00s. I had taken an interest in his YouTube channel in the last year not being previously familiar with his music, so it's nice to give this album a hear. Just have a fun time with it and don't take it too seriously. Justin's got an impressive falsetto! Of course I Believe In a Thing Called Love is a favorite, along with Growing On Me and Love Is a Feeling.

Good album! I really love how Justin Hawkins’ voice just floats over everything. Songs like “Givin’ Up” and “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” transport me back to the 80s in a good way. “Love on The Rocks with No Ice” does the same but in a bad way. Regardless, it’s decent enough for me to give it an 82%, almost tying it with Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes (82.2%). That’s why I’m using percents here, and that’s why the album receives a 4.1/5.

Going in to the regular rotation.

awesome album

Straight up fun album.

From the falsetto to the glam rock riffs, this album reeks of cheese... and yet, it is so embarrassingly catchy. Reluctantly I'll have to say 3.5/5, and round up at that.

Pretty bold to do glam rock in the early 2000s.

Tasainen, hyvälaatuinen ja viihdyttävä. Viimeaikaisen tasoon nähden korostuu ja saa ehkä enemmän multa arvostusta kuin normaalisti saisi

Amazing rocking album. Super fun lyrics and the highs on his vocals and epic

pretty good, really enjoy i believe in a thing called love. Was nice to hear other songs on the album

These guys go for the epitome 80s hair rocker sound, with the exception of that crazy high voice and the funniest use of f-bombs I've heard in this genre!

I'd give it a 4 I really liked this album

very fun

This was one of the first albums I bought as a 13 year old that felt a bit ‘dangerous’ (as much because of the naked woman on the cover as the music, as I remember). Getting to see The Darkness perform the whole thing live last month was a lovely reminder of both those rebellious times and a really good album (Friday Night in particular was joyous). They took themselves less seriously than a lot of the classic rock bands they were pastiching, but also in my opinion wrote better tunes than most of them. Strip away the humour and the innuendos and you’re still left with some genuinely strong songs. Also, the sequencing of Love Is Only A Feeling straight after I Believe In A Thing Called Love always tickled me. 4.5

HL: "I Believe in a Thing Called Love", "Love is Only a Feeling", "Givin' Up", "Friday Night" Why wasn't "Givin' Up" released as a single? *finally pays attention to the lyrics* oh Despite this sitting in my CD collection, this is the first time I've heard Permission to Land in full. It's already near the top of my go-to "big dumb fun" albums, though. I get its inclusion in the 1001, and I also begrudgingly accept its removal January 2, 2024

Hebt sich dank dem Sänger aus der grossen Menge der Metal-Alben ab. Man mag das oder nicht. Ich mag es definitiv.

What an amazing nostalgia trip this turned out to be! I grew up with «One Way Ticket», but I never really explored The Darkness fully. This will be a staple in my «gym music» collection from now on. This is also an example that I am not a huge fan of goofy comedy music, but a rather big fan of satirical music.

Favorite Songs: Black Shuck I believe in a thing called love Solid hard rock album. Gives me AC/DC vibes while being a bit less catchy. Nevertheless a fun album.

5 if I'd've liked the genre better

An 80s hair band pastiche in the 2000s. It's just so great! I've always loved these guys. Ironically or unironically, you tell me.

Short and to the point. This album rocks. Standouts: I Believe in a Thing Called Love, Black Shuck, Growing on Me, Love is Only a Feeling, Christmas Time Others: Get Your Hands off My Woman,

Yes! Unashamed enjoyable, clichéd fun-loving rock, which also happens to be played very well. Not a comedy band, but good rock musicians paying homage to their heroes. They also happen to have a great sense of humour. I appreciate Justin’s falsetto is not fir everyone and there are songs where he doesn’t mess with the higher registers. Lots of Thin Lizzy duel guitars. A power ballad of immense pleasure in Love Is Only A Feeling. A pop song with an amazing hook in Friday Night. Brilliant.

Por I Believe in a Thing Called Love.

This actually worked for me, nice one!

Never outright listened to them before. Really fun and bright rock and roll from the 2000's. I believe in a thing called love is the song I had heard before and is a classic, but the song after, love is a feeling, is the new gem to me

Hard rock como debería ser. Contextualizado, fue una bocanada de aire al género. Riffs pesados y llevaderos, que dan buenos ánimos. Guitarras distorsionadas, fuertes y bien al frente, bajos sin mucha complicación y una batería que va siempre a lo que necesita el resto de la banda. Grandes canciones, con excelentes composiciones. No suele caer tanto en el obvio riff de hard rock o en melodías básicas. La voz, excelente espectro, tanto de llegar bien bajo o tener que llegar tan alto, en ocasiones tonos absurdos y cartoonesco. En general, gran disco. Hitazo: I believe in a thing called love Canción favorita: Growing on me Sorpresa: Love is only a feeling

Shamelessly indulgent of the hair metal cliches that ruled the roost back in the late eighties before grunge came along and kicked it's shit, right down to the, uh, provocative, let's say, cover. Little shocking that this came out in 2003. Little trashy, and it's no Appetite for Destruction, but it's really fun nonetheless, and just a really upbeat and enjoyable listen. My favorite track was Friday night.

Kind of a fun throwback

It's not inspired, it's not well written, its not even particularly relevant: but this band sure knows how to play to it's strengths. The songs have an effective simplicity and greatly benefit from playing to the more sentimental, uplifting side of rock which lends the album a shining personality. The performances are spot on, the band laughs at rock cliché and they know where the hook is.

They exploded in the middle of 2003 like a rainbow neutron bomb. Nu metal was fading, rock had been relived (again) by some politically correct and very cool figures (hello Julian, hello Jack) and the world was still recovering from Sep 11. So when these guys appeared in a flash with a song titled 'Get Your Hands Off My Woman', looking like a hair metal band, wearing leggins and using falsetto, the whole musical world fell apart. They gave us their very best on this first record and faded fastly. But oh man, it was fun while it last

Estupendo disco de rock, intenso, guitarrero y con ritmo. Le desluce un poco el hecho de que el cantante abuse tanto del falsete. Aún así, muy escuchable

It's impossible to express what a breath of fresh air this album was when it arrived in 2003. It was just a ridiculous flaming comet that seemingly came out of nowhere. I was so ready for it, and pretty much had it on constant rotation for the better part of a year. So what's so special about it? There was nothing particularly new about The Darkness. They embraced a lot of musical ideas that were long out of date at the time, but they do it with an energy that you can't help but feel drawn to. Much of the band's success was in their timing. We needed something campy and hedonistic and completely unserious at that time. Someone who was just there to rock. The band and this album deliver that in spades. Alternatingly glammy and scuzzy, these songs are full of sassy licks and unafraid of a good old fashioned guitar solo. The band rocks hard when they feel like it, but there's also a pop sensibility and charm here that elevates these songs to a level where they have no business being. It's what 80s glam should have been. In Justin Hawkins, you have a singer who embraced a high vocal at a time when it could not have been less cool to do so. He channels the energy of 70s singers like Bolan, Mael and Mercury, but laces it with a pissyness and grit very much his own. The lyrical content is fairly dumb, but it suits the band's sound in the best ways. The big star track of the album was of course "I Believe in a Thing Called Love," an unapologetically jubilant and lusty love song. Some of the best lyrics tread a line between contradictory ideas. I never thought for instance that I would be singing the praises of a bubbly ode to heroin addiction ("Givin' Up"), but here we are. It requires a serious gift for songcraft to make those opposing elements work in a song, but the band makes it feel effortless. I also read somewhere that you can interpret the song "Growing on Me" as either being about a girl or about an STI, which is pretty hilarious when you think about it. There was no way the band was going to be able to keep this sound going, and their other albums never come anywhere close to this one. But it was such a big, fun moment in time by a bunch of guys who clearly love what they're doing. We could use more of that in music. Fave Songs: I Believe in a Thing Called Love, Growing on Me, Love Is Only a Feeling, Givin' Up, Love on the Rocks with No Ice, Holding My Own

Mostly bangers

Started slower and less awesome than it finished.

Ég var mjög hissa á að sjá þessa plötu hérna á listanum, því hún er eitthvað svo mikið "one off" og úr takti við samtíma sinn, þrátt fyrir að vera agalega vinsæl. En hún er samt ansi melódísk og skemmtileg, það fannst mér þá og núna.

Justin Hawkins' falsetto is ridiculous. The whole concept of a hair metal album released in 2003 is sort of dumb. But at least it's dumb fun. "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" is permanently etched into the souls of my generation, but there are several other tracks here that, while less well-known, are just as enjoyable and carry just as much energy. I thought this would be a 3, but you know what? Fuck it. This was a fun little listen, 4 stars baby.

Usually I'm not much into party rock, glam rock, etc. But this one, well, rocks. It's impossible to really take this album serious, but that's probably not what it was ever designed to do anyway.

De muziek is heerlijk, maar die zanger maakt het moeilijk om een heel album lang te blijven luisteren. Deze doet het beter in losse nummers dan als geheel. Dus zo heb ik 'm ook geluisterd vandaag, in etappes. Tussen de 3 en 4, waarbij ik ondanks m'n kritiek kies voor 4 sterren.

Thought it would be a bit twee revisiting it but it was great.

I'm just going to cut straight to my thoughts on the two main talking points of this album: The screechy Freddie Mercury vocals were terrible at first but they really grew on me by the time I got to I Believe... and yeah its a decade and a half too late for this album but hey it's still better than a lot of hair metal. It's hard not to respect them for confidently slamming all of their shallow 80s rock cards on the table--even down to the naked woman on the album art--in the midst of the golden age of nu-metal, especially when the result is as fun as they managed to make it. I can just imagine how much fun karaoke I Believe in a Thing Called Love would be at like 1 in the morning at some shitty local bar. Also, the production sounds like guns n roses in quite a few tracks which I was totally fine with since I grew up on their music.

Long live glam rock I'm here for it!

Fantastic!

I liked this far more than expected! More rock than anticipated, too.

Such a fun album.

alfa I Believe in a Thing Called Love

Fun all round

I used to kind of dislike The Darkness, but looking at it now and listening to this whole album, I get the appeal. This was just another fun and ridiculous glam metal band, but the difference is this is from 2003 and not the eighties. It must have really seemed crazy hearing this amongst the angst and edge of early 2000s rock and metal. But hey, they decided that they were going to make something that went against the grain of anything being done at the time and revive glam metal for a while. You can tell they had a lot of fun doing it too - It really shines clear in the album and I can totally appreciate that. While seeing a glam metal album, from an era when nu metal still ruled the rock world, is really cool, compared against other glam bands it's still not my favourite. Justin Hawkins' range is impressive for sure but the falsettos do get old. I think some of the songs were a bit forgettable, and generally the album is one for scattering across a playlist/mixtape rather than listening in one go. Either way though, this proved to be way better than I originally expected. Favourite: I Believe In A Thing Called Love

Fun album, starting to grow on me. Always loved I Believe In A Thing Called Love, but the album is more than that.

Through most of this I assumed I was listening to some 70s glam-rock band that I had never heard of. Imagine my surprise when I saw this album was from 2003. Great throwback sound, lots of energy. My only complaint is that sometimes the lead singer's voice is a little bit shrill, but overall it's a lot of fun. 4 stars.

Spandex 4eva!!! I really don't feel like I need to add more to this. Tracks 2-7 are a five star album, but the gimmick does tire a bit after that. But if they were a parody band, how come their best stuff is better than most glam metal bands ever managed?

This is now as old as the music it is paying tribute to was when it was released. The fact that it still holds up is testament to it being it's own amazing creation. Tons of fun.

Good driving music. Very powerful, psyched me up. Hair metal screams are what I needed today. He's got such a great voice, so much range. I only know 'I believe in a thing called love' but I found a new favourite 'Growing on Me'. 'Love is only a feeling's is such a ballad, another new favourite. Had me moving from start to finish.

10th August 2023 Listened a day or so late, all these are out of whack. We’re doing nothing while waiting for baby. A classic of my youth, camp glam rock was brought back in a big way for a year. Thing called love was ubiquitous.

On the first tracks I needed a while to get into the albums but later I could really enjoy this glam rock that doesn't shy away from anything - in a time where rock music was heavily besieged by numetal.

Bit of a piss-take, like a poppier Steel Panther, but some good tunes if you can stomach the falsetto. Cut a couple of tracks from the second half and it'd be a classic.

I remember when "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" came out and I couldn't tell if the song was meant to be serious or not. That song was Tenacious D-esque. Now that I've heard the whole album, I still can't tell if it's meant to me a joke or not. But - I will say this - I liked it a lot more than I thought I would. Objectively, these are good musicians and his voice (while annoying after a while) is impressive. The arrangements are good, the melodies are cool. I really enjoyed several of the tracks even more than "I Believe" (Holding My Own was a standout). I can't believe I'm going to do this, but - in the context of this list - I have to give it a 4.

Surprisingly great album, almost more classic rock or metal rather than glam rock

All in fun, with some surprisingly deep moments

Nice

4.0

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: I believe in a thing called love, Love is only a feeling, Love on the rocks with no ice

So good. Wicked guitar interplay, great vocal melodies, and fantastic production. Stoked to have finally listened to the whole album. Justin Hawkins is a fucking legend.

Some lyrics are absolutely hilarious, but nonetheless it is some proper piece of rocking. Also the frontman is fearless beast.

Good, silly fun.

This was a fun listen.

Bombastic rock with a tongue firmly planted in cheek, what's not to love?!

Ah well this is nostalgia all over for me, and Lucy I hope! She and I loved the Beatles and when we were roughly 12 or 13 Lucy's dad was taking us to see their tour in Birmingham. But I had a migraine so my brother went instead, and had a great time by all accounts. Lucy and I then saw the Darkness at Godiva festival in 2017 and it was nice to tie up that loose end. Man they gave such a banging performance and looked like they'd barely aged. Lots of hits from this album. It's a total fun album and I loved listening to it

Some of it can be a bit corny, but at the end of the day I find it's just good 'ol, straight forward, rock &/or roll. I dig it. Great guitar tone.

This is such a goofy tribute to glam rock of the past. It’s so hard to take completely seriously but is awesome at the same time. Sometimes the vocals can be grating but that’s kind of the point and at the same time it they are really good. What a strange but brilliant record.

Classic album. Took me right back to 2003 and Reading festival. Security Guard 118, I hope you’ve gotten over the trauma of having that number at the height of the BT ad campaign. Also, can thoroughly recommend a game of roast dinner baseball at 2am should you ever get the chance. Love it.

Only really knew "I Believe in a Thing Called Love", so was expecting many more silly tracks like that - and was pleasantly surprised. I went back and re-listened to ensure my opinion was accurate - they have a sound that isn't typical of the time, and stands up pretty well now. Light metal/pop. "Love is Only a Feeling" is probably my favourite. I don't have any nostalgia for it, so just a 4 stars.

Enjoyed it

Like a cheap version of Boston. Some forgettable stuff, but also some bangers.

Really impressive, though it seems a test whether you can handle the falsetto rock voice. I'm on board. I would say every song (except the last) is strong, with lots of entertaining, campy melodic "metal" (though more poppy hard rock with a falsetto metal singer). Definitely enjoyed.

Pretty rad

Solid rock album

Just do good, in a classic way

I dalje nevjerojatno zabavan album

Tiene temillas

Uiteraard kende ik dit gezelschap enkel van de hit. Tja, het is even wennen aan die mallotige stem, maar het lukt ze om boven de gimmick uit te stijgen en zowaar best lekkere muziek neer te zetten. Gillende gitaren, maar lichtvoetiger dan het stampende Soundgarden.

Een overzicht van de meer stevige gitaarstijlen. Soms meer klassiek, soms wat moderner. De zang is afwisselend. En ook binnen de nummers gebeurt ruim voldoende om het interessant te houden.

Het is hele foute glamrock. Die gillende aanstellerige stem van de zanger is best wel irritant. Givin' Up klinkt als Queen. Het is een grote gimmick van een foute jaren 80 periode. Oftewel het heeft alles om enorm te haten. En toch is het best wel aanstekelijk en vermakelijk. Dikke gitaren voeren de boventoon. Goeie drums en bass eronder. Die gasten zijn gewoon een paar decennia te laat geboren.

This album is hilarious. But it is also extremely tiring. Better as singles. Essentially, Justin Hawkins and his chums saw the dismal state of music back in the early 2000s and thought "there is literally nothing good to say about Lowestoft, which means we'll be perfect for today's music scene". Fortunately, being from Lowestoft means that you kinda have to have a certain ability to just say "fuck it, it can't get any worse" - and that's exactly what they did. They said "fuck it" and decided to do what they wanted to do, which was hair metal. In Norfolk terms, this was about the latest, most exciting, fizzing with excitement musical genre since Cromwell banned fun in 1642, and fortunately, The Darkness carried it off spectacularly. The glittery, plunging neckline unitards of Kiss, the spectacular Def Leppard haircuts are all there. Make no mistake - The Darkness are as good as anyone at what they do. They just did it 25 years after anyone else.

Hard Rock, always a joy, sometimes AC/DC vibes but an own style, Summary: I like

Goofy glam metal that can be a lot of fun. Falsetto singing of sophomoric lyrics over riffing guitars. The ultra-catchy "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" is the anthemic standout.

Good fun is to be had here amongst the high pitched hard rockers!

Silly glam metal that's really well done. It's a fun experience to listen to and surprisingly good. This could easily be mistaken to be from the 80s. I've only listened to "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" before but the rest of the album is also impressive.

It has all the catchy riffs and camp vocals of a great glam rock album.

I Believe in a Thing Called Love i Love is Only a Feeling najlpesze. Ogólnie taki całkiem przyjemny wesoły pop rock.

Such a fun album. The Darkness had a sound they wanted and just went for it.

It's bad, but still very charming

I vibed with this way harder than I was planning to. Just some good silly rockin fun.

Despite all known laws of nature, there's no way that a music should be able to fly on account of the singer's ability to do incredible falsetto runs over some upbeat rock, yet The Darkness somehow does so every song and they are all very joyous and fun! While I don't entirely believe that the vocalist is the only thing that makes this band and album good, their skills certainly overshadow anything the band can really try to do, including guitar solos, so I would almost say that it doesn't matter

2003 … wow ca sonne pas cette annee la du tout. Tant mieux, ils ont ramene le bon vieux rock l’instant d’une annee en 200. 4.25

2023/03/23 Awesome!

good album imo

- Growing on me is a great track! - I Believe in a Thing Called Love still bangs! - Love is only a feeling is great! - Friday Night is a nice song! - Love on the rocks with no ice goes hard! - Holding my own is a great rock ballad! Great guitar solos throughout the whole album worth listening to just for the fun guitar solos through the project

Even though this sounds like a late 80’s hair album, I enjoyed it. I would have liked it better without the over-the-top falsetto. In any case, I don’t need to hear it again, and it gets three stars.

The Darkness makes me think of Eli Baird for some reason.

It's okay, nice sound.

Nothing special fir me on this one.

I remember liking this more in the past. Am I biased because I've listened to this a bunch, or it just not as great as I remember?

Wow, this takes me back. I remember seeing the "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" music video when it premiered, and how that song caught fire. It's an undeniable jam, and The Darkness's sound as loving tribute to the rock bands of the 70's and 80's is weaponized to great ear-wormy effect. To their credit, The Darkness isn't trying to be any one band in particular (a la Greta Van Fleet's unabashed Led Zeppelin-worship), and they aren't aping on the period of the genre like Steel Panther; The Darkness is simply updating the sound for 2003. That's not to say the band doesn't fall into some of the same 70's and 80's pitfalls and tendencies as their predecessors, but they certainly managed to craft a solid rock album.

The Brit slant of this entire list continues. Here's another album that barely did much in the States but was a staple on the island. "I Believe In A Thing Called Love" still gets some airplay and you'll hear it in ads but no one ever listens to all 3:36 of it, it wears on you. The lead singer goes to his signature falsetto wail WAY too often, there's simply no way I could listen to all 42 minutes of this album in a single sitting. I like his voice when he's not wailing (see "Stuck In A Rut"), his lower register is Rock n' Roll (see start of "Growing On Me"). "Love Is Only A Feeling" is a good rock ballad and the guitar is big. To include this and not an album like "Escape" by Journey, "5150" by Van Halen, "Screaming For Vengeance" by Judas Priest, or "Dirty Deeds" by AC/DC and so many more is hypocritical or just plain stupid. 3 stars. Some of it's really good. Some of it's super annoying ("Givin' Up", "Stuck In A Rut"). Some of it's just weak (Friday Night", "Love On The Rocks...") but it's not a Must-Hear for me.

Certainly not bad, but most of the songs don't stick with me; might go up on relistens, generally interesting and smooth

A fun album, and a rather surprising hit for 2003. "I Believe In A Thing Called Love" is a great track, and Justin Hawkins is a compelling frontman, but I ultimately find this album a bit too backward-looking and maximalist for my taste.

Some very high moments with some otherwise low and feeling like a Rivers Cuomo side project. Without the derivative formulaic parts it is amazing

Ok

Not all fun music is a long-term friend. Plenty of fun rides, in fact, get old quick. I saw this record in the queue and assumed this had gotten old, quick, for a reason. Now I say not necessarily true! I don't really need to hear I Believe in a Thing Called Love again any time soon, but Love Is Only a Feeling and Given' Up are legitimately good songs. Add to that to that an enduring incredulity of Justin Hawkins' elastic voice. He was better than most OG hair metal singers. I am also not surprised that he eventually hurt his voice doing those gymnastics all the time.

A pretty good album, I liked I Believe In A Thing Called Love and Love Is Only A Feeling the most.

Incredibly random album haha. The guy’s voice made me so angry but some of the songs and guitar playing kicked absolute ass!

Solid hard rock, but that's a lot of Justin Hawkins' falsetto to consume in one sitting. 3 stars.

Lindo pero absolutamente olvidable para mí Nota: 3.3

Mediocre at best

I never really cared about their big hit I Believe in a Thing Called Love, so I didn't have high hopes for this album. And yeah... I found this pretty middling. The best thing I can say about this is that it sounds like they were having fun. Low 3.

Very very popular on release and I for one purchased the CD (look it up kids). Looking back now, it feels kinda silly, like they were trying TOO hard to puncture the earnestness of The Strokes / White Stripes etc. Justin Hawkins could easily be a total helmet, but appears to be a genuinely lovely guy and it was certainly a refreshing homage to the sheer BALLS OUT fun of hair metal.

I'm willing to give these guys a little more credit than they would probably deserve, because I'm pretty sure they're doing this tongue-in-cheek. Because I have trouble assuming they earnestly tried to resurrect 80s hair metal. They could certainly pass for a glam band from 1984.

goeie hair/glam metal om luchtgitaar op te spelen.. maar een hele plaat na elkaar is mss van het goeie teveel

No. 221 Rather jolly. No real duds but no standouts either.

it’s loud…i can imagine listening to this album when i’m high. Growing on me feel’s like those songs crushing on someone would sound like in teenage years. love is only a feeling is so WOWWWWWWWWWW!! i can actually listen to friday night all friday!!! holding my own the electric guitar is in point! it’s a solid 8/10

Riffs over lyrics, stereotypical but still enjoyable

It’s a fun album for sure, they pull of the glam revival thing for the most part but ultimately after the first five tracks they’ve run out of steam and any other new ideas

Is Justin on a permanent sugar rush? Fun but not a lot of depth.

It's not the greatest rock album ever recorded. And I'm not a fan of hair metal at the best of times. But this is a surprising amount of fun even 23 years later, not just because we get the word motherfucker stretched over something like five or seven notes.

It's ok

This was a good listen! I don’t think this album is for me: as talented as the singer is, it was hard for me to enjoy the constant falsetto. That said, I did like a few of the tracks. 3.5/5.

it was ok, definitely not my style but not horrible either

Great retro hard rock that still sounds new. I never listened to any song beyond the one I believe in a thing called love, but there were some other good songs.

Glam Rock, well hallelujah. But sadly, featuring the annoying high pitched screech of Justin Hawkins 😕 Where are Slade? (edit: happily, just checked, we have that joy still to come 🥳 )

"I believe in a thing called love" and "friday night" are bangers, but an entire album of this is a bit much for a tuesday morning

This album came out about the time I stopped listening to music on a regular basis as I was part of a family. I had kids to raise and didn't have the brain power or extra money to continue to buy releases. It was the beginning of streaming and it was getting harder to find new music. This is one of the reasons that I am doing the project. So, yeah, I have heard of The Darkness but I hadn't listened. Opening sounds like listening to Motley Crue or AC/DC for the first time. This is fun and cock rock. Dumb and fun. The falsetto reminds me of something but I can't place it. Maybe I heard them on the radio. The second song reminds me of the band Toronto. Guitar driven rock verging on parody. Motherfucker is always good to hear in a song. If you know what I mean. Another song that 18 year old me would love. Goofy, and easily singalong. Growing on me. Such an 80s throwback. Yeah, this is hair metal revisited. Sometimes you just want to play air guitar in a dark room and think about the partners you don't have. There it is. I Believe in a Thing Called Love. This is the song that I was thinking about when I heard the falsetto on the first song. I remember singing to this on the radio and thinking this is so much cheese. Banger of a number. Worth a listen by itself. Love is Only a Feeling - sounds like "This one is for the ladies". More of a slow lighter fueled ballad where you don't have to bop but sway. It gives the same gleeful experience as watching Nicolas Cage play Dracula or any of the Evil Nick characters. Super fun. Sometimes a bit over the top and you either go with it or turn it off. Makin' Out. Yup. Definite AC/DC vibes. I would go see this band depending on the opener. A good night for headbanging and drinking beer. There are a few songs that I don't care about but there would be nothing for me to turn the whole album off. It is definitely a vibes album where there are some times where it would be too cheesy and the feelings are lactose intolerant. Worth a 3.

A fun, but inconsequential, listen. In a positive way. I Believe In A Thing Called Love will probably be stuck in my head for the rest of the week. I won’t remember any of the other songs. But the energy and style is so enjoyable. 70s glam rock from the early 2000s. Enjoyed the whole thing. I Believe In A Thing Called Love

Honestly this is a pretty fun listen, but not really something that will ever enter my regular rotation.

It's a fun album, and I think it had probably the biggest hit of that new-wave of hair-metal rock music. I Believe in a Thing Called Love, absolute banger. The rest of the album is fine, but certainly not hits.

Good glamish rock 3.5/5

The vocals were somehow both good and bad, all at once

Fun but not quite all there