Reviews (page 4 of 8)
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
One of the best songs ever and then the rest
A loud and fun 70s style throwback. I Believe.. is one of my karaoke go-tos. A full album is a bit much of The Darkness for me, they work better in small doses. 3/5.
JL : 3, Love Is Only a Feeling
Really liked this album, but not quite a 4
Justin Hawkins, national treasure. Glam metal with a sense of arch irony. Just wished I liked metal more than I do.
Fun glam rock
Pretty mid hair metal. I believe in a thing called love is an awesome song
A 3 feels generous. Derivative and annoying vocals
Was alright, 2.5/5
2.8
this did nothing for me. i genuinely have nothing to say about it. in a way i suppose that is kind of impressive? it's certainly not BAD. hm.
Fun listen, recognized a few songs. The singing is a bit repetitive, but I liked the heaviness of the rock and would check out their stuff again.
a versatile and quite skilled vocalist, but the instruments aren't particularly remarkable, and only a few of the styles the band try to copy really land well
Pretty good.
Musically, its ok. Its some generic hard rock with generic guitar solos. I kinda liked the heavier songs. However the singing here is on another level gratting. Hes singing like someone is constatly hitting him in the balls with a baseball bat (Not good). Atleast it doesnt take itself too seriously. Or I hope its the case. Overall, its forgetable but decent. A 2.5/5 if ive ever seen one. Doesnt deserve to be on the book.
Sick riffs annoying vocals at times
Would not have guessed '03 for this one, it sounds like 80s rock. It's not a bad sound, I already knew "I Believe in a Thing Called Love", which is a fine song but not one I listen to often. They do sound like they're trying to imitate a lot of better bands though.
Decent but forgettable a strong start was muddied by a lot of fluff. Wasn’t really over the moon about any of it
Musically, pretty damn decent. It's standard fare hair metal, even if The Darkness missed the peak of the genre by about 20 years. I enjoyed the energy of the instrumentals, and I can *theoretically* envision both a time and place I'd listen to this, but don't mistake that sentiment for this album being anything approaching groundbreaking or worth putting on this list. In short: completely listenable but highly replicable instrumental work. The vocals are a different story. The falsetto is overblown and poorly done. You can do falsetto well (see: the BeeGees and Smokey Robinson), but this is not one of those instances. It detracts greatly from this album, and almost forces the mind to tune out. I Believe In A Thing Called Love is a song that I did at my Brother's 30th birthday karaoke bash as a joke, which pretty much encapsulates what this album is to me: lighthearted fun, but not something to ever be taken seriously. 5/10 but rounding up to 3 stars for its fun instrumentals and general listenability (outside of the falsetto). Favorites: - Get Your Hands off My Woman - Growing on Me - I Believe In A Thing Called Love - Friday Night
Best comment, "Tiny Tim does metal" Glam rock rarely does anything for me and this album did not disappoint. It was energetic and sounded OK but not willing to invest anymore time.
A total ripper of an album. Tons of fun to listen to, but good god, Justin Hawkin's falsetto is grating. In small doses it can enhance a song, but he doesn't do that (I don't think The Darkness does anything in small doses). It's such that it drops the album from a 4 to 3.
Сара 3,5 Марко 3,5
70's hard rock style plus falsetto vocals and you can tell they were having a good time. Nothing super memorable here though I do remember the track "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" being everywhere when this came out. Don't feel like anyone had this sound around 2003 so they were obviously doing their own thing. This was a fun listen not super deep lyrically by any means then again sometimes you just need something lighter hearted.
3.2
Tää laulajahan oli todella uskomaton. Jos hän olis ollu mielenkiintosemmassa projektissa, niin olisin rakastanu tätä kaikkee. Nyt lähinnä tuli välillä hymyiltyä ko tuli oikein hyviä kiekaisuja. Voi ku papparokki loppuis...
Tää on se mitä portion boys luulee olevansa. Tää on se mitä jack black on. Levyllisen verran vähän niinku söis liikaa metrilakua kerralla. Mutta jos oisin saanu puolittaa niin ois ollu nelonen.
Laulaja teki tästä mielenkiintosta :D muuten ihan peruskivaa tykitystä
Glamrock-falsettikiekuminen ei inspiroi, mut hyvä meininki muuten. I believe in a thing called lovehan oli tuttu klassikko!
Solid Instrumentals Willy the Pimp Vocals kind of ruined it, so I'm glad the rest were just instrumentals Prolly listen to this sometimes while I study
Notable for Justin Hawkins’s operatic vocals. Love the anthemic “Givin Up” in particular. “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” obv a classic.
this was pretty fun
Black Shuck 3.2 Get Your Hands Off my Woman 3.3 Growing on Me 3.5 I Believe in a Thing Called Love 4 Love Is Only a Feeling 3.6 Givin' Up 3.4 Stuck in a Rut 3.2 Friday Night 3.4 Love on the Rocks with No Ice 3.8 Holding My Own 3.3 Score: 3.47
Justin Hawkins voice can be too much sometimes.
They have a unique style that is kind of fun, but the song writing is only ok. 6/10
I think the Darkness got tarred with the novelty band brush (the outfits, the album cover and releasing a Christmas song with a pun on 'bell end' in the title probably didn't help), which might be why no one really bought the follow up. However, I also think they just genuinely loved hair metal at a time when it was deeply unfashionable. Permission to Land is campy (and patchy), but there are also some great tunes.
You could say this album came out 20 years too late. Or you could say it came out at the exact right time. If guitar forward glam rock is your thing, then this album is for you.
Lyssnade en del på detta när jag var yngre. Tror att det stack ut mycket för att det var ett band som faktiskt spelade på riktigt. Vem gillar inte gitarr rakt in i en förstärkare liksom. Justins röst är lite tjatig ibland
not a bad album. I have never heard of this group, but it is better than a lot of bands in this genre. Again, not my favorite genre (sort of hard rock/metal) but pretty good. I enjoyed listening to it although I don't think that I will try to listen to it again
A good record. Although I'll always think of them as one hit wonders and somewhat derivative, I believe in a thing called love is a great song.
For a brief moment, Hawkins made glam rock cool again.
I don't really see why this made the list. The Darkness feels like a gimmicky one-hit-wonder band that built an entire sound around being a cliché hair band, and while that can be fun in small doses, it doesn't hold up especially well across an entire album. There are definitely some fun moments, but overall this is a very average rock album. It has plenty of energy and personality, but I don't think there's enough substance here to justify its place on this list.
The vocals remind me of the tiptoe through the tulips man (can't remember his name)
I thought I hate it? But maybe not?!
didn't feel like an album for me, but it wasn't bad. kind of felt like they were playing on every hair metal trope 10-15 years after that was a trend though (lol).
Fine, not so serious rock. How many times can that sentence describe an album on this list. Fave track: I Believe In A Thing Called Love
I hate sorta liking music like this lol For the most part this is just a really fun album, designed to be catchy, singable, and easy to enjoy. I’ve heard I Believe in a Thing Called Love plenty of times, never knew that was what it was called. It definitely doesn’t feel like a 2003 album, it does a pretty good job of feeling like an 80s album at times This is a pretty shallow album unfortunately, not a whole lot of inspirational messages in this one. Get Your Hands off my Woman is just kinda weird and didn’t care for it. I got used to his voice by the end of the album, but I really don’t care for the parts he sings falsetto; vocals are actually pretty nice otherwise Even though I don’t think this is a particularly great album, I would much rather listen to this than some other albums I rated 3s. It just feels kinda immature and the kinda thing you’d think was the coolest thing when you were 12, but can absolutely see it being a guilty pleasure
Bruh I was gonna say this was good for an 80s band and then I found out that this album is, in fact, from 2003
This feels like a very unoriginal brand of hard rock, blending pop melodies and catchy choruses with AC/DC influenced guitar work. Yeah, nothing new here but hey! There are some enjoyable stuff hidden here for sure. "Black Shuck" is a great opener, but unfortunately the album goes downhill after it. The song structures are all identical, which is an enormous problem. There's also a lack of good soloing (I feel like hard rock NEEDS good guitar solos) and there are none to be found here. Sometimes, the guitarist plays some melodies that at times even sound like short and simple solos but theres nothing mind blowing. The other two highlights are "Love on the Rocks with No Ice", and "Love is Only A Feeling", a power ballad that is quite decent after all. The vocal work is definitely worth mentioning, and the choruses, despite being all too repetitive, are incredibly catchy, which is a plus in my books. Anyways, "Permission to Land" is an average hard rock all in all, being pop-ish and catchy. So, if you enjoy this kind of music go for it.
The album is a throwback to 80s hair metal. It's fun an all, but to my mind the music is too slicked-out and inauthentic.
I like the revival, but it doesn't go too far beyond being a fun and decent but mostly forgettable version of its inspirations, with a couple stand-out songs
I expected this to be a little punkier (but I may have been thinking of The Damned), but I still enjoyed this quite a bit. It's largely glam inflected hard rock with some really catchy songwriting and, perhaps most importantly, *very* distinct vocals. I actually really like Justin Hawkins' vocals and think that he's one of the biggest factors here that makes this album really stand out to me. He has such a powerful falsetto that I could even see how it could be a turn off for some people. He takes songs like Black Shuck, I Believe In A Thing Called Love, and Love On The Rocks With No Ice from solid hard rock to *really* good songs. This isn't perfect or anything, and it's not always my thing, but Permission to Land is at least consistently enjoyable.
Good album. 'I Believe in a Thing Called Love' is an absolute banger and 'Friday Night' is an amazing song, probably the best song on the album. Though I think a lot of the songs would be better if he want on a higher pitch when singing. For instance, 'Holding My Own' I think would be way better if he just sang in his lower pitch.
Rock bien rhythmé avec voix aigue chouette, mais moins mon style
Esperaba más de este, sin embargo no quita lo muy bien simentado que estaba el mismo álbum.
Kinda cheesy rock, but still very fun
This was poppy and decent. Only I believe in a thing called love really stood out.
Love ‘I believe in a thing called love’ :-)!!! I can’t believe it’s already 23 years since this came out. Wouldn’t play the whole album again (not quite my genre), hence the three stars.
has AC/DC vibes Favorite track: I believe in a thing called love other picks: love is only a feeling, growing on me
A covers band that thinks they're too good to cover the original tracks.
I really loathed The Darkness when they came out, they seemed to just be a joke band spoofing music like hair metal and Queen that I didn't like in the first place. I was quite a serious, po-faced young man at the time and liked Radiohead and Interpol and nothing that seemed too much like enjoyment for enjoyment's sake. However, since then I've become a little less earnest and watched a few of the Justin Hawkins YouTube videos where he breaks down other people's songs in an entertaining way. So I went into this with an open mind and I appreciate a bit more now why this was big at the time. I don't like the falsetto vocals much and still don't like I Believe In A Thing Called Love but overall it's kind of fun and most of the songs don't drag on too long. I'm in no rush to go back to it but it's a solid 3.
The Darkness is one of those bands that I really want to like. They are rockers and I appreciate that. Justin Hawkins has an enjoyable YouTube channel. It’s amazing how he can say something that sounds so innocent and then you realize it was kind of a backhanded insult. His voice is…let’s say unique. Dude can sing but that high falsetto, opera, whatever thing it is can get old. First couple songs I was thinking this was going to be a slog. But then it settled in. Thing Called Love is a nice song. I enjoy a lil shout of “guitar” and then the solo kicks in. Love is only a feeling a good tune. All in all, a solid album that matches my tastes. Just not enough to round up. 3.5
🙂
I can appreciate this as an unserious parody album though that's not really my thing. A fun little romp, but not essential. Favorite track: I Believe in a Thing Called Love
every falsetto singer just really needs to calm the fuck down
Doesn’t do much to me I don’t know why. The falsetto made me laugh. Also slightly out of tone. Mixed belting sounds good. But overall the vocal is on the amusing side.
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 catchy songs. I Believe in a Thing Called Love
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
Kadett, Lodz, Polen. Okay, nervt aber auf Albumlänge.
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
Solid album. I only knew "I'll Believe In A Thing Called Love" before this, and that track rules. I'm not the biggest hair metal guy, so I'm not really the target audience, but have to say, was fairly enjoyable. "Growing On Me" and "Friday Night" were other standout tracks.
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
Es muy divertido y tiene muy buen ritmo. Me pregunto cómo lo hubieran recibido en los 80s
Dios por que canta asi jajajajajajjaja La banda suena bien encima todo cool, pero el cantante me distrae, es como que cante valeria lynch en motley cru
Alright
Really fun album supported by I Believe in a Thing Called Love. Is it good? No, but it’s a hell of a good time and in 2003 this was like nothing else.
You know, I appreciate how earnest this album is for what essentially is throwback 80's cock rock (I think it has a lot to do with the singers voice). In comparison to bands like Motley Crue, it doesn't sound like this band exudes STDs and heroin (despite Hawkins' drug use). But yeah, it's a fairly fun album with the crowd pleaser in I Believe in a Thing Called Love. My only real complaint is that this album in no way belongs on a list of 1001 Albums You Must Listen To. Hell, there aren't many glam/hair metal or rock albums from their heyday that belong within a country mile of this list, let alone one from 2003.
Wears out its welcome a bit
Variety: 3 Adequacy: 5 Listenability: 4 Uniqueness: 3 Emotionality: 2 = 3.4 rounded down to 3 "We'll give you crazy performance/ We'll give you grounds for divorce/ We'll give you piece de resistance/ And a tour de force, of course!" It's been a while, but I remember liking this enough when it came out to buy it. I think a lot of people dismissed them as a complete joke, when they were winking just enough for me. The music videos, Hawkins's outfits all played into this. The music itself is pretty strait forward tribute to early 70s Queen and Slade and glam infused hard rock in general. Moreso than the 80s hair metal I think they get unfairly compared to. True enough that hair metal also drew on the 70s glam and hard rock though. So fair enough. Been a good decade though since I've heard any of it aside from the big hit. THE TRACKS "Black Shuck" - Heavy notes from Queen/ Queen II era here with along with some Sparks vocal influences. Maybe a bit of AC/DC thrown in for good measure. Fun, very solid hard rock throwback stuff. "Get Your Hands off My Woman" - The humor is apparent in the lyrics sure, but the songs is pretty balls to the wall hard rock. It should not be as catchy as it is, but here we are. The way the song soars back into the stratosphere after the breakdown 2/3 of the way through is excellent stuff. "Growing on Me" - What if Freddie Mercury did a set with prime Van Halen? Would it sound maybe a little like this? An ode to STDs that's up there with "Burning for You" by Blue Osyter Cult in my opinion. "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" - The big hit. This one was all over MTV for a hot minute. And I still here it on satellite radio once in a blue moon. This one calls to mind early Cheap Trick, and would qualify as some high level power pop to me. This will certainly be the one the band is remembered for if anything. If hunting around for this on Youtube, beware of low quality shitty sounding uploads. And while the music video is not necessary, it's definitely worth seeking out. "Love Is Only a Feeling" - Even the best guitar heroes feel the pressure to dip into the schmatlz. Of any track so far on the album, this has the most in common with 80s hair metal. Specifically when those bands are in love ballad mode. Not awful by those standards, but maybe a bit TOO earnest and sappy for me. This is them at 60%, and I want 110%. "Givin' Up" - Back in the saddle again. Here we're treated to a some Thin Lizzy guitars in this happy go lucky tribute to heroin. Given Hawkins's very public relationship to addiction, it's a bit darker now in retrospect. This is no "There She Goes" when it comes to heroin songs. Hell, it's barely "Mr. Brownstone" but it's ok. "Stuck in a Rut" - Fine as well, but the title is a little on the nose at this point in the album. Maybe as sonically silly as the band gets with the "Friday Night" - A return to the power pop mode is welcome as it brings along the hooks and vocal melodies that the band is so good at. It's no "Friday I'm in Love" but's still pretty great. "Love on the Rocks with No Ice" - The most modern sounding song on here. If by modern you mean circa 1987. The harder, crunchier guitars make this stand out a bit, but it's definitely them in hair metal mode. "Holding My Own" - And we finish things out still in full 80s hair metal ballad gear. I even picture the "Home Sweet Home"-esque music video cobbled together from concert tour footage. I'll take this any day of the week over anything from Warrant or Whitesnake though. HIGHLIGHTS - "Black Shuck" - "Get Your Hands off My Woman" - "Growing on Me" - "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" - "Friday Night" MIDLIGHTS - "Love Is Only a Feeling" - "Givin' Up" - "Stuck in a Rut" - "Love on the Rocks with No Ice" - "Holding My Own" LOWLIGHTS FINAL THOUGHTS Hawkins's voice is going to be very hit or miss for a lot of people. Factor in the nod and wink towards rock's most overblown and easily parodied elements and the band is working at a disadvantage here. Even more I think when they first came out. I think at the time, this sort of music was still on the backburner of coming around for a revival. And when it did, there were several bands that leaned WAY too hard into the comedy elements ( Steel Panther anyone?). The Darkness ride the edge just fine for me, and they take the music itself very seriously. The craft and love put into this is self evident and I can't see a world in which the band saw this as any sort of a piss take. They were self aware to be sure but no one loads up that many hooks and memorable melodies into something that was just throwaway. Sometimes its ok to turn your brain off and just enjoy the ride. This is mostly empty calories, but that has its place. And "fun" albums are even better when there's just a little extra thought and care thrown in, which this has in spades. PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS FURTHER LISTENING - - Powerage by AC/DC - Pump by Aerosmith - Queen by Queen - Queen II by Queen - Kimono My House by Sparks
Enjoyably silly - slightly over stays its welcome - but good memories of seeing them at Reading.
They've had 7 albums? They were the novelty all over the radio in the early 00s, some how they've lasted? I guess the album is a bit of fun - rock equivalent of bubblegum pop. Novel and fresh at the time, but very disposable.
It’s a fun time! The lead singer’s voice is the best part because of how whimsical he is. I enjoyed it enough but it’s a lot of nonstop energy. We know there is one standout classic on here though. Top Songs: Growing on Me, I Believe in a Thing Called Love
Like he got kicked in the nuts every other verse.
i feel like this album aged poorly, not in any sense other than it was sort of gimmicky even when it came out, and that the shtick sort of wore out. despite that, it does have a several bangers ("Friday Night", "Growing on Me") that keep it at a 3 for me.
don't get me wrong, I like 70s rock music. when it was made in the 70s.... Back in the days this band would be just one of many. Also the singer can be quite annoying
What a bizarre inclusion! More fun than I was expecting. Can’t take it seriously though and don’t see a circumstance where I’d ever listen to it again.
3
Fun I guess
There are some fun absurd songs on this album, but the only song anyone needs to listen to is I believe in a thing called love. Nothing else on the album really compares
Ambitious, but not my thing. Also kind of weirdly 70s derivative?
About half the songs are right for me, and the other half, the music was meh and the vocals were irritatng. Still, there's talent there. 3/5
3.5
3.5
His voice is too theatrical, but this album still have some bangers. Low 3.5 stars
The Darkness is kind of a weird band because I often can't tell if they're serious or not. They sort of straddle the line between jokey throwback 80s hard rock band and trying to write good songs. It's better than I assumed it would be, but I don't know that the shtick really works for more than a few tracks. "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" is fun, and "Friday Night" was good. 3 stars.
Ok. I wanted to like the more than I did.
Wow! I don't think this ever got played on my side of the Atlantic, but it is the most perfect example of... whatever it is.
this was fine.
?/5 https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/the-darkness/permission-to-land/ Annoyingly, this is more entertaining than I could ever expect. Sure, it gets old quite quickly because literally everything is a gimmick, but it’s also just stupid fun.
There were vibes def a like dancing/doing hw if I could i would prob give 3.8
Decent. It's funny because this album has enough time on it now that Gen Z and later folks may not realize that The Darkness was an unabashed and over the top tribute to 70s glam rock. It's a fun listen, but Justin Hawkins' voice can be a bit much at times, which I think is kinda the point though. Anyway, I'll give it a 3. I'd probably give it another listen.
3,8
Started growing on me at Growing on Me. Likes: Growing on Me, I Believe in a Thing Called Love, Givin’ Up
Kind of rolled my eyes at first, but honestly pretty fun album of you don’t take it too seriously. Enjoyed the interpretation of a lot of familiar tropes/sounds.
3.2 Fun rock album. I grew tired of the vocal stylings over the course of the album, but he is very talented, for sure. I would think it would be a fun band to see live
This album sounds a lot older than it is, and for once that is by design. The Darkness has pretty much nailed the glam rock aesthetic here. It's a fun album, especially when they break out the falsetto. Favorite track: "I Believe in a Thing Called Love"
Not bad
I can't believe this album is on this list, but I'm not mad about it. Possibly one of the most fun albums of all time. Love Is Only a Feeling stands up to any great rock ballad. It's a 3 but it's a 4 in my heart.
Hate to be basic, ma non mi piace la voce
Flashy hard rock built on crunchy guitars, pounding drums, soaring falsetto vocals, and flamboyant glam theatrics bursts with exaggerated confidence. Listening feels like stepping into an over-the-top arena show where every riff strikes a pose and every chorus demands a spotlight. The result is wildly entertaining and self-aware, though its relentless spectacle can verge on parody.
Not bad. Feels a little dated for my tastes. ★★★
Great Musik, but awful vocal
Third star for I Believe in a Thing Called Love. My most tightly held conspiracy theory is that I absolutely saw that music video multiple times super duper late at night on MTV and then weeks or months later it was a "new" track that got launched during normal hours and I had incredible deja vu. This was before I had meaningful internet so no clue if other people experienced this. It's boring enough that I continue to believe it happened just because, like, why wouldn't they trial run the weird video first at 3am?
Permission To Land (2003) is the debut studio album by The Darkness. I was only familiar with the tracks on the album that were released as singles. I really like ‘I Believe In A Thing Called Love’ but to be honest I always think of The Darkness as a kind of novelty band based on their overblown glam rock style and Justin Hawkins high vocal range (which Justin has explained is not falsetto because it’s shouty rather than soft). The album is pretty good but the songs work best when Justin varies his vocal technique. He uses a kind of call and response on ‘I Believe In A Thing Called Love’ where he sings one part in a lower register and responds in a higher register which is really effective, but on some tracks when it’s all high pitched and shouty it can feel like a bit of an assault. I’d definitely happily listen to this again, but its not going on my wish list. Side A: 1. Black Shuck - 3/5 2. Get Your Hands Off My Woman - 2/5 3. Growing On Me - 3/5 4. I Believe In A Thing Called Love - 5/5 5. Love Is Only A Feeling - 3/5 Side B: 1. Givin’ Up - 3/5 2. Stuck In A Rut - 4/5 3. Friday Night - 4/5 4. Love On The Rocks With No Ice - 2/5 5. Holding My Own - 2/5 6. Makin’ Out - 3/5 [Note - the final track doesn’t seem to have been on the original release but is on the Spotify version]
I’d listen to again
Stupid riffs, but you can't deny them!
I really liked this album it didn't feel long and I liked the story aspect it had over the whole thing! I listened to it on my walk and it def put some pep in my step.
This is another band that I was introduced to by guitar hero but I really enjoyed this whole album!
Nostalgisk! Virkelig fed faktisk, ingen skips. Stor 3er
This album was passable for me. I didn’t dislike it, but I also didn’t like it. I’m not sure why, I’m sure there’s a reason that it’s highly acclaimed but I don’t really care for it. It feels like I’ve heard this sound before and either I don’t care for it or I’ve heard it done better. Fav song is Love is Only a Feeling, least fav is Get Your Hands off My Woman
I had heard "I believe in a thing called love" before but not the rest of this album. It was pretty good. Some were very "AC/DC" sounding.
The fun songs on this album are so fun. Just a ripping good time. Unfortunately, the ballads are as bad as the good songs are good.
It was decent
not a great deal here
A fun album.
man idk what to think. lemme try this again when I’m not on day 1 of my period
2/17/26. Insanely fun, and a little bit hilarious album. Aggressively 80s style made in the 2000s but it works as the songs are catchy and the guitar work is impressive. I Believe in a Thing Called Love is a classic for me.
если бы я могла в глэмрок/метал, это было бы очень мило, чуваки очень стараются
You can tell these guys know their instruments and their music theory, but they are opting to make simple, fun songs because they are making a conscious effort to do so. This stands in contrast to so many bands on this list who make simple songs just because they don’t know any better.
Great!
Okay, this is pretty ridiculous. What's ridiculous, you ask? Am I referring to the inclusion of this album on the list or am I referring to the album itself? Well, both, but that's not 100% an insult. For the first, I don't think this needs to be here, but it's not the worst inclusion either. At least this album had a major hit. The album itself though is where the ridiculous claims are focused at and they're not entirely bad claims either for one simple reason. This album being goofy and over-the-top is kinda the point. The Darkness are apparently a modern British glam rock band. They take that idea and just run with it on their debut album Permission to Land. How did it turn out? It's not my thing, but I can see why others might like it. I think the album succeeds in giving off the vibe that it wants to give off. Is it a vibe that I vibe with myself? Not really, but that's not a knock against the album itself, it's more so just a thing regarding my music taste. The writing is very tongue-in-cheek with replicating the glam-rock style. I'm not huge on the writing, but I can see the vision. The guitars are pretty cool though. I liked that part. The vocals are probably my least favorite part of the album. Justin Hawkins has this forced falsetto screaming thing going on for most of the album and I just find it kind of annoying. Stop trying to be Freddie Mercury bro, you're not him. As far as the songs, I didn't really fall in love with any of them. Even the big hit "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" didn't really speak to me. Overall, I'm not huge on Permission to Land. I get what these guys are going for and I respect them for seeing it through, but it's not really something that I'm excited to engage with. Light 3/5.
Started off well, high octane, fun, joyful music but by the last 3-4 tracks I'd just lost all interest.
some pleasant songs
They are trying too hard but I somewhat appreciate the effort
I really liked this album when it came out. I don't anymore, but will give it a bonus star for memories.
This album is basically built around one song, the rest is mostly forgettable and whatever. Thankfully, that one song kicks so much ass >:)
these guys are sexists i just cant prove it
This was alright, not my thing really
Groupe inconnu. Hard rock bien entrainant, plein de bons riffs. Mais l'accompagnement est parfois gâché par le chant (voix de fausset pas très agréable). Il ne rejoindra donc pas ma collection, mais je pense l'écouter de nouveau, histoire de voir si je peux m'habituer au chant ... =>3/5
Kinda like Scissor Sisters who I had a few days ago, The Darkness is fun for a few songs but a whole album gets old quick.
7/10 I somehow expected a band called the darkness to make music thats a bit eeh darker. I don't know what to make of this. The lyrics are very silly. Its fun and competent and I usually enjoy stuff thats a bit over the top, but the songs dont really do it for me. Highlights: Get Your Hands Off My Woman Growing On Me Love is Only a Feeling Holding My Own
fun listen
Having been brought up on a diet of Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Rainbow etc when I was young and gradually growing out of those bands, I’ve always steered clear of this stuff. The aforementioned bands will always hold a special place in my heart and I dismiss any wannabes as never coming anywhere close to them. Having listened to this album my attitude hasn’t changed but I’d rather listen to this than the hip(perty) hop(perty) (c)rap which pollutes this list. Not an album to sit down with but would be happy to hear tracks on a random playlist. Just studied the album cover which I’ve seen before and never got the gag until now! Good one and deserving of an extra star! 3/5 29/1/26
I've never listened through this before. Glam rock that sounds like Lynyrd Skynyrd and AC/DC? Not bad.
A fun album full of energy and nostalgia. The album suffers from its own success of the lead single—everything else feels like a build up/down from that high.
Honestly this was way better than I expected, but I just don't really like the vocals. Despite that, the songs themselves are usually pretty good, and 'Friday Night' is an absolute gem.
00’s Rock ⭐️Love Is Only a Feeling
I believe in a thing called love was a surprise on this album, but overall didn't grab me
A bit underwhelmed.
I don't know why I would listen to this instead of the classic glam rock of the 80's. Also this is too soft to hit my metal spot, and too bland to hit my rock spot.
Entertaining with a couple of bangers but not a brilliant album. The great songs really lift the experience. Wonderful live band!
Gear: Hifiman HE6se v2 SE Artwork: 🛬🏓🍑 Production (20th Anniversary Edition): 📈🐍😖 Music: ⚡🎇🫠 Rating: 🛫✈️🛬/5
Fun modern gl rock that I will forever associate with Bridget Jones’s Diary
Interesting
Är inte mycket för den här rockopera-skiten egentligen, men på enskilda låtar träffar dom fan rakt i mitt Early 2000s high school chick flicks-hjärta <3 I Believe in a Thing Called Love är ju en sån jävla banger också, så Mörkret lyckas fan kravla sig upp på en riktigt svag trea! Känner mig generös
Verkligen inte så pjåkigt. Otroligt medryckande och energigivande! Kul överraskning. Stark trea på det sättet att det verkligen är en trea rakt av.
Juuustin Hawkins rides again, aaagain.... Sjukt att dom gör den här musiken år 2003 och lyckas bli så pass stora. Dom är mycket lustiga men skulle dock hellre se det här live än att lyssna på album.
Not bad, not great.
This is Glam Rock with a bit of ACDC sprinkled in. But somehow, Glam was glammer in the 70s. 3/5
Not as cringe as I expected. Should give them more credit
It was Ok.
I remember back in the mid 2000's you couldn't get away from "I believe in a thing called love". It's a great song and a good album, giving a (at the time) more modern take on glam rock, but it's a little bit of a one hit wonder release.
Favorite: get your hand off my woman. Not my favorite rock album but a solid one nonetheless. Never heard of the band prior
Good riffs and songwriting but just not a major fan of the vocal style, kind of gimmicky imo.
The guitars really carried this album, and the vocals really added to the intensity. Favourite tracks: Friday Night Love Is Only A Feeling
Three stars. It’s a fun album.
Sure.
Fun but starts to sound the same after a while
Enjoyable
Loved this at the time but can only handle it in small doses these days
Not an album I would have expected on this list.
Sounds like every rock band you’ve ever heard - I can hear Queen, AC/DC, Led Zeppeli, to name just a few. Entertaining enough but not particularly original
This feels very AC/DC to me. Not bad at all, but nothing super original or new here at all, so I don't really see what's the point of having this album on this list. Probably 3 stars, it's alright, enjoyable listen indeed.
Shit maybe I do believe in a thing called love Favorite track: Growing on Me
Novelty 3 for a fun novelty
146/1089 I Believe in a Thing Called Love is iconic and i quite liked Love is Only a Feeling but otherwise I’m quite lukewarm on this one. It was decent but i was hoping for more based on my knowledge of IBIATCL 59/100
cheesy but a lot of fun, easy listening :)
Love the standout tracks and was out around the time I started learning guitar so they have a resonance for me - but the filler stuff is a bit samey tbh.
Hair metal opera meets AC/DC 6/10
40% of it was okay, the rest was showing off guitar skills.
Permission denied. 3
6/10 It's fun, until it's not. Really a novelty album, just with a handful of great tunes. Justin Hawkins' vocal pushes it into comedy too often, but when it all clicks, it's rather good
The most self aware band out there and I respect them for it. I also respect them for writing a Christmas song about bellends.
It's OK. It's sort of campy 80's rock, which isn't my thing.
Some fine moments
Touching you - touching me - oh yeah
Not bad, just not for me.
I always start my reviews by writing down the band, album title and year. Two songs into this album, I pulled up the site again, completely convinced that I got the year wrong. Nope, 2003 is correct. This confusion continued throughout my first listen. Is this a parody? Some of the lyrics come off that way and the music doesn’t try to hide its early 80s metal or arena rock influences. The tunes sound exactly like the music coming from the joint smoking metalheads behind my high school shop classroom. As often happens for me, the second listen was more enjoyable because I put all of that aside and just listened. These guys are seriously talented musicians and the vocals are pretty impressive. Some of the guitar solos are fucking amazing. My biggest complaint stems from my original reaction. There is not much original or new here. At what point does the old become new again? Does it matter? Maybe being “just rock n roll” is the point? In any event, this style of music wasn’t really my jam in the 80s and still isn’t. All the same, I can appreciate talent on display throughout “Permission to Land”. I’m glad I listen to it several times for this project, but it also is probably not something I’ll be revisiting.
Glam rock... reborn?
Decent
I think this album and The Darkness in general have a time and a place. If I were to see them at a festival for example, on a hot summer day with other screaming fans I would probably get into it. Listening to this album on a quiet Sunday morning was definitely not the time or the place. While they own the cornyness with pride, it's still on the higher end of what is tolerable for me.
I was surprised how good this was. Really good guitar band.
Fav: Friday Night Least Fav: Growing On Me Permission To Falsetto
I don't need this when I already have, like, Screaming For Vengeance. That said, I DO believe in a thing called love.
Better than I remembered!
This is a good record, a fun record--but this is the first one in this process where I've thought to myself, "Self, is this really a record I needed to hear before I die?" Answer: Probably not
Its inability to take itself seriously is both its biggest asset and its biggest weakness. There’s genuine talent here. And it’s hard to hate the cliched and fairly by-the-numbers rock and Justin Hawkins’s ridiculously over-the-top vocals when it has its tongue firmly implanted in its cheek. But it’s also hard to genuinely love or give much of a fuck about it either. 3 on a good day, 2 on a bad day. Best in small doses.
Fun stuff
I've never stopped believing in anything called Love. Half baller album, half annoying gimmick.
Permission to Land by The Darkness feels like a transmission from another era — as if a glam metal band from the 1980s got cryogenically frozen and thawed out in 2003 with one mission: rock as hard and theatrically as possible. I still remember seeing the video for I Believe in a Thing Called Love in middle school and thinking it was one of the weirdest things I’d ever seen, but the song was so ridiculously infectious that the campiness became part of the charm. That track alone showed what made The Darkness special: soaring falsetto vocals, huge guitar riffs, bluesy grooves, bombastic drums, and unapologetic guitar solos at a time when rock music wasn’t really doing that anymore. Going into the album, I honestly wondered if I could enjoy a full record beyond the singles I already liked — especially Love Is Only a Feeling — but opener Black Shuck immediately grabbed my attention. It’s a rip-roaring intro with massive energy and standout vocals that demand you pay attention. From there, tracks like Get Your Hands Off My Woman and Growing on Me bridge the gap between flashy 80s glam rock and 2000s hard rock surprisingly well. “Growing on Me” especially feels like the band at their most modern — a song that stood out on rock radio and music TV while still fitting perfectly into the era. The album’s biggest highlights come from its larger-than-life singles and power ballads. I Believe in a Thing Called Love is just pure fun, with wild high notes nobody else in rock was attempting in 2003 and guitar playing that makes you want to pick one up immediately. Meanwhile, Love Is Only a Feeling and Holding My Own revive the lost art of the power ballad, delivering huge emotional choruses and genuinely memorable hooks. “Holding My Own” in particular was a standout first listen, with uplifting lyrics about perseverance that hit surprisingly hard beneath all the glam theatrics. The second half of the album loses some steam, leaning a bit too heavily into generic AC/DC-style hard rock clichés. Songs like Givin’ Up and Stuck in a Rut feel less distinct, even if the guitar solos still rip. Love on the Rocks with No Ice is heavier and more interesting, channeling 70s hard rock in a way that makes you wonder what music history would look like if this album had come out in 1973 instead of 2003. The comparison can sometimes work against The Darkness — occasionally they sound a little too indebted to their influences — but unlike many retro-rock revival bands, they still manage to carve out a personality of their own. Overall, Permission to Land earns its place as one of the most unique rock albums of the 2000s. The first half is packed with infectious singles and genuinely great power ballads, while the weaker second half falls into familiar hard rock habits. Still, during an era dominated by garage rock revival, pop-punk, glossy pop stars, and gangster rap, The Darkness sounded refreshingly authentic and gloriously over-the-top. It’s the kind of album that reminds you why rock music can be fun — and hopefully inspires some kid somewhere to pick up a guitar and crank the volume to 11.
Listened to this the way it’s meant to be heard: blasting it on a work site while driving a scissor lift around. I remember the days when “A Thing Called Love” was getting constant rotation on MTV, and it was one of my favorite music videos. Never listened to the full album before. It’s pretty entertaining, a nice homage to Thin Lizzy while the lead singer imitates as many 70s belters as he can. Two stars for a perfect single and another star for attempting to resurrect glam metal as a genre.
it was alright, just not really for me
vafan man gillar väl detta lite. mycket nostalgi och så. blir lite väl mycket falsett dock
Odd album. Epic at times and silly at others.
Fun. Goofy.
Permission to Land is one of those albums that’s impossible to take too seriously, and that’s exactly its charm. The Darkness brought glam rock swagger back into the early 2000s when everyone else was busy being moody and serious. It is over the top, ridiculous, and completely self-aware, full of falsetto wails, power chords, and guitar solos that sound like they were recorded with a wink and a grin. Tracks like “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” and “Growing on Me” are undeniably catchy, and the energy across the record is infectious. You can tell they were having fun making it, which goes a long way. Still, it can be a bit much in one sitting, since the constant theatrics and tongue-in-cheek delivery do not leave much room for subtlety, and after a while it starts to blur together. That said, it is hard not to admire how committed they are to the bit. It is campy, confident, and genuinely entertaining, even if it is not something I would reach for often. Permission to Land is not a perfect album, but it is a perfect snapshot of a band who knew exactly what they wanted to be: loud, cheeky, and gloriously excessive.
I think Glitter Rock had had its 14 minutes of fame. This was the 15th minute.
Started out really worrying. His voice is pretty good, but only as long as he doesn't go into that high pitch squeal he keeps doing. The first couple songs weren't so great, but then Growing On Me came on, that one was pretty fun. Love Is Only A Feeling was really good, smooth vocals and some great guitar. Dipped a bit after that, and Stuck In A Rut had this weird laughing part that didn't really fit in. Friday Night was fun too, interesting lyrics. It's averaging a 3, with a few duds but some good ones to balance it. Best song: Love Is Only A Feeling
Hard Rock mit ruhigen Phasen
Thre is an earnestness to the band, they clearly loved the era of 70s-80s rock and roll. Where bands like Greta Van Fleet rip off, The Darkness is inspired. It definitely fits a mood, and I'm torn since I'm not sure that this is "essential" listening, but it is indicative of the rock and roll revival of the early 2000s (albeit the hair-metal influences of the 80s didn't really take on) that guided Millenial culture. I feel like every millenial my age could do a passible, drunken rendition of "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" at Karaoke.
Oula, j'écris ces lignes quelques jours après l'écoute, pis j'ai la mémoire trouble, c'était du rock correct de mémoire, rien de bien spécial
нихуя, глэм рок в нулевых
Didn’t enjoy the whole thing but it’s good fun at times
This takes me back, was only a young boy when I got my hands on this album and forgot that I loved it so much. Crazy what nostalgia can make you enjoy! I also forgot how much the back end fizzles on this album. Still a damn good time
5,8
The confidence to go out and make exactly the music they wanted is amazing. His voice has quite a range. I believe in a Thing Called Love takes me right back to college. Otherwise, glam rock isn't really my thing.
The dude's voice is pretty annoying but the instrumentation is fairly enjoyable, nothing really bad about this it just doesn't do anything interesting
Sounds fun, dad rock things Growing on me kinda a vibe
„Permission to Land“ ist ein energiegeladenes Debütalbum, das sich mit voller Wucht in die Welt des Glam-Rock und klassischen Hardrock stürzt. Die Band zitiert unüberhörbar Größen wie AC/DC, Def Leppard und Aerosmith A, und liefert eine wilde Mischung aus eingängigen Riffs, überdrehten Gitarrensoli und Justin Hawkins’ markantem Falsettgesang – der allerdings zu wild sind. Die Songs wie „I Believe in a Thing Called Love“ und „Growing on Me“ sind zweifellos Ohrwürmer, doch die übertriebene Theatralik und der bewusst schrille Humor machen das Album stellenweise schwer verdaulich. Es wirkt manchmal eher wie eine Parodie auf das Genre als eine ernsthafte Hommage B.
OK but really not something I would come back to
Opening the album in Spotify, I noticed I already had I Believe in a Thing Called Love on my Liked Songs playlist. I couldn't remember when I added it or what the song even sounded like, until I got that track. Oh yeah, that song! LOL The rest of the album is okay but I didn't add anymore to my liked songs.
fav song: givin up (4/5)
I’ve only heard this album from them, and I was just as thrilled as anybody when “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” came out, but this just feels very “wow they’re committed to the bit.”
Some catchy pop rock that is actually better than I was expecting but the vocals tend towards annoying and keep me from really enjoying The Darkness. The lyrics were perhaps written as a 14 year old so I'm forgiving how young they may have been but they are pretty lame.
It's a pastiche Starts off at 11, seems to be front loaded with all the singles (i.e.the sings i recognise without checking their discography) and calms down a bit in the 2nd half Enjoyable if you don't take it too seriously
Better than expected. This is a pretty good record. But it doesn’t kick ass enough to be remembered as as good as queen or kiss. But the potential was there.
Чизовенькая вторичка, хотя не без удачных треков, звонких рифов и метких вокальных партий.
Love that this brings me back to college but not sure I'll be listening to it on the reg
This album from a band I had only ever heard one song was fine. That one song, excellent
I owned this CD when it came out and listened to Growing on Me (a highly underrated classic) and I Believe in a Thing Called Love a lot, and then tried to force myself to listen to the rest, and typically failed. Those two songs are five-star bangers. The rest is commendable but generic.
Really just the one song that I knew and the Cure tribute were good listens. Good riffs but not really memorable songs. Just makes you wish you were listening to the music this is referencing. Prefer Wolfmother to this.
Generic rock album, but done very well. High 3. Fave song: Love Is Only a Feeling Honorable mention: I Believe In a Thing Called Love
Fun enough. I think the lead singer wants to be Freddie Mercury, but he’ll never be Freddie!
Imagine a very mediocre 80s hairband they couldn’t be bothered to find a half decent lead singer
not my favorite sound, especially the vocals, but was pretty catchy at times!