Reviews (page 6 of 8)
When it started I thought initially that it might be a parody album. Then I did research and found out that this has actually received a fair amount of critical acclaim. To each his own.
Sometimes you want music to put a smile on your face and lighten your mood, this album does just that.
a perfectly fun time at the squealing factory 6/10
A Queen clone. Not bad but why listen to a clone when you can hear the real thing? Well executed but not much original here.
Fun and melodic enough in places, but not something I really love and certainly not something I'll ever revisit. 2.5/5
First song was a turn-off. Second song was a turn-off. And that’s how it went. Cannot tolerate that voice.
It's a little scary that this album came out over 20 years ago now, when I still think of it as being relatively recent. Ignoring the fact that it belongs a further 20 years into the past, it's a fairly generic hard rock sound that I would expect to find a decent pub band performing.
3.5
A fun moment of time in the early 2000s. Still has bangers but the charm doesn't stick around
4-
Not bad, not great either. The two hit songs are amazing
1. "Black Shuck" 3,4 2. "Get Your Hands off My Woman" 3,1 3. "Growing on Me" 3 4. "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" 3,9 5. "Love Is Only a Feeling" 3,2 6. "Givin' Up" 2,8 7. "Stuck in a Rut" 2,7 8. "Friday Night" 3 9. "Love on the Rocks with No Ice" 3,5 10. "Holding My Own" 2,8 11. "Makin' Out" 2,3 Average 3,06
Melodramatic, explosive and charmingly cheesy. I just can't be a hater.
Gash
There's more to like here than I find with a lot of glam rock bands. I don't think that there is anything too unique about anything that they're doing other than the vocals quality. Everything else is pretty standard rock music especially for what you expect by 2003. You could have told me this came out in the 80s and I wouldn't bat an eye. That being said, I really dig the vocals, very unique voice and they lean heavily on it. It's got its hits, its got its duds, enjoyable album but nothing that's really going to blow anyone away.
🔥🔥
I was so excited to see this on the list, one of my favorite albums of all time. In college, a stupid boy told me to check out The Darkness. They were so fun, it made the stupid boy crush worth it in the end. The album is just pure fun. Silly, irreverent, the perfect vocals, and banging tracks.
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.
A success of Hype over Content. OK, it's a decent album, distilling a thousand hair-metal albums into one pastiche, with an OTT vocal performance... but I couldn't wait for the album to end. Once was enough.
Totally fun, and the singles where huge back in the day. its unapologetically cheesy as it embraces all of the clichés the band members felt were unfairly erased by the grunge era.
would have been your stereotypical hair metal album if he didn't do that high pitched voice thing
"Permission to Land" is the debut studio album by British glam rock band the Darkness. The Darkness included Justin Hawkins (vocals, lead and rhythm guitar, synth, piano), Dan Hawkins (lead and rhythm guitar), Frankie Poullain (bass) and Ed Graham (drums). The album had wide-spread acclaim, won several awards and was on a number of year-end best-of lists especially in the metal community. Commercially, it reached #1 in the UK and #36 in the US. "Black Shuck" opens the album. Loud, forward guitars with a rock beat...sounding like an AC/DC tribute band. Justin Hawkins sings in a heavy metal style and loves his falsetto. Swirling guitars and a prominent bass kick off the first single "Get Your Hands Off My Girl." Driving rock. The song speeds up. I'm hearing Urge Overkill now. It's based on Hawkins' personal experiences. "Growing on Me" is more melodic as they enter power pop and glam territory. I think his falsetto best matches this style. Goo Goo Dolls? They take the glam up a notch in "I Believe in a Thing Called Love." Ah, the one song that I've heard before. Power chords. "Touching you, touching me." He kind of sounds like Tiny Tim but it works. Nice guitar solo. The last single "Love is Only a Feeling" is softer with an acoustic guitar. Melodic guitar chords. A heavy metal hair band guitar solo. The album closes with "Holding My Own." They are firmly in heavy metal hair band ballad territory. This was not needed. This album is power pop/rock and most often a fun listen. This reminded me of a number of bands. Hawkins' falsetto can be annoying but sometimes it fits the song perfectly. The songs are generally melodic and catchy. For the most part, their music exists in the glam rock or hair metal (essentially glam rock a decade later) genre and if you like that style, you'll enjoy this.
Endlich mal wieder was rockigeres, aber kein Album was mich vom Hocker gerissen hat
ganz okaye musik eigentlich, believe in a thing called love natürlich oberbanger
Paar Songs ganz nett, paar songs nicht so nett. Viel songs gut angefangen und wurd mir zu nervig. Seine Stimmlage nicht mein Fall. Besonders nicht als ganzes Album
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
Five starts… just because! At least 4 REALLY good songs.. love on the rocks with no ice , worthy of a mention just for the title. There is leaning into hamming it up, then there’s The Darkness. The moments of sheer joy far outweigh the poor bits.
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.
The 20-year nostalgia cycle is VERY evident here. If I had never heard of The Darkness and if “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” hadn’t been everywhere in the early aughts, I’d believe you if you told me this was from 1986. Good, fun album you can blast out of your car speakers. Who cares if it’s not wholly (or at all) original?!
Really hard listen hate it
Album 544 of 1001 The Darkness - Permission to Land (2003) Rating : 2 / 5 British Glam Rock band yet it is classified as Metal/Rock. Instrumentation isn't bad but the vocals quite underwhelming, in my opinion. I'd hear a good minute and then it was ruined by the next 30 seconds.
❤️❤️/5
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!
Interesting. Lots of 70s vibes.
Voice gave me a migraine but the instrumental is decent
Good from beginning to end
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.
I shouldn’t like this but I have a soft spot for old sounds with modern production.
Over the top. (not in the good way)
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.
reminded me of AC/DC soundwise with Heart or Bad company vocally. Interesting sound, nothing too groundbreaking, sounds like the 80's re-packaged.
The guitars are amazing… the voice takes some getting used to, especially early on. If you can power through you are in for a bit of a treat. Pop rock. High 3
This album was... interesting. Musically it was very good and up my alley. On the other hand, the vocals did not do this album any justice. I found them extremely annoying and cheesy. They were way too over the top for the music.
A fun listen for sure, but I don’t really like the vocals, especially the high notes
I love this rekid.
Cut-price Queen
Raucous fun
I hated the Darkness when they hit the scene at the time. I was a little too entrenched in my "death to false metal" phase. I've since softened my stance and in retrospect this is actually a surprisingly well crafted piece of work. It's as good or better than a lot of the stuff it's paying homage to and you can tell they absolutely love this stuff and it's not just a gimmick. If we could just do something about those vocals i might actually want to listen to this again. Those falsetto "oooOOOOoooo"'s are killing me.
Ugh, I’m not sure how I feel about this one. The music isn’t bad although it sounds like a 70s metal band. My biggest beef though is the vocals are way too screachy.
No matter how catchy one of these songs is, this is a joke band. The rip off Freddie Mercury vocals are horrible. A 2K band playing at being a 1970s arena band. There are plenty of good heavy ‘70s bands that aren’t mainstream and far more capable than these jokers. Don’t wast your time on this one.
Ooh, I have a sweet spot for this kinda fun, almost trashy metal. When this came out - It was a little like hearing a good Cheap Trick song for the first time!
I'd like to be The Queen
I'll take getting cut from the list for 300
Fun, nonsense and annoying. I wanted to hate this album and did in parts but overall, it’s a nice listen. The album is an easy listen and has some enjoyable tracks, but it begins to get annoying as you go through the album. There are no deep and meaningful lyrics and songs on the album, just fun and cheesy rock songs with catch riffs and titles, get your hands off my woman is a great example of this!! Favourite song: I believe in a thing called love, Friday night and growing on me Least favourite: Giving up and stuck in a rut. They are songs in the second half of the album and by this time I was giving up!! Album artwork: It’s a cool cover
I remember blasting this in my friends car circa 2005 and loving every minute, time has not dulled that experience at all. Great album, full stop
It’s 2006. I am 18 and A friend of mine has burnt me a picture disk CD containing both Permission to Land AND One Way Ticket to Hell… and Back. I am rocking the fuck out
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.
AI generated rock, quite boring, not fussed. 2.1
Tries hard to be something it isn't.
A little cheesy, and I dislike the singer's falsetto, but it's still a fun album if you don't take it too seriously.
Why would anyone make music like this in 2003. I mean it's fine, especially I Believe in a Thing Called Love, but let the genre die already
so bad it turned funny. actually a terror album shame I can't rate it for funniness or it would get a 3
Fun rock album
This album certainly has a fun spirit. Reminds me a little of Tenacious D. Hard to tell if they are sincere or mocking. One thing for sure though, I don't like listening to the lead singer.
-first of all i highly commend these guys for reproducing such classic sounds. i could probably be made to believe this came out in the 80s. has some cool arena rock vibes. that being said a lot of it was corny and repetitive imo. Maybe like 2.5 stars -Favorites are Black Shuck, Get Your Hands Off My Woman, and Love Is Only a Feeling
Serious talent Rocking guitar, vaulting voice Slapped with silliness
Hressilegt og gott. Talsvert rebel attitjúd sem fer vel í mig.
Nice driving guitar
Yep. Still love this. High energy, great production, and man I would have loved to see them live.
Recognized ‘I Believe in a thing called love’
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.
Fair
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.
Found this to be a very odd amalgamation of sounds and eras that never really connected with me, with some mildly off-putting vocals (that admittedly made me laugh a respectful, “gotta give it up” kinda laugh at times)… sorta like C-grade movie montage soundtrack songs….
Found this incredibly grating but mostly inoffensive.
almost sounds like a parody
Another album I know very well, I bought it after hearing 'I believe in a thing called love' on Soccer AM. I was blown away by the album, and still am now. I don't think there's a bad track on it. I don't think there are too many bands with such a distinctive, identifying sound.
Nope
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
I have to admit, I was surprisingly disappointed by Permission to Land. Vocally Hawkins is talented and unique, as heard on I Believe in a Thing Called Love but the rest isn’t as exciting as hoped. Love is Only a Feeling is actually the best song on the album 5.7/10
Well I was expecting to not like this album…and after the first two songs, I was thinking I was right. However, it grew on me and I think the album got better with each passing song. I liked this more than I wanted to and will listen again.
It was rock and felt like it the whole time. Enjoyed that, but it wasn't standout just good.
Throwback Cock Rock that should probably be thrown back.
I don’t hate hair metal. I think it’s perfectly acceptable to a certain extent. But it’s pretty rough when pushed too far. And honestly, grunge killing hair metal was probably the best thing for music in the 90s. I would have thought before today that by the time 1995 rolled around, hair metal had mostly been killed off. And yet, a band like The Darkness released Permission to Land in 2003. And it might be the most unapologetically 2000s sounding album I’ve ever heard in my life. Even down to the cover art. But it also seems like they were trying to merge the ideas of the 2000s with the late 80s and early 90s metal music. And the one thing you will consistently find during this listening experience is utter excess. This a flaming glam fireball of rock and metal that screams “Look how crazy we can get!”. But I honestly that excessiveness admirable. The performances here are pretty strong, and that definitely allows for them to get pretty wild. There is even some nepotism at play. This group’s drummer is the son of Queen’s Roger Taylor. He isn’t the one recording here though. The most abnormal and confusing part about all of this is the vocalist. I had a really hard time deciding whether I actually liked the way he sang or not. And I’m still not totally sure. I’ve listened to bands, like The Mars Volta or Protest the Hero, whose vocalists lie in the same range. But I feel like they balance a little better. Hawkins’ voice soars so high above everything else, and it feels the most egregious when it comes to that excess I was speaking of. He has some pretty solid moments, but others like the chorus on I Believe in a Thing Called Love where I questioned what I was listening to. But I don’t dislike this nearly as much as I imagined I would. Rating: 6/10
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...
Yea, it’s fine, there are a few jams for sure but the formula runs stale. 3 stars
So good. Love this group.
Unlistenable but also good hahaha
Tunes not bad, falsetto shouting yes bad. Other than Friday Night which was good
1 star for me. Nothing seemed real exceptional. Didn't hate the album, it just doesn't stand out and I think life would still be complete without it .
The falsetto is fun but idk how you can hear anything but the one-hit wonder quality to this record. It’s alright like a 2 or 2.5 maybe on a good day if you’re feeling the hit, but it’s a 1 on a list like this
A truly self indulgent hair metal album, but it ticks all the boxes
We’re all in agreement that this is a bit shite, right? *subconsciously banged my head to a few tracks which saves this from being a 1/5.* 3/10
Cheesy and it knows it. I'm all for it.
Music from a bygone era retreaded. Its fine, but definitely nothing new and exciting.
alkoi hyvin ja alamäki alkoi... jarruja ei löydetty... alas alas ja alas... nopeammin... kovempaa... vauhdikkaammin... lisää... lisää... mutta HAHA ne pitävät vain HAUSKAA.. HAHA... paskaa musiikkia HAHA tehdään huonolta kuulostavaa musiikkia HAHAHAHA!!!! voi näitä höpönassuja miten ei kukaan voisi tykätä näistä hahaha... naurattaa 41 minuutin ja 58 sekunnin ajan naureskellen hekotellen hahahahah... ainakin yritettiin parhaani.. ei se haittaa kuhan yrittää parhaansa... upea suoritus.. hieno albumi... kotiin voi mennä hymyillen, ylpeillen... annetaan 2 tähteä kun yritettiin niiiiiiiiiiiin kovaa <33333 inspiration. black shrcuck
I'm super picky with glam and this barely gets a pass from my annoyance meter. I remember when "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" came out. I've never really liked it but didn't mind it today, in the context of the rest of the album. "Makin' Out" was a strong song as well. Overall, not for me, but if you like this sort of thing, it seems like a well-made album from the top to bottom.
I mean it's *fine*, but not too groundbreaking. The leads voice is genuinely impressive, and I had a good time with a lot of the guitar riffs, but there're a few tracks that blend into the canvas. This would have broke records about 10 years earlier. Favorites are I Believe in a Thing Called Love, Stuck in a Rut, and Friday Night
These guys have their schtick and sell the hell out of it. Who cares that they are 15 years too late. The music is fun. An entire album however can be a little draining. Favorite songs were I Believe In A Thing Called Love, Love Is Only A Feeling, and Friday Night.
Good for being a glam-rock album I FUCKING HATE GLAM ROCK 🔥🔥🔥🔥
That’s some big fat guitar. Falsetto vocals not my favorite. Meh.
I went back and forth between four and five stars on this a few times. Honestly, it represents the best of Glam and hair metal. Much more than anything in the '80s did. The talent here is pretty incredible.
Campy nonsense, extraordinary functionality, 80s era hair metal from middle England. Exciting when it came out (I was about 11) and completely pleasant now. Unfortunately, never quite leaves a mark.
I'm struggling to rate this one. I didn't like listening to it really, but the more I hear "Get Your Hands off My Woman" the more amused I have gotten. I'm thinking I missed something the first time through this weird 70s-80s hard-glam-rock revival.
This one does not tickle my fancy much. I guess I can appreciate how it is a throwback to a different era, but I didn't really love the sound back then either.
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.
In December 2003 I went to Manchester England to visit friends and enjoy the holiday atmosphere. While there, I saw the film “Love, Actually”, heard the Cheeky Girls for the first time, and in a minivan en-route to a stately manor heard “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” on the radio. I wondered if this was some 1970s British glam rock band I’d never heard of when one of the locals asked what I thought of the song. I loved it and was absolutely gobsmacked when informed this was a new release vying for the top of the Christmas charts. Returning to downtown Manchester I picked up Permission To Land on CD and it became one of my favorite albums for a year or so. It sounded so different from everything else going on in music at the time. Unapologetically sex, drugs and rock and roll, it is hard to know whether to take this album seriously. Except the seriously great rock and roll performances and that incredible falsetto on the lead singer. Permission To Land provides good sex, drugs, hellhound and rock & roll coverage. And there’s ping pong, needlecraft, badminton, rowing and bridge club (which according to “Friday” are activities the cool kids in his school participated in). Just when you think this is a total joke some surprisingly tender ballads appear… only to dive into a catchy ditty extolling the virtues of heroin. This album is a fun throwback that blew me away in 2003 and transported me back a couple of decades. Today it again transported me back a couple of decades. I wonder where I’ll be when it pops up again in the 2040s?
I BELIEVE IN A THING CALLED LOOOOOOVVVVVVEEEEE! the rest was fine.
i want to love this purely for how insane it is, because i understand the joke, and i get it - and honestly, in a bunch of places it's pretty damn good musically...but i just can't. i also really can't watch the office, and for the same reason: i get that it's a joke, but it still makes me super uncomfortable, cringing that much.
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
It’s good but something about Justin Hawkins
Rating: 7/10 Very good album overall. A light-hearted album that is fun to listen to. The instrumentation is great throughout, inspired by glam and hard rock of the 80s but done with the band's own twist. The biggest drawback of the album is the vocals, the falsettos the singers does can be annoying and are quite frequent. Can easily be 4 stars if the vocals grow on me. Favorite songs: Black Shuck, Growing on Me, I Believe in a Thing Called Love, Givin' Up, Love on the Rocks with No Ice. Worst song: Love is Only a Feeling.
Banger rock record, yeah it’s over the top but that’s the point lol
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.
This is really cheesy Van Halen knock off music. But weren’t Van Halen a bunch of knock-offs? So what is this really?
I did not hear any music on this album. Plenty of noise and screaming. If you like that, then a good album for you.
I Believe In A Thing Called Love is definitely the most recognizable song on the album. The rest of the songs were fine, but nothing that really stood out.
I've never heard of this group and I'm not sure why. This is VERY 2003 music and I dig it.the vocals are a little distracting because they're so high-pitched, but the dude can yell and that's great. The first YouTube ad that I got was one of those \"claim benefits\" ads and it was a video of a woman firing a gun with a voiceover by a dude. The wrinkle here is that the video bad been edited to give the woman a huge dumpy and the dude only said \"so in case y'all didn't know, the government is lying to us\" so that set the mood. Then a Mazda CX-90 ad. Pretty standard. Club Carwash, some local car wash place, then Temu.
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!
Мне эти рокерские визги-писки не нравятся категорически
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.
The voice is occasionally annoying
Permission to Land is the debut studio album by The Darkness, originally released in 2003. This could've easily been released in 1987. It is such a product of its time... only 15 years later? The Darkness are obviously great appreciators of the 80s glam genre. I even here some 70s hard rock and glam in here. The songs themselves aren't bad. The vocals are a little wacky though. That falsetto made me laugh on multiple occasions. Maybe that's what they were going for. It's just so funny to hear those huge and heavy guitar riffs juxtaposed with that voice. Not really something I'd be blasting in public. Maybe if I was wasted in a Glasgow pub I'd vibe with it more.
Definitely a throwback to the first couple years of college.
They're good at what they do. I just don't like it. Will listen to Thing Called Love but hopefully never hear the rest of the album again.
This is a fun take on hard rock with that doesn't seem to take itself too seriously despite its intense tone. I'm not a fan of high singing voices but this one just about gets away with it. It's very AC/DC-esque so if you're a fan then you'll probably enjoy this a lot. "Love Is Only A Feeling" stood out as a banger and I had to rewind the solo at the end just to fully take it in.
auditory tillamook
great album, i didn't like some of the songs
This doesn't hold up at all. I saw The Darkness live about 15 years ago and I grew up listening to this album, but this is just a throwback to American hard rock/glam metal with nothing unique about it. Even other nostalgia bait bands, like Jamiroquai, at least do something interesting with their genre. The 1001 doesn't need more hard rock, and of all the hard rock, this definitely isn't one you need to listening to. I Believe In A Thing Called Love is still a bop though
It's fun and fine. 3.
Nostalgia for this album did not make it more enjoyable. Personal enjoyment 2/5 Relevance to this list: 4/5
There’s definitely a seat at the table for glam rock with 2000s sensibilities. The falsetto vocals and campiness poke fun, but there’s still enough energy and ability to work as an homage to the genre.
It has a couple of tunes buts peters out pretty badly.
20 years later, it’s undeniable. Amazing execution on an idea
I believe in a thing called love is a catchy song that I like. The rest of the album not so much, this one was not very good at all. The singer’s voice is annoying.
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.
Not bad but not my thing either
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!
I BELIEVE IN A THING CALLED LOVE is just an absolutely fabulous song. Listening to 1st cut, BLACK SHUCK, not so sure the campy vocals can be carried across an entire album. The band rocks its socks off, is very tight, but when the bizarro vocals come in they detract from what's going on. This would be so so so much better if Justin Hawkins simply sang it straight (see GROWING ON ME). I'm trying to figure out who they remind me of and it suddenly dawned on me - they've synthesized the best sounds and musical tricks of EVERY HARD ROCK BAND THERE EVER WAS. You want driving bass, screaming guitar leads, and power chords? Voila. Things kind of go downhill after BELIEVE, especially the lyrics. First half of the album rates ⭐⭐⭐⭐, but because it all gets boring in the second half, it gets a ⭐⭐⭐. ________________________________ 🎧 LPs reviewed: 61 🎧 LPs left to review: 940 🎧 LPs I found great/relevant enough to be mandatory listens (5): 13 🎧 LPs I *might* include in my own list (4): 17 🎧 LPs I will certainly *not* include in mine (1-2): 17
Why is this band named The Darkness with this upbeat cheery rock. This kind of wild and loose falsetto singing is not what I like. It definitely works and I'm sure plenty of people love to sing or dance along, but I'm not the type to pull my broom out and play it like an air guitar while hopping around the house. I can accept and enjoy the style for about 4 minutes before wanting to move on, so I'll stick with I Believe in a Thing Called Love and leave the rest of the album for the fans.
weird british shit
too much changing emotion like diaper
Great album. Classic riffs with modern licks. Love it
I vaguely remember this band when they came out. Lots of high voiced stuff and for one reason or another I remember getting a copy of metal edge magazine that had a poster of them. I don't really think this is metal, bland for whatever artists they may have been compared to, all I hear is Tiny Tim. Luckily the vocals chill out a bit in the later half and actually is a pretty good rock album. Their single is fun enough with the vocal antics, but the first couple tracks were a bit too much. All in all, for a meme band I had all but forgotten about, this was a decent blast from the past, even if it was only about 20 years ago. Favorite track "I believe in a thing called love" 3/5
Ha. This album is over the top and so ridiculous, but I have nothing but fondness for it. We used to listen to this a ton in the pizzeria I worked at in high school the year it was released. Some bangers for sure. Nice to revisit.
Not sure if I really want to listen. I did not like their hit single "thing called love". I'll give it a listen. Not my style of rock. I get the classic/hair metal vibe they are going for. Not for me
I think of The Darkness as a gimmick band but you can't deny 'I believe in a thing called love' is a classic
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.
ALL KILLER NO FILLER
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!
Kind of interesting. Has it’s moments and made me smile.
This was really good, but lost a star for unnecessary falsetto in a few songs (in my opinion).
I don’t care for hair metal and glam rock is hit or miss for me, so a revival that draws on those isn’t doing much for me. It contains a lot of what I don’t like about rock music - over the top vocals, ridiculousness/excess, meh songs with power guitars. They’re a decent enough band - the performances are good, the guitar players likes a flashy solo, the songs are decently written (though I don’t like most of them)…it’s just not something I enjoy. But it’s probably fun for those willing to give it the time of day, but I find it mostly annoying. I Believe in a Thing Called Love was a hit and is a pretty good song, otherwise the only other memorable one for me is Givin’ Up. Happy to be done with this one.
horrible. horrible vocals. couldn't finish the album
It’s fun. But they sort of fade after this. It’s a good representation of that early 2000s. One does wonder what they’d do if they’d never heard a Queen album. But yes I can accept this.
Purely for fun entertainment and glimmers of happiness. In surprised how good they are. Dedication to the artform. Didn't think I'd give a 5 to a Glam Rock Band.! .... but the, umm, respectful tone of consent (cover art), combined with hilariously fun music and swell screaming which had all the feel good stuff happening - these guys nailed Glam better than they did it first time around. Very happy surprise. I only knew one song beforehand. ...
Back in the day, I saw these guys a lot on Rage.They did nothing for me then & nothing’s changed. They’re not horrible. They’re just notkicking any goals that I can applaud.
Parody? Homage? Joke? Celebration? It's really hard to tell exactly where The Darkness are coming from. They present an ambitious and highly competent fusion of 70s classic rock (most heavily leaning on AC/DC and Queen), but they clearly have a degree of tongue in cheek that blurs the line between being a celebration of what is great about the genre (cf. The Cult's Electric album) and a ridiculous tribute act, mugging and winking at the audience. They certainly started out as a good, fun time, but I think they discovered that it is easy to cross the line to become the thing that you were satirizing (cf. Licensed to Ill-era Beastie Boys). They became the mega budget, million selling, coke snorting, rehab-visiting, pompous (and highly ambitious) rock stars that they had lovingly mocked. I do like that they are so keen to entertain, which many so-called serious bands seem to forget to do. I have been chided by a performer in a small venue for not listening correctly, which immediately raises the question of "for whose benefit is this performance? The audience or the performer?" It can be fine needle to thread. I recently saw Nick Cave live, and watched him expertly manage the way that the audience interacted with her performance, gently moderating behaviour (such as singing along) to help create an event that was both consistent with artistic ambition and the audience's desire to participate. But he is a master at that. I do love that The Darkness seem very concerned with the audience having a good time. But with that as a singular goal, they do risk not really delivering a listening experience that couldn't be achieved better with an old Led Zep record (or Queen or AC/DC or Aerosmith or Grand Funk Railroad or any other classic rock album from 1974). And some features of 1970s classic rock were probably best not replicated, especially after Spinal tap has already taken the piss completely (sexism, misplaced musical ambition, over-production, etc). I think I fall on this being a totally inessential album, given that it is essentially pastiche of a bunch of records from decades before, without much more to add. And the joking presentation undercuts its power as first rate rock. That being said, I would much rather listen to this than most of the heavier rock around at the time (like numetal, hock spit) or even the 90s output of bands they are aping (like Aerosmith, shudder). So, not great but not the worst either.
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.
Every song is different, one of my all time favorites
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.
The background sound was promising but ultimately spoiled by constant high pitched caterwauling. Only a 2* I’m afraid.
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
Justin Hawkins is fantastic and this album is just pure rock fun. Great stuff.
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
Resisted this for months before finally submitting after the release of Love is only a feeling. some really genuine great songs on the album with a bit of cheese. good vocals, good guitars. and has a song on it shouting YOU CUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNT. what's not to like
Shite. Fuck off Wiggins
I can't comprehend why someone could listen to this for more than one song.
Heavy metal falsetto cannot be pulled off by eveyone, and unfortunately, The Darkness isn't that great at it.
I have never heard of "The Darkness" and their album. After I played the first few tracks, the music increasingly got on my nerves. The singer does manage to sing high falsetto notes without it becoming screeching. But I still didn't like it. 1/5
This was a more enjoyable and fun listen than many on this list.
Another highly questionable selection for this 1001 list. It sounds like ~80’s rock (Kiss, Scorpions, etc) seemingly with nothing new to add. And the lead singer is…not my favorite. Very operatic and irritating.
I know the Darkness is winking to the audience with this love letter/send-up of 80's hair metal. And they more than ably ape the sound. But, that still doesn't make me want to listen to it more.
CHEESE on cheese on top of more cheese. If you're not into very tongue in cheek cheese (or heard the singles on repeat when living abroad) this wears thin over the course of what felt like a looong album. Still enjoyed I Believe in a Thing Called Love & Love is Only a Feeling - but not enough to listen again.
It rocks
Such a fun band and sound, especially in the early 2000s when it was all hoobastank and yellowcard
The album is pretty solid, except for the vocals. Nails on a chalkboard, and the chalkboard is on fire.
honestly it's more like a 4 but the commitment to the bit makes it a 5
Good light hearted fun with some very good tracks. But it loses it's way a bit in the second half and I don't see me choosing to listen to it as a whole album.
Another album i always felt was overrated
So much better than I remember. Banger after banger.
If you don’t like ’70s and ’80s glam rock or arena rock, then don’t waste your time. This album should be taken at face value. If you enjoy catchy hooks and occasionally dip back into ’80s rock for nostalgia, then this is an album you should check out. It lets you indulge in every ‘80s hair metal cliché imaginable. Also, if you’re a fan of a band like Ghost, this album will be a great listen when you’re in the mood to take it up a notch.
Yuk!
Fun in parts, doesn't take itself seriously
This was a fun listen, I'd probably revisit them again. Could see them really growing on me but for now they are about middle of the road as far as this list is concerned. Some great songs, and some missable ones. There are times they feel really of their era, and times they feel like a throwback to eras past. Above all else they sound like they are having fun which makes me feel that way too.
Well his voice seems a little too high pitched, but great vibe. I recognized the voice immediately I Believe In A Thing Called Love. Justin Hawkins is a bit reminiscent of Brendon Urie and Adam Lambert. Catchy songs.
The Darkness basically sounds like a throwback to the sound of its clear inspirations such as Led Zeppelin, Boston, and AC/DC, and while it definitely works on songs such as "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" and "Love on the Rocks with No Ice," there's definitely some cheesy lyrical content and the hooks can feel a bit repetitive after a bit. Also, did there really have to be three songs with the word love in them?
Love I believe in a thing called love, but generally not really the sound for me, decent tho
Du glam rock légèrement anachronique mais totalement assumé et engagé. Un bon plaisir, mais je n’ai pas l’impression que toutes les pièces sont d’une portée égale
Fun rock, not disappointed when it ended.
This album was kind of fun when it first came out. It has lost a lot of it's appeal over the last 20-ish years. I think people thought they were going to help usher in a return of classic rock to the mainstream but I always saw this album as just a novelty that would fade away. There's a couple of good songs here but overall it's just not anything special at all. You're really just better off listening to the bands being emulated.
Good rock album
3.5/5
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.
Probably doesn’t deserve to be here, but it was a fun enough listen for 40 minutes.
Wow, the falsetto singing is absolutely brutal. It's almost comically bad. Just altogether pretty lifeless and bland rock with very few redeemable qualities. I'll round up to two stars just because some of the guitar didn't make me want to kill myself (like everything else did). 3/10 (1.5/5)
If you’re gonna do something that’s so derivative, this is the way to do it. ‘Permission To Land’ is big, dumb, silly fun and I had a blast listening to it.
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.
Nonsense utter Nonsense
I enjoyed this. It's a little crazy over the top but fun.
Liked it
I mean, on principle, I want to like any album with a track title "Black Shuck." But this is, you know, just okay.
OK in an ACDC sort of way
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.
Day117 - i don’t know if this album belongs on this list but it was a bold album in the early 00’s to try to bring back glam rock.
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.
Kind of an interesting one. Must have started out as a pastiche pisstake (albeit from a place of affection and knowledge) then morphed into a legitimate and pretty strong album in its own right. Genuinely funny in places (a love ballad to an STD? I mean, come on) and actually winds up almost as good as the AC/DC or Maiden records it emulates.
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.
It was alright. Simpsons: No
Every song on this album is a solid 5 stars. Perfect album. Gonna be a strong contender for my #1 on this list.
Yes please What an album! I loved every song on here. My favorite is a coin flip between 'Friday night' and ' love on the rocks with no ice' Also listed to Christmas time because it was a bonus track on some versions of the album , and because I think that is in the top 3 Christmas songs of all time l, so I don't mind listening to it anytime of the year. I'm now going to find my CD copy of this and put in on in my car for the next 3 months.
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
I guess i'll commend them for realising that 38 mins is about the limit on how much someone would want to hear this, I would've removed a star for every 10 mins it continued. This kind of rock is a little more bearable when it's somewhat tongue-in-cheek like this, but I was still losing my patience about halfway through (ironically around the song 'Givin' Up'). The big single is fun, maybe that's just nostalgia, but the rest does very little for me. It's not bad, but it definitely isn't good.
Of all the 20th century’s many failings, the inability to expunge from the culture such idiotic and baroque armadillos-in-our-trousers-cum-castrato-pyrotechnics acts such as this is an insufficiently acknowledged shortcoming. The showoffy, even trolling Farinelli-ing ( vocally and with the guitars too) is no doubt the point of the entire exercise, all of which grows presently tiresome (at least for those of us who outgrew the Kiss-is-the-best-band-ever phase on an age-appropriate timeline) and without which we really might have done. All that plus a treacly power ballad.
A record that both real rockers and theater kids can agree on
Solid over the top rock album. Vocals get a little annoying at times but there are some great guitar parts. Favourite song for sure is “Love is only a feeling”.
Parts of this album really rip. It’s definitely a fun vibe/take. Vocals are impressive. Ultimately, I kind of feel like it’s a rehash of peak Aerosmith, with a dash of AC/DC and Zeppelin, which I’m fine with. Decently palatable, but nothing I’ll be coming back to.
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
I really enjoyed the album. I wish I could give this a 3 1/2. I was familiar with this bands radio hits, but never listened to an album. Great rock band. A lot of fun.
This was pretty hard, which I liked, but the singer's voice was distracting. Stand-out: Love Is Only A Feeling
The music here is a little more intense than I'd prefer. The lead singer's voice frequently gets a bit screechy, which I am not a fan of. Each song tends to follow a predictable formula, too. What this album needs most is a slow/quiet moment or two to let the listener (me) breathe.
Okay this is too rowdy and silly for my liking.. glad I got to hear it, once, but that is enough. 2 stars.
A perfectly acceptable album by a band I don't like. Somewhere between Led Zeppelin and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Most of this album is least less obnoxious than "I believe in a thing called love".
Solid glam rock, men også lidt forglemmeligt
Before listening: We didn't realize it at the time, and we don't realize it now, but the Darkness saved Rock 'n' Roll. And like the Wyld Stallions, they were trying to save the world. It's just that we weren't ready. The Darkness were laughed at and mocked, and considered a joke band. But they were always incredibly talented and they never took themselves seriously. This album was amazing, and their second album was great. Then they were dropped by their label. And they still produced amazing albums after that! I love the Darkness and this is the album that started it all. You were all just too high on your high horse to appreciate it. After listening: I said what I have to say.
Cool angsty rock album. I liked it. 6/10
Well, that was mostly unlistenable. Spinal Tap was satire, lads.
Are we there soon? How long is this going to be? Faced with a choice to get angry over this whole thing (including cover and band name), or move to something more interesting, I went as far away as I could from this mess. My flight took me all the way to KD Lang's Hymns of the 49th Parallel. Thanks for the recommendation, friend! That was a way better use of my time. I definitely did not need to listen to the Darkness.
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
Remember when the brothers from The Darkness were on CBeebies show Zingzillas, when they helped that annoying monkey bloke do something with his band. It was no more or less silly than this album, which I probably infected my mum's computer with Limewire to download and burn to CD, and I listened to it a fair bit. I cannot remember the last track at all, so I guess I must have turned it off before the end most times. The Darkness were a fun breath of fresh air back in 2003 amongst a slew of overly serious bands. Growing on Me, which preceded the mania which greeted Thing Called Love, is almost definitely the best song here, and holds up. Fantastic central driving guitar/bass riff. I Believe is still lots of fun, probably helps that I've now not heard it in years as it was definitely massively overplayed. Is there much else worth writing about? Not really, they're one step away from Tenacious D, and as with all gimmick bands it grows thin fairly quickly. On this listen I was ready for it to finish after 6 tracks. Midway through 9 I was practically begging. I see it's been judiciously, quietly removed from the book. Worth listening if you weren't around at the time to get the joke, however the chances of me sticking this on again in the future are basically zero. Apart from Growing on Me. Added that back to my likes. Banger. The thing I dislike most about this is it's incorrectly classified as metal, which is going to further dint my average ratings for metal albums in this list, despite me liking metal, just not most of the shite that I'm being served here.
Hmmm…The Darkness. Rang a distant bell. Gave this a listen, wasn’t bad, wasn’t great. These funny guys were just too late. This is a solid 2.5…I’ll round up to 3 for their nostalgia.
The vocals crack me up
Sounds is perfect of course, but the song material is al little weak overall.
Juuuu-stin Hawkins rides again, ..., agaaain. Straight-up middle of the road rock, but I rather enjoyed it.
Not something I would revisit but it was fun to listen to.
An album that tries too hard. It would be lower if it weren't for a couple bearable songs in the second half
Not surprising to see why they were a one hit wonder, the album has the few enjoyable songs but otherwise isn't too memorable
The Darkness... der Name ist Programm
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!
Know this well. Great album. Not listended to for a while
Overall, this was just an average rock album and isn't for me. Thankfully though, it did manage to surprise me a bit with its variety, and there were some songs I liked musically, although not much I liked lyrically. "Friday Night" was really cheesy but it just worked. Not my first choice but I could appreciate it. Were this band really influential enough to make it on the list? I've never heard of them and they don't seem to be doing anything new.
Cringed when I seen this Album today. If I want to listen to this style of music I’ll stick to the 70s, not a tribute band from the 00’s. To be fair though it is a good fun listen if you just accept it for what it is. But not an album you need to listen to before you die.
Naff. Definately the band loses a lot of its effect by it not being the live performances and the look of ‘I cannot believe this is a success’ that drove those appearances.
I enjoyed this at the time but listening to it now it sounds really tired and forced. Too tongue in cheek and winking to be judged for itself but played too straight to say anything clever about what it's aping. Surely a better inclusion would have been one of the hair metal bands from the time rather than a reheated copy from 20 years later. Anything post 2000 on this list is a bit hit and miss.
It is a really fun album. I was familiar with several of the songs. The songs edited correctly and do not drone on. I would definitely listen to it again.
Has the right amount solid riffs, comical lyrics and all around fun.
Fantastic
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!
“I Believe in a Thing Called Love” is a f’n fantastic song and I will absolutely die on this hill. The rest of the album is a great glam-rock throwback but doesn’t quite live up to that standard, although still pretty enjoyable.
The album started and I thought, oh no, this is not going to go well! Gives off strong Spinal Tap vibes…”Big Bottom” would fit right in on this album. It did win me over as the album progressed as a fun, guitar driven glam rock album which really surprised me. A few songs I would play again.
First things first, how the fuck is this pile of shit 20 years old? Retro glam rock wankery thats good for 1 song and they somehow made a career out of it. Where's the justice in THAT? I mean, sure, it was probably better than the sludge that was bubbling around in 2003, but let's be honest, if Justin Hawkins didn't have a glammed up onesie split down to his taint in the video for "I Believe In A Thing Called Love", would anyone really care?
Wait, The Darkness didn't form in a haze of cocaine in the 70s?
The Darkness’ music is at times as hollow and inane as a lot of hard rock; but they have their secret weapon in lead singer Justin Hawkins. The singles have become classics and if you just let go and indulge yourself in the over the top vocals, most of the album is actually quite fun. The first side is definitely stronger than the second, but I never find myself truly bored.
I've listened to "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" since it came out, but I never took it seriously. That continues to be the case on this mid-tier 80s resurgence album. Other than a few standout tracks, not impressed. 2/5.
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"
This was an interesting album. 80s hair metal but written in the oughts. Super campy but honestly not too bad. A lot of the album made me laugh with the funny lyrics being sung in the super high falsetto voice. Not really my vibe but it was fun.
Today I learned that The Darkness was in fact, NOT an 80s Hair Metal Band. And when I was riding around in my sister's car in 2004, listening to “Growing on Me” and “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” we were actually listening to very modern and recent music. I had no idea. This album is fun! Its pretty camp and very over the top. Even though its a 2000s album, they're very much going for that 80s butt rock vibe. And.. it kind of works. Its fun.
Best song: I believe in a thing called love Vibes: Glam brit rock, unserious spectacle, corny but fun Themes: Love
Eh. Feels like the novelty hasn't worn back on.
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 enjoyed the music, but his voice is just too much. It works on a handful of the songs really well and they are great. I am guessing it would also be fine if I was only listening to one or two of these songs at a time, but a whole album of that voice was just not as enjoyable.
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!
I know this album well, and it never fails to disappoint. The soaring vocals, edgy riffs and brilliant sense of humor make this an absolute blast to listen to. I wouldn't change a thing about it -- it's about the perfect album for me. Five stars.
These guys are like a serious version of Ninja Sex Party. But the lead singer is doing an Elmo impression. It is NOT a good falsetto.
so on the fence abt this. his voice is annoying af and catchy at the same time
Not really my groove.
I bit too much. They sound like a mashup of many older rock bands but with bad lyrics.
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.
Gimmicky and gets old really fast.
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
Sad
Big showy rick elements and impressive vocals. Very upbeat album, although it does get tiring for me listening to the whole album. Pretty interesting though
Musik wie aus einem anderen Jahrzehnt. Nichts neues. Kreischende Stimme.
The high octane hair rock revival of my dreams! I fucking love this album. It is a party the whole way through, an absolute gem. Did not expect to see it come up on this list, but I'm so glad it did. It is just pure, unadulterated FUN. There's a magical blend of silliness, camp, funkiness, and stank on it that just takes me there. Right fucking on, man. I love it.
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
3.2 rounded down. Funny and engaging, and they clearly love hair metal, though it does feel like one long winking joke.
A fun love letter to glam with more virtuosic vocals than some of the bands it so clearly reveres, but on the whole the songs just aren’t too memorable (bar the obvious mega single)
it's ok. not a fan of the singing
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.
This whole album is just such bombastic over the top perfectly executed stupidity. I loved every second.
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.
Reasonably entertaining.
grating vocals
Love it! All of it
This just fucking rules. It's got a classic rock sound and vibe with the attitude of the aughts. The guitar solos are excellent, and the singer is masterful in the control over his voice.
Love this album. I remember first seeing the music video for "Thing Called Love" and being so intrigued and weirded out at the same time.