Reviews (page 7 of 8)
Let me go ahead and listen to this album for the 1,329th time and give it my first 5. What an amazing story these guys are.
3/4 of this band blows the roof off. While I admire the singers bravado and moxie its pretty hard to listen to his screaming for 45 minutes. I do think this record does belong on the list.
Just as absurdly fun as it was 20 years ago.
This was better than I expected, but I gotta say - the falsetto voice is annoying. I heard I believe in a thing called love when it first came out and thought it was very effectively used in that song, but he sings in that falsetto voice every chance he gets in spots that make no sense. It’s like he found out he could do that and sees himself as the next Freddie Mercury. I believe in a thing called love and Friday night are legitimately good songs.
Campy as fuck. Somehow I enjoyed this. It may not look like it, since I listened to the whole thing with a straight face, but I was ~internally~ vibing, so that must count for something.
Tons of fun. Channelling the more optimistic seventies classic rock sound, all duelling guitars, falsettos and killer choruses. Amazing they got a whole career out of pastiche Lizzy/Aerosmith/Queen etc.
It was alright
Good
Fun all the way
Wow. That was bad.
I swear this is a parody band. But it was fun.
fun could i write poetry to this? y
Sure, The Darkness is a fun, 80's-Hair-Metal throwback band with one semi-hit song, but I'd hardly call this album a necessity. The music is typical for the genre and Justin Hawkins' Tiny Tim-like falsetto voice can be grating after a while. Let's face it...this only a bit better than contemporary flash-in-the-pan Hard Rock acts like Jet or Buckcherry. I do recommend Hawkins' podcast, "Justin Hawkins Rides Again". He's quite smart and incredibly funny. I doubt, however, that even he would include this album on this list. Two and one-half stars. The bonus half-star is for the naked female flight attendant on the album cover. Certainly better to look at than the actual band.
Although I enjoy much of this album, the singer’s voice is really grating. Don’t feel like this should be on the list.
I go back and forth between kinda liking The Darkness and being annoyed with them. Definitely more in the annoyed camp at the moment. Really good guitars, but everything else feels like it's kind of a put on.
Great album I knew a few songs from but never could have identified. Really enjoyed this album. Learned later it was one of Kelly and her family’s favorites in the era.
🤘 I go back-and-forth on the voice. Opening track black shuck really hits. I had a great workout to this 20th anniversary of the album this year, they’re touring it, maybe want to see them
Thing called Love is one of my favorite tunes. The rest of the album was pretty good not great. can’t tell if it’s a parody album just a modern day take on screaming metal either way it’s fun
The rock didn't achieve its potential
7/10 some songs were really good some songs were laughably shit mostly alright I guess
Hilarious
These guys come storming in with the first songs. Musically pretty good, but nothing that's been done better elsewhere. It's nice music when it drops on, but I don't think I'd became a big fan of their output. The lyrics are super cheesy, and I can't really dig Justin Hawkins singing. Just fun music with a dumbed down feel to it. Standout tracks: Black Shuck, I Believe In A Thing Called Love, Love Is Only A Feeling, Friday Night, Love On The Rocks With No Ice 7 out of 10
Super cheesy glam rock. Is it super influential? No. Is it a good listen? Hell yes
Really fun album. I listened to this a ton when it was new. It’s not a five star in my book, but it’s loud and fun.
Largely derivative cock rock. The singer’s constant falsetto is impressive but (maybe not unintentionally) comical and obnoxious.
Vraiment belle découverte. Tout après Logical progression sonne super.
Man, I hated this album. And I'm mad about how much I hated it because the music is just SO SHARP. Every guitar lick is perfect, the drums are insanely good, the bass lines are thunderous, all the auxiliary instrumentation is gorgeous. But the vocals are effing atrocious. It feels like a single, unending, warbling wail from start to finish. It's not. But it FEELS like it because Justin Hawkins can't seem to just sing for more than half a bar before feeling the need to screech something unintelligible in an off-key, ear-splitting falsetto. And these lyrics - the ones I could understand through the screeching - are just dumb. Super shallow, rarely clever, and generally worthless. What you're left with is the impression of a frontman that doesn't care so much about being GOOD. He just cares about being SEEN. It's not "retro". It's not "meta". It's bad. This album may not have been meant as a joke but it is one.
I actually did enjoy this album. I need to get used to the style of singing as I wasn't the biggest fan of it, but I thought the music by the band was really cool and musically interesting which I liked.
I've never heard of this band but I like it.
Better than I expected for the whole album. Fun.
The Darkness continues a fun, slightly campy classic rock sound for the early 00s. I had taken an interest in his YouTube channel in the last year not being previously familiar with his music, so it's nice to give this album a hear. Just have a fun time with it and don't take it too seriously. Justin's got an impressive falsetto! Of course I Believe In a Thing Called Love is a favorite, along with Growing On Me and Love Is a Feeling.
Good album! I really love how Justin Hawkins’ voice just floats over everything. Songs like “Givin’ Up” and “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” transport me back to the 80s in a good way. “Love on The Rocks with No Ice” does the same but in a bad way. Regardless, it’s decent enough for me to give it an 82%, almost tying it with Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes (82.2%). That’s why I’m using percents here, and that’s why the album receives a 4.1/5.
indifferent towards this.
Going in to the regular rotation.
39/100 Based on this scale: 1 star - 0 to 19 2 stars - 20 to 39 3 stars - 40 to 59 4 stars - 60 to 79 5 stars - 80 to 100 Generic, cliché glam rock with good guitar.
awesome album
Straight up fun album.
Fun listen :) A convincing homage to 70s glam rock, for better or for worse. The overuse of guitar solos may also be wank but despite that the guitarist is quite good
Dehä va nå bullshit
Music history is full of meteoric rises and steep falls from grace, but the speed at which the entire country became obsessed with The Darkness and then completely and totally lost any interest whatsoever has never come close to being replicated by any other artist. Jobbing club band to festival headlining biggest band in Britain and back again in all of what felt like 10 minutes. And you know what? Both are probably deserved. Hats off for a fun, funny and popular debut album, that captured the imagination of the public, but this was never going to be anything more than a one hit wonder throw back to novelty retro 70s glam rock. Rating: 3/5 Playlist track: I Believe in a Thing Called Love Date listened: 23/01/24
From the falsetto to the glam rock riffs, this album reeks of cheese... and yet, it is so embarrassingly catchy. Reluctantly I'll have to say 3.5/5, and round up at that.
Pretty bold to do glam rock in the early 2000s.
Aikoinaan ajanjakson yksi pahmmista inhokeista oli The Darkness. Sotakirves on kyllä haudattu jo kauan sitten ja nykyään tätä voi kuunnella ilman ylimääräisiä tunnelatauksia, mutta eipä musiikki silti loista kovinkaan erikoisena. Yläkanttiin 3*
Tasainen, hyvälaatuinen ja viihdyttävä. Viimeaikaisen tasoon nähden korostuu ja saa ehkä enemmän multa arvostusta kuin normaalisti saisi
The album is, good rock but not really my cup of tea. Maybe if I'd have the patience to listen to the album a few more times I'd like it. But I rather want to turn to the next album.
They know how to make music, just not my kind of music
Like Greta von fleet but worse, black shuck was the only good song on there. Rest of it sounded like a teenage boy's thoughts during puberty. 2/10
This didn't do it for me. Very bland and generic rock. 1.5/5
I remember seeing them play live on TV for the first time and thought, this band will bring back 80s rock and roll and will be legendary. Then I downloaded their album and felt it was very cliché and more of a one-hit wonder. Although there are some cool riffs and impressive vocals, it doesn't seem well utilized and very over the top.
Hard rock, glam metal. Un megahit. Me ha gustado bastante... Vinilo, venga.
Perfection
The band has the potential to make really good backing tracks. The singer shouldn’t open his mouth. Production is atrocious. Writing isn’t anything special. There’s nothing here to excite. Deeply disappointed and cannot find a single redeeming quality. Completely forgettable. 1/5
3.6 - Some intense rockers. The guitar solos are "Love on the Rocks with No Ice" and "Love Is Only a Feeling" are scintillating. But too much falsetto and unneeded cursing for my taste.
mira, este disco se me pasó en esa época, salvo por el inescapable single que ya todos escuchamos. Me gustó, la voz del cantante es especial y característica como para llamar la atención y diferenciarse del resto de lo que estaba sonando en esa época. En todo caso, para mí no deja de ser una buena copia o mezcla de lo que ya sonaba dos décadas atrás.
6/10 du hard rock des plus normales. monotone.
Amazing rocking album. Super fun lyrics and the highs on his vocals and epic
Just fun
pretty good, really enjoy i believe in a thing called love. Was nice to hear other songs on the album
These guys go for the epitome 80s hair rocker sound, with the exception of that crazy high voice and the funniest use of f-bombs I've heard in this genre!
2003 pop hard rock.. ei mitään pielessä tässä.. Tuotos vastaa kuitenkin sitä mitä "The Darkness" tuottaisi vuonna 2003.... Tuottaisi juuri tämän commercial ass levyn... Hyvä presentaatio ajasta kuitenkin.. tälläistä se oli.. Oli erilaista 2000 luku alku.. En itse päässyt kokemaan.. Tämä jauhanta kuullosti niin futuurilta vaan eiköhän siinä käynitkin niin että tätä ajanjaksoa koittaa ennenaikainen vanhuus, vaan ei kuolema. Eloisat 3 tähteä täältä hrlta 11 viikkoa sairaana.. Early 2000s.. joku paikka sillekkin on sydämmessä liekö syy vanhat dvd:t joita ei köyhälistössä kovin nopeasti kierrätykseen viety
Rather jolly. No real duds but no standouts either.
5/10 - Singer has an annoying voice - cool guitar rifts - smooth rock sound - can’t understand lyrics
Started off strong then really took a dive. Almost unlistenable by the end
I'd give it a 4 I really liked this album
I want to hate this more than I actually do. There is just so much energy in the playing it's hard not to have it "grow on you" (like their song lolololol). Honestly this gets 3 stars just for I believe in a thing called love anyway. Just some power rock/80's nostalgia with some decent tunes and a lot of nostalgia.
Never fell for this stupid cock rock. Is it supposed to be ironic? Ridiculous voice. Comedy value.
very fun
This was one of the first albums I bought as a 13 year old that felt a bit ‘dangerous’ (as much because of the naked woman on the cover as the music, as I remember). Getting to see The Darkness perform the whole thing live last month was a lovely reminder of both those rebellious times and a really good album (Friday Night in particular was joyous). They took themselves less seriously than a lot of the classic rock bands they were pastiching, but also in my opinion wrote better tunes than most of them. Strip away the humour and the innuendos and you’re still left with some genuinely strong songs. Also, the sequencing of Love Is Only A Feeling straight after I Believe In A Thing Called Love always tickled me. 4.5
HL: "I Believe in a Thing Called Love", "Love is Only a Feeling", "Givin' Up", "Friday Night" Why wasn't "Givin' Up" released as a single? *finally pays attention to the lyrics* oh Despite this sitting in my CD collection, this is the first time I've heard Permission to Land in full. It's already near the top of my go-to "big dumb fun" albums, though. I get its inclusion in the 1001, and I also begrudgingly accept its removal January 2, 2024
Hebt sich dank dem Sänger aus der grossen Menge der Metal-Alben ab. Man mag das oder nicht. Ich mag es definitiv.
Good!
An absolute legend of an album
Love the old school rock vibe, but not a fan of the lead singer's voice.
1. black chuck - 0 2. get your handz off - 0 3. grouuing on me - 0 4. i believe - 0 5. love iz only a feeling - 0 6. giving up - 0 7. ztuck in a rut - 0 8. friday night - 0 9. love on the rockz - 0 10. holding my ouun - 0 11. making out - 0
Black Shuck - 8.5/10 Get Your Hands Off My Woman - 8.5/10 Growing on Me - 8/10 I Believe in a Thing Called Love - 8.5/10 Love Is Only a Feeling - 7.5/10 Givin' Up - 7.5/10 Stuck In A Rut - 8/10 Friday Night - 8/10 Love on the Rocks With No Ice - 8/10 Holding My Own - 8/10 Makin Out - /10 TOTAL - 80.5/110
Kikkeli hevi men helt solid
Fuck yes, I Remember these guys! Lead singer is like a young Axl Rose. I loved this album in university. It's unapologetic 00's glam metal. It was so weird to hear a new band take on a genre that was so popular in the 70's-80's. This gave me the same wow factor that I got the first time I heard Greta Van Fleet. Favourite songs: Love On the Rocks With No Ice, I Believe in a Thing Called Love, Get Your Hands Off My Woman, Growing On Me, Stuck in a Rut, Makin' Out, Black Shuck, Givin' Up, Love Is Only A Feeling, Friday Night Least favourite songs: if forced to pick, Holding My Own 5/5
I adore “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” - it’s an amazing karaoke song - but the rest of this album sounds like AC/DC for the new millennium, and while that’s nice…..just give me AC/DC?
This is just... classic rock for a reason.
At its best the songs sound like lost 80s classics, but mostly they sound like they are from the forgotten 80s bargain bin.
What an amazing nostalgia trip this turned out to be! I grew up with «One Way Ticket», but I never really explored The Darkness fully. This will be a staple in my «gym music» collection from now on. This is also an example that I am not a huge fan of goofy comedy music, but a rather big fan of satirical music.
Fine. This would be fun playing in the background of a bar or video game or whatnot, but I don’t see myself seeking this out.
This was fine. I kind of feel like if I want to listen to this kind of thing I’ll put on Queen or Boston or Journey or AC/DC. It is pretty impressive how they can mash up those different bands but instead of feeling inspired by them, it feels like they’re “inspired” by them, which is less fun. But still a little fun, admittedly. What I’m trying to say is, essential listening, 12 stars.
Not my thing. I’m not a fan of glam rock vocals, usually, and this wasn’t the exception. Nothing else about this made me overlook that, but this wasn’t bad.
Favorite Songs: Black Shuck I believe in a thing called love Solid hard rock album. Gives me AC/DC vibes while being a bit less catchy. Nevertheless a fun album.
Nice rocker.... Above average guitar licks and solid drums
Until now I've never actually listened to this album but I've always liked Do You Believe In A Thing Called Love, it's fun. So when this popped up in my feed I was excited to check it out. Man, did this wear it out it's welcome fast. I love Queen, Def Leppard and AC/DC just not combined apparently.
The obvious talent might have been put to better use. And it likely woulda been a better record had they made their talent a little less obvious.
Pretty good. Pretty fun. Semi Camp.
Did the book's authors have a quota to fill for certain genres or decades? That would explain this shrill, derivative yawnfest making the cut. Wikipedia inadvertently summed up the album's mediocrity quite well: On Metacritic, "the album earned an average score of 79, based on 19 reviews." Yes 19 people reviewed it and the average score was a C+. Yet somehow this is an album we must listen to before we die. Yeah right. Like I said--quota.
5 if I'd've liked the genre better
I would give this album a 3 but the singing is horrible. It ruins every song.
Classic rock revivalists. Gotta love ‘em. Taking us back to a time where music was just all around better. It seems that since grunge died a new band will form and try and play the sounds of the 70s and 80s. They’re fun and rock out but if anything they’re just a mirror of the sound back then. Hardly do they have their own image. Same goes with the darkness. Fun hard rocking band but just a general hair metal arena rock combo of sound. I enjoyed most of this album and believe it is overall pretty good. It’s just upsetting that the classic rock sound hardly exists anymore. This album will be replayed until the singer becomes annoying but it’s always a good listen. 7.0/10
not for me
Very much playing off the classic 70s/80s rock of Def Leppard or Boston, but does a good job of bringing it’s our campy, theatrical flair to each song. 6/10
Gewoon plezant
Gotta give it up for The Darkness. They have a schtick they’re schticking to and it’s fun
An 80s hair band pastiche in the 2000s. It's just so great! I've always loved these guys. Ironically or unironically, you tell me.
Short and to the point. This album rocks. Standouts: I Believe in a Thing Called Love, Black Shuck, Growing on Me, Love is Only a Feeling, Christmas Time Others: Get Your Hands off My Woman,
- never heard of them before - holy shit this eats - love on the rocks with no ice !!!! - this was my favourite album i’ve listened to so far
State of the art rock circa...1986? The vocals sometimes seemed to be intentionally verging on satire. Perfectly content to listen to a bit of retro hair rock but I'm not sure it brought anything new or distinct to the table.
Here's the thing this is my least favorite style of rock music. Brings back nightmare memories of the 80s and bands like Def Leppard, Whitesnake, Poison and many many others. And the singer Oh my God...the Celine Dion of Hair metal. Please no more albums like this. 1.5 stars
let this be a lesson to us all not to ignore the existence of 70s/80s hair metal/ cock rock. if you don't pay it attention a shitty tribute act will do a pastiche of it all and it'll all be ironically funny until its not and they haven't fucked off yet. in the 2000s it was the Darkness but be warned there are hundreds of these bands lurking in the shadows waiting for it to be ironic again. the cycle of times suggests once everyone gets sick of being woke and cancelling each other shit will get wild again, that's when they'll strike.
Hahaha yeah I remember this. Didn't last, did it?
Pretty good. The instrumentals are basic but charming. The lead singer’s voice, though, can get really annoying at some moments. This album does not feel like a 2003 release a lot of the time though, it definitely has a more 80’s rock sound a lot of the time.
Sonically, this is not a bad album. I'm just really not a fan of harder rock music, and I don't see myself coming back to anything here.
Hard rock, et par bangers, rigtig pub-musik
You know in Vice City when they made that fake band "Love Fist" that was a pisstake of 80s hair metal that were funny because of the lyrics and how ridiculous was, but not something you would ever listen to outside of the game? That's how I view The Darkness, but without the funny lyrics. Some of the songs, particularly without the high octave voice, are bearable. The majority aren't.
TESKI hitovi
Par hitova, malo cudan vokal, al nije lose.
good hard pop. groovy. Interesting singer
Tää on kyl varsin hauska rokkilevy. Pastissia tietysti mutta kyllä mä nautin ja tää saa ihan hyvälle tuulelle. 3/5
Tää on varmaan kieli poskessa tehty, mutta vaikea on siltikin kuunnella. Taustat on sinänsä ihan ok, mutta solistin teatraalisuus ei meikälle toimi.
Varsinaista iloittelua! Ei todellakaan taiteellista ja kysymys herää että miksi listalle, mut hymy tulee huulille. 3/5
Better than I was expecting, actually. The singers voice isn’t my cup of tea though.
I liked the hits. I have issues with Falsetto.
In een vorig leven stond Xander in onze tourbus dit keihard, staand mee te schreeuwen: Get your hands of my woohoooman motherfuckehhheeeerr! Toch een speciaal plaatje daardoor voor mij, hoewel het verder weinig boeiend is.
Dit was een leuke hype. Maar niet meer dan dat.
Haha nice! Dit was toch wel een heerlijke gimmick toen het uitkwam. Mooie herinneringen aan. En dat is waarschijnlijk de hoofdreden waarom ik het nog steeds wel kan waarderen, want eigenlijk is het natuurlijk gewoon een soort over-de-top persiflage van Queen-meets-ACDC.
Albums I liked when I was 13 very rarely hold up. This one does. No notes.
If this album had been released in the 70s, I probably would’ve liked it. As it is it the few decades late and a few dollars short.
It was easy for me to slag this off since the music is a couple of generations out of time, and the first song backed that up, but "Get your hands off my Woman" caught my attention. Overall the guitar licks and compositions are fun and the falsetto vocals are amusing.
Glam rock or Hair band this is definitely not my jam. The vocals and the guitars gave me a headache. This is most certainly not something that I need to hear before I die.
Mind blowing.
This man's voice is fucking insufferable. The only redeeming quality here is MAYBE the instrumentals
Yes! Unashamed enjoyable, clichéd fun-loving rock, which also happens to be played very well. Not a comedy band, but good rock musicians paying homage to their heroes. They also happen to have a great sense of humour. I appreciate Justin’s falsetto is not fir everyone and there are songs where he doesn’t mess with the higher registers. Lots of Thin Lizzy duel guitars. A power ballad of immense pleasure in Love Is Only A Feeling. A pop song with an amazing hook in Friday Night. Brilliant.
Still as exhausting and knowingly 'clever' 20 years later - as is Justin. One half decent song reminds you that the proper bands delivered four or five per album - and had more than just ironic fun as their selling point
In the 00s we were dredging up the worst impulses of 70s and 80s rock and pretending they were charming if prefaced by a wink to the camera. There's a reason this is on spotify's "Kegstand" playlist, and based on all the "me and my mates" nostalgia in these reviews, "Kegstand playlist" sums up my feelings about this record.
skil ekki alveg að þessi plata komist á svona lista. er endurlífgun frekar slapprar tónlistarstefnu. er eiginlega grínplata. verkjaði ekki af leiðindum samt.
Standouts: I Believe in a Thing Called Love Others: Growing on Me, Get Your Hands Off My Woman Singles: Get Your Hands off My Woman #43, UK Growing on Me #11, UK I Believe in a Thing Called Love #2, UK Christmas Time #2, UK Love is Only a Feeling #5, UK
like Queen, but with all the genuine fun taken out very 2003 in a bad way. it's classic rock but he says motherfucker! ha! ha! imagine if Freddy Mercury said hands off my woman motherfucker. ha. I Believe In a Thing Called Love is a funny song to hear people do karaoke to. music: hated. (⌐■_■)
It’s really odd to look back and remember that this was sort of critically acclaimed when it came out. I guess it’s part of a cycle, every 8 years or so some band comes out that sounds vaguely like Led Zeppelin or something and all the rock guy cranks are like “ROCK AND ROLL IS BACK BABY”. This is just a particularly funny one. Imagine The Darkness had actually kickstarted a revival or whatever this is, in 2003? Real silly.
That's a banger. How have I not heard of this?
Seemed pretty bog standard to me. The singer's gimmick was old after the first few songs. Not really my bag.
An sich ok aber Sänger absolut unpassend für Rock
Great guitars and drums, but wtf is up with that lead singer's voice? Its like Tiny Tim did a metal album. 3/5
Hard rock, glam metal. Un megahit. Me ha gustado bastante... Vinilo, venga.
Por I Believe in a Thing Called Love.
This actually worked for me, nice one!
If Tiny Tim went metal!
Never outright listened to them before. Really fun and bright rock and roll from the 2000's. I believe in a thing called love is the song I had heard before and is a classic, but the song after, love is a feeling, is the new gem to me
Hard rock como debería ser. Contextualizado, fue una bocanada de aire al género. Riffs pesados y llevaderos, que dan buenos ánimos. Guitarras distorsionadas, fuertes y bien al frente, bajos sin mucha complicación y una batería que va siempre a lo que necesita el resto de la banda. Grandes canciones, con excelentes composiciones. No suele caer tanto en el obvio riff de hard rock o en melodías básicas. La voz, excelente espectro, tanto de llegar bien bajo o tener que llegar tan alto, en ocasiones tonos absurdos y cartoonesco. En general, gran disco. Hitazo: I believe in a thing called love Canción favorita: Growing on me Sorpresa: Love is only a feeling
Paskaa
Aluks oli iha ok, mutta sitten rupes ulina vituttamaan.
I love everything about this band, but I'm not sure this album belongs with some of the others in this list. The hits are FANTASTIC, the nots are just sorta there.
That shrieky falsetto the singer loves to use got on my nerves kinda fast. That aside, it's a solid album. Very 70s with the bright crunchy guitars and big dramatic vocals. Best song: Friday Night
Shamelessly indulgent of the hair metal cliches that ruled the roost back in the late eighties before grunge came along and kicked it's shit, right down to the, uh, provocative, let's say, cover. Little shocking that this came out in 2003. Little trashy, and it's no Appetite for Destruction, but it's really fun nonetheless, and just a really upbeat and enjoyable listen. My favorite track was Friday night.
I believe in a thing called lunch.
Kind of a fun throwback
De rocknummers zijn verrassend aangenaam, de metalnummers niet. Vooral de nummers met schreeuwende zang zijn niet mijn ding.
Butt rock for the soul
It's not inspired, it's not well written, its not even particularly relevant: but this band sure knows how to play to it's strengths. The songs have an effective simplicity and greatly benefit from playing to the more sentimental, uplifting side of rock which lends the album a shining personality. The performances are spot on, the band laughs at rock cliché and they know where the hook is.
I Believe in Thing called love was amazing. I just always thought this band was mocking 80s hair. Never thought to listen to the whole album
No, just no. The vocals are way too much.
Crazy falsetto vocals, but I Believe in a Thing Called Love is kinda cool
Track 5 🔥 Would listen to again.
#15. This is exactly the amount of cheesy over the top bullshit I had hoped for and expected going into this album. Did not disappoint. Not something I plan on listening to a lot, but decent overall. 3/5: acceptable *I've decided to make this thing actually worth doing and purchase all the albums from this book I enjoy. This is the first album I purchased from this list. Song added to playlist: I Believe In A Thing Called Love I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link
based on their big song off this album, i always kind of thought that their style was kind of ironic, distilling the most over the top parts of 80s rock to it's most brash and flamboyant, much like their delivery on 'i believe in a thing called love' with big wailing guitars and soaring falsetto. in listening to the album, this came across less ironic, more like an actual, genuine tribute to this sound. it's a lot less goofy than i was anticipating, something i've always sort of felt about 'thing called love.' that's not necessarily a bad thing, just not what i was expecting. that being said, the big song is the best song on the album by a long shot, the rest are alright but really just come across in a 'get born - jet' kind of way, that early 00s retro fetishism sound. which, as i've said, is fine, but just purely fine in this instance.
FUCK YES. This album is what RAWK shoud be. Hawkins is great, the band is solid as fuck, 6 stars.
Pretty screamy, not really my thing
They exploded in the middle of 2003 like a rainbow neutron bomb. Nu metal was fading, rock had been relived (again) by some politically correct and very cool figures (hello Julian, hello Jack) and the world was still recovering from Sep 11. So when these guys appeared in a flash with a song titled 'Get Your Hands Off My Woman', looking like a hair metal band, wearing leggins and using falsetto, the whole musical world fell apart. They gave us their very best on this first record and faded fastly. But oh man, it was fun while it last
Estupendo disco de rock, intenso, guitarrero y con ritmo. Le desluce un poco el hecho de que el cantante abuse tanto del falsete. Aún así, muy escuchable
I believe in a thing called LLLOOIIVVEEEE
It's impossible to express what a breath of fresh air this album was when it arrived in 2003. It was just a ridiculous flaming comet that seemingly came out of nowhere. I was so ready for it, and pretty much had it on constant rotation for the better part of a year. So what's so special about it? There was nothing particularly new about The Darkness. They embraced a lot of musical ideas that were long out of date at the time, but they do it with an energy that you can't help but feel drawn to. Much of the band's success was in their timing. We needed something campy and hedonistic and completely unserious at that time. Someone who was just there to rock. The band and this album deliver that in spades. Alternatingly glammy and scuzzy, these songs are full of sassy licks and unafraid of a good old fashioned guitar solo. The band rocks hard when they feel like it, but there's also a pop sensibility and charm here that elevates these songs to a level where they have no business being. It's what 80s glam should have been. In Justin Hawkins, you have a singer who embraced a high vocal at a time when it could not have been less cool to do so. He channels the energy of 70s singers like Bolan, Mael and Mercury, but laces it with a pissyness and grit very much his own. The lyrical content is fairly dumb, but it suits the band's sound in the best ways. The big star track of the album was of course "I Believe in a Thing Called Love," an unapologetically jubilant and lusty love song. Some of the best lyrics tread a line between contradictory ideas. I never thought for instance that I would be singing the praises of a bubbly ode to heroin addiction ("Givin' Up"), but here we are. It requires a serious gift for songcraft to make those opposing elements work in a song, but the band makes it feel effortless. I also read somewhere that you can interpret the song "Growing on Me" as either being about a girl or about an STI, which is pretty hilarious when you think about it. There was no way the band was going to be able to keep this sound going, and their other albums never come anywhere close to this one. But it was such a big, fun moment in time by a bunch of guys who clearly love what they're doing. We could use more of that in music. Fave Songs: I Believe in a Thing Called Love, Growing on Me, Love Is Only a Feeling, Givin' Up, Love on the Rocks with No Ice, Holding My Own
Mostly bangers
Started slower and less awesome than it finished.
In hindsight, the Darkness feels like a pretty regrettable cultural moment. Did we really need an (ironic?) throwback band for a genre that had only been out of the limelight for at most 15 years and still had plenty of radio play?
Have you ever heard of Led Zeppelin? Queen? AC/DC? Well those guys are amateurs compared to this band. 😂 Ok, in all seriousness, this band recycles the mid 70s/early 80s rock sound. This album did commercially well, perhaps due to the popularity of the sitcom That 70s Show. If you dig on any of those bands mentioned on top, you’re gonna love this album. With tasty licks and a soprano voice from front man Justin Hawkins, this one is a keeper 5
Putting this in a list of 1001 must-listen albums seems somewhat ridiculous, like putting in Ocean Colour Scene or the Bloodhound Gang. It seemed fun at the time, but has not stood the test of time.
truly amazing!
Glam rock in 2003? I rolled my eyes. But to my surprise, this is actually so fun!
Who gave Lil' Sweet a guitar
Contemporary hard rock somewhere between rock'n'roll and emo with really dramatic singing. Fun! But annoying! But fun!
Ég var mjög hissa á að sjá þessa plötu hérna á listanum, því hún er eitthvað svo mikið "one off" og úr takti við samtíma sinn, þrátt fyrir að vera agalega vinsæl. En hún er samt ansi melódísk og skemmtileg, það fannst mér þá og núna.
Great album. I remember it when it came out and saw them in Reading
This is legit hair rock made by enthusiasts that is content to be nothing beyond what inspired it. The Darkness’s music doesn’t excite me, but it’s fun, well-made, and I applaud them for digging in their spurs and making passionate love to their hobby-horse. It’s not their fault that I keep expecting to hear Brasseye’s “Playground Bang Around”.
Hello The Darkness, my old friends! A joke of similar quality to this joke of an album. I vaguely remember the dismal state of UK music at the time this came out, when 3rd-rate karaoke AC/DC seemed like a breath of fresh air. Can you imagine?! It's all probably genuine and heartfelt, like a college talent show Queen covers band. Doesn't mean I have to sit through it. A mean 1* for wasting my time. Looking forward to Right Said Fred next, or The Shirehorses
I believe in a thing called love is the best song of the whole album!
Bad hair band ... with bad hair
Really great album ! If you love old school rock, you will love it.
Justin Hawkins' falsetto is ridiculous. The whole concept of a hair metal album released in 2003 is sort of dumb. But at least it's dumb fun. "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" is permanently etched into the souls of my generation, but there are several other tracks here that, while less well-known, are just as enjoyable and carry just as much energy. I thought this would be a 3, but you know what? Fuck it. This was a fun little listen, 4 stars baby.
I was just starting high school in 2003, so this album made me feel like I was going to a school reunion. Mixed memories made for an okay listening experience. It's a fine rock album, not my taste anymore, but fine.
Better than i had expected. A bit to much falsetto but the guitar riffs are really nice!
‘Love is only a feeling’ and ‘holding my own’ are alright. Besides the guitar solo at the end, ‘givin’ up’ is laughable. Who is the target audience for ‘Friday night’? ‘Love on the rocks…’ starts off being a laughable track, but sadness kicks in at the half way point when u realise there are 3 minutes left. I don’t know what to say about ‘makin’ out’ except what a fitting closer for this album it is. The guitar solos are the highlight of the album, but the sound quality of the guitar is 140p. Overall, when the album isn’t generic, it’s obnoxious. Good for a few laughs.
I really didn’t like the falsetto before and this is still a bit much but the music is very strong.
Usually I'm not much into party rock, glam rock, etc. But this one, well, rocks. It's impossible to really take this album serious, but that's probably not what it was ever designed to do anyway.
- Legit shocked this is on the 1001 Albums list. That's not a criticism, I'm just surprised. - What a fun album. Never listened to The Darkness beyond "I Believe In A Thing Called Love" (which slaps), but this is able to maintain a surprising level of quality for its whole run time. - They handle the requisite ballad (Holding My Own) shockingly well. - Love on the Rocks with No Ice is such a deliriously stupid song title and I love it. - Probably a 3.5 if I'm being honest, but I'm rounding it to a 3 for this rating system. I could see this improving a lot in my mind, though, with further listens.
De muziek is heerlijk, maar die zanger maakt het moeilijk om een heel album lang te blijven luisteren. Deze doet het beter in losse nummers dan als geheel. Dus zo heb ik 'm ook geluisterd vandaag, in etappes. Tussen de 3 en 4, waarbij ik ondanks m'n kritiek kies voor 4 sterren.
Не для меня
Thought it would be a bit twee revisiting it but it was great.
I'm just going to cut straight to my thoughts on the two main talking points of this album: The screechy Freddie Mercury vocals were terrible at first but they really grew on me by the time I got to I Believe... and yeah its a decade and a half too late for this album but hey it's still better than a lot of hair metal. It's hard not to respect them for confidently slamming all of their shallow 80s rock cards on the table--even down to the naked woman on the album art--in the midst of the golden age of nu-metal, especially when the result is as fun as they managed to make it. I can just imagine how much fun karaoke I Believe in a Thing Called Love would be at like 1 in the morning at some shitty local bar. Also, the production sounds like guns n roses in quite a few tracks which I was totally fine with since I grew up on their music.
As an American, I'd never heard of these guys. Heavy metal-infused hard rock like AC/DC or Journey that turns into straight glam rock in the second half. It's cheesy, fun, and stupid, and he has a hell of a voice modeled after Freddy Mercury. It's relatively simple, with catchy riffs, but none of the guitar solos will blow you away. They're just good vibes. There're a ton of fun moments, with the campy cliches cranked to the max. Even "Friday Night" was edging toward power pop territory, with a sound reminiscent of a modern Big Star. The arrangements overall aren't that interesting, and I did find a lot of the second half to be weaker. I guess the energy and power of the first half was essential, or maybe the gimmick just got too tiring. It does feel like a parody that lives up to what it's trying to be, but not much more than that.
Long live glam rock I'm here for it!
Fantastic!
This album was a great listen, really capitalizing on the return of glam and hair rock complete with chugging guitars, soring vocals, and fun effects.
a bunch of songs i've never heard and one i never want to hear again
first listen definitely rockin but a bit too much cheese
Very generic hard rock only interrupted by a very annoying singer. There really wasn’t much I found redeeming on this record
Looking at the critical reception for this album on Wikipedia and I’m floored - everyone loved it. Pitchfork gave it a fucking 8.4!!! Objectively speaking, this album is dogshit. They were all tricked, somehow. It’s hard to even say this album is “catchy” because no - Queen and AC/DC are catchy. The Darkness didn’t come up with any of this. It’s the uncanny valley of dad rock. They are the Greta Van Fleet of the early 2000s and they deserve to be treated as such.
This is a real rough one. I feel like I’d actually lean towards a 3 if it weren’t for the vocals. When I got to the song Friday Night I was fucking SHOCKED that he sounded great! Like he sounds exactly like Robert Smith. Why, if you have that great voice, are you singing in that weird falsetto for so much of the record? It’s not even a GOOD falsetto, there’s parts where it sounds breathy and he constantly just sings entire tracks in it and it just sounds bizarre. Not a fan, vocals (and lyrics, yeeesh) ruin what could otherwise be a pretty fun straightforward rock record.
This really did not need to exist
I had more fun with this album than I thought I would have when I was 5 seconds in. I was thinking, oh no, not another "The Hives." This was way less annoyingly polished (like the Hives), way more explosive, and just fun and silly. I ended up kind of coming around to it! This is pretty much on the opposite pole of my normal home turf, music-wise. I really don't love Queen or most glam rock stuff, and the lead singer is sometimes super eye-rolly in what he does. Why is this working for me? Well it's honestly that they just sound like they're having an insanely fun time! So you can't be super grumpy at them for too long. And they just go all-in, 100%, on every record. Reminds me a tiny bit of why I liked the past Def Leppard albums. 3/5
not for me, not in the mood
Sounds like a bad eighties band
I liked this far more than expected! More rock than anticipated, too.
This is one of those tongue-in-cheek-cliche bands right? This album can't be serious <reads the Wiki page> "Permission to Land is the debut studio album by the British glam rock band"… Seriously. This is my 538th album on this list and probably the 700th British band that Demory put on here instead of a proper band from that genre that launched the genre. I'm about thisclose to dropping this project due to Robert fucking Demory's insanity. 2/5.
Usually, I like this kind of band that tries to rescue some "tradition" from the 70s or 80s and mix it with more modern stuff, but in this case, they won't be able to be so far from their inspiration. At the end of my listening session, just "It's a thing called love" was saved since it remembered me from MTV clips afternoons.
Such a fun album.
achava que seria mais divertido
Shuddered when I saw this was a glam rock album, but actually maybe enjoyed (?) this one a bit. It leans so far into the bit that it escapes draining pomposity and lands at the far edge of total cheese, and the vocalist's absolutely insane takes and range led to some good laughs. Not sure I would listen to this on the regular, but definitely happy to have my expectations subverted.
You can tell they’re influenced by a lot of 80’s bands. His voice is interesting in the first few songs. Good instruments. Ex 3.5
alfa I Believe in a Thing Called Love
Some good parts but kind of annoying. Felt like they were trying too hard to not take themselves seriously.
Fun all round
I initially heard this album described as satirical like Bad News or Tenacious D, but it is a legitimately hot shot of badass rock and roll.
Cool riff on second track but the vocals kill it for me. Love is Only a Feeling was good - doesn't have the same high pitched vocals.
Above average. 3/5
Boring and generic
I used to kind of dislike The Darkness, but looking at it now and listening to this whole album, I get the appeal. This was just another fun and ridiculous glam metal band, but the difference is this is from 2003 and not the eighties. It must have really seemed crazy hearing this amongst the angst and edge of early 2000s rock and metal. But hey, they decided that they were going to make something that went against the grain of anything being done at the time and revive glam metal for a while. You can tell they had a lot of fun doing it too - It really shines clear in the album and I can totally appreciate that. While seeing a glam metal album, from an era when nu metal still ruled the rock world, is really cool, compared against other glam bands it's still not my favourite. Justin Hawkins' range is impressive for sure but the falsettos do get old. I think some of the songs were a bit forgettable, and generally the album is one for scattering across a playlist/mixtape rather than listening in one go. Either way though, this proved to be way better than I originally expected. Favourite: I Believe In A Thing Called Love
1. Nope, can't listen to this. The music itself is fine, not really my cup of tea, but otherwise it's fine, the vocals, however. Big NO.
Solid guitar, somewhat insufferable vocals, dated production. Very strange and not in an endearing way.
if you had told me people were still making glam rock in 2003, this is exactly what i’d expect. that’s a bad thing.
This is an album for people's who's favorite band is Spinal Tap. I can't believe this is on the list, I always thought this was a novelty act or the glam Jackie Jormp-Jomp. The Darkness is a mash up of AC/DC and Boston with Geddy Lee on vocals regurgitating every 70s rock cliche. They're good at it (the guitar tones and harmonic leads do replicate the 70s arena rock sound perfectly) and its pretty fun but because the hooks don't have the worn-in familiarity of decades of radio super-saturation the songs don't elicit the begrudging hum-along of even dreck like "More than a Feeling." Could see this being a fun bar-band, but an all-time album? At its best you could put this on while you're painting a wall and forget is on, but when it calls attention to itself its extremely annoying. Favorites: Growing on Me, the first 20 seconds of Holding my Own
The Darkness's whole gimmick has always been so tacky to me and I don't really care for their big hit, but this album was actually more likable than I expected. I think viewing it more as an product of its time than as an 80s throwback piece actually makes it more interesting and likable. The band has a good ear for hooks and the performances are good, even if the campy high pitch vocals do come across more annoying than anything at times. Still, like, it's not bad.
Fun album, starting to grow on me. Always loved I Believe In A Thing Called Love, but the album is more than that.
I Believe In a Thing Called Love can stay for its cultural significance, but the rest goes into the butt rock compost bin
This is a joke right? No one in their right minds could have been making this music in the 2000s. It was stupid but I’ll still give it 2 stars because they really went hard on the falsetto and I think that has to be commended
Interesting without being fantastic
I still don't really like this. But I really like Justin and I have to admit it is catchy and fine really well. It's just too silly.
This album rocks way more than I remember.
Through most of this I assumed I was listening to some 70s glam-rock band that I had never heard of. Imagine my surprise when I saw this album was from 2003. Great throwback sound, lots of energy. My only complaint is that sometimes the lead singer's voice is a little bit shrill, but overall it's a lot of fun. 4 stars.
-love some yelly scream singing -feels very hard rock and i dig it -DAMNNN those high notes -singer has got PIPESSSS bro it makes the songs that much better -idk if i would listen to this again but its cool -overall this is a 3 star album for me
It's really only here for I Believe in a Thing Called Love. Justin Hawkins' ridiculous falsetto and 80's hard rock worship makes this kind of camp, but not camp enough to be genius. Dudes who long for the hard rock of yore will think this unironically kicks ass, and who am I to deny them that pleasure. For what it's worth, it's pretty successful at 80's hard rock worship. Chunky riffs, adequate solos, big choruses. Unremarkable. Production is so crystal clean, it makes me nauseous. Back half is especially boring and bad. It feels like the whole album ends on a whimper.
Spandex 4eva!!! I really don't feel like I need to add more to this. Tracks 2-7 are a five star album, but the gimmick does tire a bit after that. But if they were a parody band, how come their best stuff is better than most glam metal bands ever managed?
is ganz okay/nice, aber the darkness halt. würd nit regelmäßig dazu greifen
Cannot listen to this. It‘s not torture but close to not want to listen to music anymore in life.
Big fan of this album, not a bad song on it. The b-sides are strong too, could never give it anything less than 5
This is now as old as the music it is paying tribute to was when it was released. The fact that it still holds up is testament to it being it's own amazing creation. Tons of fun.
sure is an album!
https://media.tenor.com/wlZU0JjHqNEAAAAC/thumbs-up-cool.gif
Man, forgot how many good songs are on this.
There’s some standout songs, but it doesn’t remain as strong throughout.
Man, when that guitar is going and he is wailing,I am all over that. But too many songs depart from this formula
Not a big fan. Too much screechy chaos.
Good driving music. Very powerful, psyched me up. Hair metal screams are what I needed today. He's got such a great voice, so much range. I only know 'I believe in a thing called love' but I found a new favourite 'Growing on Me'. 'Love is only a feeling's is such a ballad, another new favourite. Had me moving from start to finish.
I don't need permission to land. I know how to land just fine.
10th August 2023 Listened a day or so late, all these are out of whack. We’re doing nothing while waiting for baby. A classic of my youth, camp glam rock was brought back in a big way for a year. Thing called love was ubiquitous.
On the first tracks I needed a while to get into the albums but later I could really enjoy this glam rock that doesn't shy away from anything - in a time where rock music was heavily besieged by numetal.
Bit of a piss-take, like a poppier Steel Panther, but some good tunes if you can stomach the falsetto. Cut a couple of tracks from the second half and it'd be a classic.
Guilty pleasure
I don't see why I *have* to listen to this.
One of the great debut albums. Over the top nonsense with tongue firmly wedged in cheek. Which cheek? Have a listen and you decide.
This review is going to be very harsh and if I'm honest that might be in part due to Justin Hawkins takes on music and how harsh he's been on certain musicians. I will start with the positives. The biggest positive is that 3/4 of the singles from this album are outstanding. I Believe in a Thing Called Love has been overplayed but at its core its amazing. Growing on Me (a song that I said in 2003 was my song of the year) is really good, and Love is Only a Feeling is arguably the best song on the record. But the big negative is that out of the rest of the songs only Friday Night could have been a single, because the rest of the album is really poor, dull and uninteresting and more than anything, it's incredibly insincere. When the album is at its best it's upbeat party rock that doesn't take itself too seriously, at its worst its just bad. The low point was probably the bon jovi esque ballad toward the end of the album I will revisit the singles and maybe Friday night, but there is a reason this band faded out into obscurity. Its part desperation and it's partly that the joke was over, and when the jokes over what is left I'll give it a 2/5
This is brimming with rock-'n'-roll-ness and I liked it. The vocals, however, ruined everything with its high pitched whines.
Beyond the well known single the album is strong throughout. Any music which has fun at it's core like this I'm always going to get on with no matter the genre. It hits hard and keeps it up, when you think it may get tiring the sheer energy pushes through. They never quite lived up to this album but damn if this isn't an incredibly enjoyable listen all over again. fuck it it's a 5
I remember when "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" came out and I couldn't tell if the song was meant to be serious or not. That song was Tenacious D-esque. Now that I've heard the whole album, I still can't tell if it's meant to me a joke or not. But - I will say this - I liked it a lot more than I thought I would. Objectively, these are good musicians and his voice (while annoying after a while) is impressive. The arrangements are good, the melodies are cool. I really enjoyed several of the tracks even more than "I Believe" (Holding My Own was a standout). I can't believe I'm going to do this, but - in the context of this list - I have to give it a 4.
What a surprise, never heard of them, but I loved everything about it. The 80s guitar based rock with riffs, licks, solos, the pop punk feel of the production, the silly yet pretty proficient singing, in a good runtime. Loved it!
Surprisingly great album, almost more classic rock or metal rather than glam rock
All in fun, with some surprisingly deep moments
Nice
hm, the album art is deceiving. It looks like 70s art. Not sure what to expect here. Metal, rock, indie? Didn't get through it all at work, maybe I'll finish it up at the gym. Their voice reminds me of Counting Crows. It was alright. I liked the nostalgia feeling. 3⭐️
I'm not one for hair metal, so I'm probably in the wrong category for this. Technically speaking, it's impressive: Justin Hawkins' melismatic-slash-gymnastic runs sound difficult to pull off, and the backing music has some killer headbanging solos. That being said, I feel like I enjoyed parts of this album more than I enjoyed whole songs, and I'm not particularly sure why it's here. Didn't set off a huge hair metal revival or anything. Call it a generous 2.5. Favorite tracks: "I Believe In a Thing Called Love", "Growing On Me"
4.0
Rating: 7/10 Best songs: I believe in a thing called love, Love is only a feeling, Love on the rocks with no ice
Ummm
It's been too long, this is a cracking debut!
So good. Wicked guitar interplay, great vocal melodies, and fantastic production. Stoked to have finally listened to the whole album. Justin Hawkins is a fucking legend.
Some lyrics are absolutely hilarious, but nonetheless it is some proper piece of rocking. Also the frontman is fearless beast.
Odd album, but I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
Good, silly fun.
This is somewhere halfway between painfully bad and glorious fun - you can tell they're loving doing it, hitting all the cliches from the glam metal of 20/30 years before. From what I remember at the time, it was a nice counter to all the Pop Idol / X Factor stuff that was just emerging (as well as the trend in rock at the time towards being whingy), and it chimed really well with 13 year old me, it always makes me smile. That said, I haven't listened to it for a long long time, and doing so again now I'm older reveals that it really wasn't that good, the lyrics often make me wince, and I'm almost certainly not going to listen to it again. 2/5.
Fuck this album is so fun. The Darkness knew what they were doing and it works. Yeah it's got that cheese to it, but they lean into it and it's fucking awesome.
I love this record.
This was a fun listen.
Best Song: I Believe in a Thing Called Love. Absolutely dripping in cheese. Decadent. Boisterous. Doesn't take itself seriously but still manages to rock pretty hard. The definition of a fun song. Worst Song: Holding My Own. No one's here to hear the Darkness sing slow songs. Overall: Hard not to like the glitz and glamour of it all. Nothing else reaches the stratospheric heights of "I Believe in a Thing Called Love", but it's still entertaining enough to keep you mostly interested for its full duration.
Podeira ser um pouco mais conciso. Com oito faixas seria a síntese de toda diversão que o glam pode se caracterizar. Sendo que I Believe in a Thing Called Love é a receita mais bem acabada do glam rock.
Bombastic rock with a tongue firmly planted in cheek, what's not to love?!
So much fun to listen to again, total classic
Ah well this is nostalgia all over for me, and Lucy I hope! She and I loved the Beatles and when we were roughly 12 or 13 Lucy's dad was taking us to see their tour in Birmingham. But I had a migraine so my brother went instead, and had a great time by all accounts. Lucy and I then saw the Darkness at Godiva festival in 2017 and it was nice to tie up that loose end. Man they gave such a banging performance and looked like they'd barely aged. Lots of hits from this album. It's a total fun album and I loved listening to it
I've never understood the Darkness. I've never got how much of a 'joke band' they are. Do people actually like them and think they are good and take it seriously? Or is it all just a bit of fun, Either way, I feel like the music is just all copied from other older bands. Like the opening track sounds incredibly similar to an ACDC song and it's only his voice that makes it sound different.
Some of it can be a bit corny, but at the end of the day I find it's just good 'ol, straight forward, rock &/or roll. I dig it. Great guitar tone.
5/10. Sounded a little bad at times, but never that bad. Lyrics were okay at times, but generally not spectacular
I didn’t really care for the camp. 4/10
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.
Never understood the appeal here. There are a few ok songs here, but most of it is pretty bland to my ears. It's fine I guess? Like I wasn't actively hating it as it played. But I also was never like "Oh wow, this is a great riff!" Because it all sounds like rehashed hair metal (which is rather the point, no?). Like I said, doesn't really do it for me. 2.5 rounded down per protocol
Better then expected
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.
I remember when this came out I was desperate for it. Had a tenner left in my bank account and ended up bottling it out of guilt, as my mam drilled it into me to save and I’d gradually fluttered my money away on CDs. Not sure what that tenner wouldve done but at least I wasnt at 0. Anyway, 20 years later I’m finally living my teenage dream of listening to this (a different type of teenage dream than the one that involved Britney Spears and Hilary Duff, I can assure you). Anyway, its a pretty fun 70s, tongue in cheek throwback without all the noncing that the 70s brought. In fact I prefer it to most of the 70s rock records that have cropped up so far which obviously influenced this. Recognised most of the songs, and ‘I believe in a thing called love’ brought back a wave of nostalgia trying to learn the riff on guitar in me garage. In short, enjoyed this but cant see myself returning. 15 year old me wouldve fucking loved this though, so in hindsight I wish I’d spent that tenner and experienced the wrath of Linda.
How did this come out in 2003!? Can't believe it was 20 years ago. I loved this album at the time, it doesn't take itself too seriously and there's some great riffs. They were victims of their own success really, would have probably had a longer career if they hadn't shot to number 1. Don't think I've listened to it since my teens and I really enjoyed going through it again, really nostalgic and kept me smiling. Won't listen again very soon but have to give it a 5.
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.
Had not really listened to much from The Darkness but this album was a pleasant surprise. Really enjoyed the singing and guitar work here. I think the first half of the album is the better half. Highlights: Black Shuck Get Your Hands off My Woman Growing on Me I Believe in a Thing Called Love
Had forgotten about the darkness.... Great pop rock record though. Completely different to anything being released at the time. I remember seeing them at Leeds festival 2003 and not knowing who they were beforehand. Their name made me think it was going to be some death metal band or something, but they were completely different and I loved it. Listened to this album a lot at the time. Lots of good songs, but I think my favourite is love on the rocks with no ice. It's getting a 5 for how different it was to everything else at the time
sonzeira, conhecia o hit das antigas e o resto do álbum fez jus ao som
Enjoyed it
50/50
Like a cheap version of Boston. Some forgettable stuff, but also some bangers.
Sounds good. Hair band all the way!
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
Fuck yeah