Album Review
- Album title
- Hot Cakes
- Artist
- The Darkness
- Label
- PIAS
- Release date
- 20 Aug
More info
The Darkness play O2ABC, Glasgow, 12 Sep www.theactualdarkness.comRelated Venues
The Darkness – Hot Cakes
Smut’s always been a core ingredient of The Darkness’s overstretched shtick, but I could swear it used to come with more wit. The glam riff and louche lyrics of third album opener Every Inch of You pick up precisely where they left off, but when the guitars are silenced for a falsetto ‘suck my cooooooock!’, you can’t help but long for the comparatively sophisticated double entendres of past releases.
Blunt knob gags aside, fatigue blights Hot Cakes. The Darkness once conquered charts and hearts by virtue of a razor-sharp pop nous and inherent sense of fun, but both assets have since waned. Yet while seemingly locked in a terminal regression, the formula still occasionally comes through: Everybody Have a Good Time offers enjoyably mindless rock n roll thrills, while their cover of Street Spirit – a live staple, pitched between Iron Maiden and Skunk Anansie – is splendidly irreverent.
Comments (8)
Add a comment »this is sucks! the darkness rule, and their new album is going to be amazing, dont listen to this loser chris buckle. He doesnt know what hes talking about. 2 stars??? the real reviews will be 6 stars out of 5.
Posted by | Wednesday 08 August 2012 @ 20:01
Report to moderatorKenny. Just wow.
Posted by | Wednesday 08 August 2012 @ 22:18
Approved by moderatorReported to moderatorWas this review based on listening to 3 songs? I think everyone will find it's alot better than suggested by this looser. Get some ears Chris Buckle, ya goose!
Posted by | Thursday 09 August 2012 @ 09:03
Report to moderator(1) Listen to three songs which have been released so far, (2) Try to form an exclusive early album review based on that, (3) ????, (4) Profit!
Posted by | Friday 10 August 2012 @ 10:49
Report to moderatorI actually agree with most the people commenting here - the album is going to be incredible. Go watch the video for "Everybody Have A Good Time" and tell me you dont love it! http://www.theactualdarkness.com/
Posted by | Thursday 16 August 2012 @ 00:09
Report to moderatorYo fuckheads. Maybe wait till you've actually heard it before commenting?
Posted by | Thursday 16 August 2012 @ 09:47
Report to moderatorThis review is pretty bogus. The album has been available for free streaming preview via rollingstone.com for several days now. While there's nothing as catchy as I Believe in a Thing Called Love or a couple of other songs off Permission to Land, overall, it's a stronger album with plenty of catchy tunes. Allmusic.com gave it 4/5, which I would ultimately give it.
This review, however, is correct in that the wit has been dialed down - but the Darkness have always been about catchy MUSIC, and that's on full display here.
The Darkness may not be growing on everyone - they're still somewhat a bit of an acquired taste - but one can't help to think they're aiming for something a bit more with this album, something that's an accomplishment in its own right.
Posted by | Saturday 18 August 2012 @ 14:14
Report to moderatorThe Darkness is back! Their new record is so good!
Posted by | Tuesday 04 September 2012 @ 06:53
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