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The Darkness - One Way Ticket To Hell And Back
The Queen Is Dead sang The Smiths, unfortunately several years on after Freddie Mercury’s death and Justin Hawkins and co either don’t seem to have realised or they have decided that they weren’t happy with Queen post Freddie and so took matters into their own hands and formed a tribute band.
Now don’t get me wrong, I think Hawkins could quite easily have taken over from Mercury had the role been offered to him, he does have a good vocal range and he’s certainly not lacking in confidence or outfits when it comes to being a showman, but ultimately he didn’t get offered the job, so erm…what’s the point of The Darkness?
Yeah I’m all up for a bit of fun, but this is just overblown rock posturing with nauseating songs as the soundtrack to their own egos. I thought, or rather should I say hoped, that The Darkness would have been a joke that had worn thin by now after the success of their debut album.
Maybe it has, but you suckers (1.5m of you in the UK) who bought Permission To Land did just that, you gave them an opening, you encouraged them, you made them think that you believed in them. So really you only have yourselves to blame that they should want to return with a follow up album haven’t you?
- The Darkness
- One Way Ticket To Hell And Back (2005)
- Category: Album
- Label: Atlantic Records
- Reviewed by: Kev
- Published on: 28 Dec 2005
- Comments: 0
- Beat Surrender Rating:
Weblinks
Add to favouritesSo what of it, have they advanced and moved onto another type of satire? Nope I’m afraid not, because if it ain’t broke then don’t fix it and things are nicely oiled and moving smoothly in Darkness land. The album opens with a minutes worth of panpipes, I see no reason for this but then at least it beats the single and title track that is up next.
Next up is the ever so amusingly titled Knockers, could be a bit of seaside humour from the boys or a swipe at people like me who write unpleasant things about the band, either way I’m cringing as soon as Hawkins opens his mouth and lets forth that ‘nuts caught in the zip of your jeans’ howl of his.
Things don’t really get much better throughout, Hazel Eyes is a passable track in my book and for me it’s the only one on this ten tracker. The album closes with Blind Man and it’s not a moment too soon, not being a big Queen fan myself I immediately reach for the only single I possess by them (Don’t Stop Me Now) and give that a spin to purge myself of this horrific noise.
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