Listening to lead singer Justin Hawkins belt out 80’s glam-rock style power ballads in his ridiculously high-octave falsetto is always a good time. While The Darkness made a solid effort with their debut Permission to Land two years ago, they just seem to get a bit gimmicky after a while, as the album looses its sex appeal after a few listens.
While Permission to Land's overall awesomeness is questionable, their new album One Way Ticket to Hell…And Back, rocks. The Darkness hit you upside the head with songs like “Knockers,” a track nearly as trashy and rocking as GnR’s “Paradise City.” The album starts off with sound effects of people sniffing blow, which leads into the spazzfest of an opening track and their debut single, “One Way Ticket.” This is where you’ll find shameless coked-out lyrics about “fluffy white powder” and “It was a dusty night, I’m the first to admit it…”
I’d imagine that hard core retro Motley Crue fans or trend-monkey Ziggy Stardust maniacs listen to The Darkness all stumped about whether or not they’re into these guys. The band just sort of blend the whole Supertramp/Styx 70’s rock stuff, with 80’s and 90’s hair metal/arena rock, and take it to a whole new tweaked out level. In fact, The Darkness employed ex- Queen, Bowie, and Stones producer Roy Thomas Baker for One Way Ticket to Hell…And Back.
Buy One Way Ticket to Hell…And Back if you’re wise or make sure to download, rip, itune, burn, or whatever—“Hazel Eyes,” “One Way Ticket,” “English Country Garden." You know what, forget about it, just go and get the whole damn album, as The Darkness does not disappoint.
