New Darkness album

**gustavo** · 03/12/2005, 9:22 PM

i know a lot of ye that dont like the darkness but dammit their new song is really catchy!

anyway if u wanna hear their new album its streaming here

http://www.myspace.com/TheDarkness

**Lionel Ritchie** · 05/12/2005, 8:54 AM

Two and a half years ago I said the backlash against these lads would be like nothing we've seen since The Farm tried to follow up All Nogether Now and I'm not taking any pleasure in being well on the way to proved right. They're not the type of thing I'd go for and I didn't think a cockrock revival was what rocknroll needed but they don't appear to be too far up their own holes like too many of their contemporaries so they're to be commended for that alone.

The LP got 5 out of 10 in NME who gave it a full page to tear the hole out of it -which generally can be taken to mean a new editorial policy has been handed down on the band.

I don't think the 'One Way Ticket' single is great to be honest. The titles cornier than Spinal Tap and the song itself sounds like reheated Bon Jovi nonsense. But I hope they can turn it around.

Still think they're best contribution is 'Don't Let the Bells End' -the only Xmas song (ok band aid 20) of recent years that you still hear at xmas)

**Aldini98** · 05/12/2005, 9:36 AM

I think they are awful, lucky that people see them as a novelty or something.

**finlma** · 05/12/2005, 12:38 PM

I really don't understand how people like the Darkness - they're rubbish.
I was disgusted when they were promoted to headline last year's Oxegen when Bowie pulled out.

1 song would have been a bit of a joke that I could tolerate but 2 albums - come on.

**gustavo** · 05/12/2005, 8:26 PM

Lighten up finmla they are a fun band and they gave a good show that night i thought

**sligoman** · 10/12/2005, 11:37 PM

So if you liked the first album Gus, would you recommend buying the second?

**gustavo** · 11/12/2005, 4:08 PM

to be honest i didnt really get around to listening to that link much at all! but i heard its more of the same anyway.

**pete** · 11/12/2005, 7:37 PM

Like sound like a 21st century version of Slade.

**gustavo** · 12/12/2005, 12:41 AM

to some people thats not a bad thing!

**paul_oshea** · 12/12/2005, 10:08 AM

i wouldnt put them near slade , slade are ****e, and cum on feel the noize was far better by white riot, but i could never take them seriously and always thought they were taking the **** out of my prefered genre of music, so i wouldnt let myself like them, however i have to say the music they have produced is catchy, good aul dirty rock. wouldnt take them too seriouslly, but they do seem to have a real love for what they do which has to be respected.

\m/

**Macy** · 12/12/2005, 11:47 AM

Firstly, they were always just a follow up to Tenacious D imo.

Secondly, thought the first album was okay. It's not music to take seriously, and if you treat it as that I think it stands up. Would be interested to hear opinions of the second album.

**Lionel Ritchie** · 12/12/2005, 12:45 PM

Not sure I can subsribe to this idea that some music can "be taken seriously" and some should not.

Probably not your intention but it smacks a little of snobbery.

I'm not a Darkness fan btw -though I like that they appear to be self depricative. I doubt that means they don't take what they do serious as a heart attack mind.

As somebody who grew up in an "indie" infused musical culture I know many of my friends strongly disapproved of my metal* tendencies as they saw the genre as low brow, unsophisticated and "not to be taken seriously".

But even within the broader indie family the same demarkation seems to apply.

I remember when I was in my early 20's Radioheads 'The Bends' was out, was all the rage and you weren't "taking music seriously" if you didn't have it, know and understand it and agree with that consensus.
I really struggled with that because frankly -Nice Dream and Fake Plastic Trees apart -I thought it was a ploddy, retentive ...yoke of a thing.

Similtaneously The Presidents of The United States of America released I or One or Presidents One or whatever they call it -and while the LP did great and had two huge singles 'Peaches' and the towering magnificent 'Lump' they had that tag that they "weren't to be taken seriously" which I found strange and frankly a bit annoying as arguably their record was pushing the envelope way more than The Bends was.

They'd this minimalist concept a tiny drumkit, a guitar with two bass strings and a guitar with three guitar strings and were seeing how far they could get with just that which I thought was fantastic. Ferocious energy to them as well. But they were roundly dismissed when the followed it up with II -another fantastic record by the way.

*Just to clarify -I'd have had no time for poodle perm tits like Bon Jovi, Poison, and their semi-cross dressing ilk. My personal preferences would have been in the direction of Metallica, Sepultura, Anthrax, Slayer.

**Macy** · 12/12/2005, 1:11 PM

Originally Posted by Lionel Ritchie

Not sure I can subsribe to this idea that some music can "be taken seriously" and some should not.

Probably not your intention but it smacks a little of snobbery.

Not snobbery at all. I meant take them at face value, rather than saviours of rock/pop/indie/alternative (which is where the NME approach of build up to knock them down does).

btw 1. I've found people into metal more snobbish about The Darkness than anyone else.

btw 2. Never been a fan of Radiohead

btw 3. I'd agree with that about the Presidents...

**gustavo** · 12/12/2005, 1:53 PM

POTUSA rocked! although that album aged badly i took it out there a while back and it wasnt as good as the memorys had me believe.

**Lionel Ritchie** · 12/12/2005, 1:55 PM

Ah I see and agree. But it's up to Joe and Josey public to ignore NME and their ilk AND the DJs who take their cues from them (Dunne I'm looking in your direction) which they near certainly won't.

Recently finished reading David Bretts Morrissey Biography (I've decided it was awful but that's another story) and early in the book he quotes from a staff writer sent by NME/MM to "review" a Morrissey gig in 1992. The writer told him straight out that he didn't even have to see the gig and didn't care if Morriseey put on an earth shattering performance -he'd been handed an editorial dictat that the show, the record ('Your Arsenal' I'm guessing) and Morrissey were to be slaughtered and that was that.

**Lionel Ritchie** · 12/12/2005, 1:57 PM

Originally Posted by gustavo

POTUSA rocked! although that album aged badly i took it out there a while back and it wasnt as good as the memorys had me believe.

first or second one? Listened to the first one the other day and thought it kicked the pants off what the haircut bands are at these days.

**gustavo** · 12/12/2005, 9:47 PM

first one
the singles were still good but some of the songs like carla the stripper one kinda dragged

**paul_oshea** · 13/12/2005, 10:03 AM

Poison,

ah lionel, ye cant beat the likes of talk dirty to me, every rose has its thorn, or the likes of motley crue girls girls girls, espcially to see the stage effects for girls girls girls, porn playing on giant screens and birds having orgasms, and then in come them riding on a harley. quality choreography defined.

**Lionel Ritchie** · 13/12/2005, 10:46 AM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

ah lionel, ye cant beat the likes of talk dirty to me, every rose has its thorn, or the likes of motley crue girls girls girls, espcially to see the stage effects for girls girls girls, porn playing on giant screens and birds having orgasms, and then in come them riding on a harley. quality choreography defined.

Sounds marvellous.

How'd they get those four sexually retarded fat cnuts onto one harley though?