Right On Target (Permission To Land - Darkness)

Member Name: fooyoo

Product:	Permission To Land - Darkness
Date:	09/02/04 (126 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Foot stomping rock, Refreshing sound

Disadvantages: Vocal gymnastics take some getting used to

Nowadays, we are so used to new band and artists appearing on TV and in the charts with one successful single release, and then not having anything of substance to follow it up with. I remember seeing a video on MTV2, and boring my wife stupid with my over enthusiasm for the new group who went by the name of 'The Darkness', and the video in question was for a song called 'Growing On Me'. Initially, my wife paid no interest in them, and passed them off as another of my short lived music loves, but then I made her sit down and listen, and she now enjoys their music, although the biggest and most devoted fan in the family is our 4 year old daughter who can sing along with every word on this album (although she has made up her own words for the naughty words as she has no idea what they mean, and that is fine by me), and goes wild when the band come on the television.

It did not take very long for many others to sit up and take notice of the band, and soon they were on the receiving end of endless plaudits, and when they were nominated for the prestigious Mercury Music Award, the masses really started to hear more and more about this band. Robbie Williams even chose them as one of his support acts when touring in 2003, so the more mainstream pop audience got to hear rock music Darkness style. Retro is making a comeback in the high street shops in terms of fashion, and this band are leading the charge in the music charts followed by bands such as Kings Of Leon and the like. These bands have a passion for music, and they are going to do it their way, regardless whether or not it fits with what is popular today.

'Permission To Land' is the debut album release from the band, and the media attention surrounding the eccentric lead singer/guitarist Justin Hawkins has done the sales no harm at all. His outfit
s always centre around a brightly coloured lycra catsuits, which have led some critics to say that the music is not serious, and it is more Spinal Tap than Queen. That is a harsh criticism as I think the band are very serious about what they do, but they have a refreshing approach which is lighthearted and humorous a lot of the time, but this does not mean that they are any less accomplished as performers. For me, this is like a breath of fresh air, as I am sick to death of bands who take themselves and their music too seriously. Justin's brother Dan is the lead guitarist, Frankie Poullain is the bass player, and finally there is drummer Ed Graham. They look completely mismatched, but obviously they work well together. Dan, Frankie and Ed were previously a trio without a singer, and the story goes that they took Justin on board after hearing him perform at a karaoke night.

Opener 'Black Shuck' is a rip roaring start to the album. The opening guitar riffs remind me of Motorhead's more popular releases. It pounds out of the speakers, and the drums add to the 70's rock feel. In the current climate of manufactured pop, this just feels so fresh, even if the formula for songs like this is decades old. The songs aren't polished as they weren't recorded in a top studio, and I am sure this adds to the edge they have. You may not like the music instantly, but I assure you these songs are growers, and you will find yourself singing along when you least expect it, and the vocal gymnastics are not as apparent as when you first hear Justin sing, which for many people is a shock to the system.

AC/DC remiscent 'Get You Hands Off My Woman' is a tremendous track, and Hawkins showcases near enough his full vocal range. The lyrics here are probably what you would sa
y should a man have his hands on your woman, but they will be too graphic for many to swallow. This was actually the first single they released, but it just scraped into the Top 50. Their influences are clear on this song, and I applaud them for following the path laid by AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Def Leppard and the like, rather than conforming, and trying to be nu metal or mainstream pop rock. They will develop a sound all of their own I am sure, but for the moment songs like this do just fine, and if something works well why try to mess with it?

The song that started it all (for me anyway) was 'Growing On Me'. Justin's vocals are excellent, and this is as close to a love song as you will get from the band. From the opening beat of the drumsticks counting time, this has hit written all over it. It is catchy, it is classic, and it gets right into your head. It was an attention grabbing song, but it could have been the kiss of death if the band were not up to the challenge of producing equally impressive follow ups. I have now heard this song literally hundreds of times, but I am yet to tire of it, and although I have not tried hard, I can find no fault with it, and when it would have been easy to give in after their initial failure, this was an inspired choice of single.

The follow up single release for most bands is the sink or swim time, and the band made sure they were strong with 'I Believe In A Thing Called Love', which is very much the same as the previous track. It is a rousing singalong song, which oozes the feelgood factor, and I am sure they will be filling the stadiums as headliners that they played as support artists throughout 2003. This is probably the most original sounding song on the album, and it is without doubt one of my favourites. This song has created some new
heroes for the young music lovers out there who have shunned the plastic pop princes and princesses that seem to be pushed upon the youth at every opportunity.

'Love Is A Feeling' is one of the standout tracks on the album for me, and it would be so easy for it to be dwarfed by the songs that have gone before, but it holds it's own very well. It has a slower pace and has more feeling than the other tracks on the album so far, but their is an unmistakable energy about everything the band do, and it shines through on this track. This is where they really show their worth, and proves that we should believe the hype on this occasion. The vocals are the standout part of the song, and I am sure without them this would not be the track it is, and for once Justin tones it down to great effect. If anyone needing convincing that this band were not about being a gimmick, then this is the song to convince them.

I hate to say it, but 'Givin Up' initially reminded me of Status Quo because of the guitar riffs in the introduction. This is one of the tracks where the use of the 'F' words does seem to on the heavy side. It is a song about drugs, which the band claim is not about them, but about a friend, and whether you believe this to be true does not really matter as the song is slightly disappointing, and lacks the personal touch most of their music seems to have. Played live, I am sure that the showmanship would boost the calibre of the song, but for the moment, it is the only slightly low point on the whole album for me.

'Stuck In A Rut' shows that the band can add some funk into their rock, and the results are very impressive, and the song has a real dirty feel about it. Justin's vocals are screeching at times, but they do work well, and the album marches on proudly and strongly at an impressive pace. Agai
n, I can find no fault with this track, but then I wasn't really looking! This band know their target audience, and they are producing music which really hits the spot each and every time. Songs like this prove that the band are not manufactured or phoney, and the music critics and fans can take them seriously, and be proud to say that their are fans of the band without fear of ridicule from their peers.

'Friday Night' shows that the band have a more laid back side, and the result is an excellent track, which is about people who are seen as being 'uncool' at school. The chorus is instantly catchy, and the song is the least rock based on the album, but still a great listen. The verses leads into a touching chorus, and this song has the most English feel of any on the album, and that is more down to the pronunciation than the subject matter. Doubters of the music just need to open up and listen to songs like this and realise that this band are something to be proud of, especially as they have more success in America than many of their more established chart rivals in this country.

Before I listened to the full album, I saw the band perform 'Love On The Rocks With No Ice' at the Kerrang awards, and I was blown away by it, and I am sure that if I heard it live it would totally blow me away. It is a track which I can see becoming an anthem for many fans of the band. It is a hands clapping in the air anthem style song which I can see Justin getting the audience to sing along to with no problem at all, even those who have never really enjoyed the bigger rock bands who were around in the 70's and 80's. The music this band produce is invigorating, and there is no finer example of that than this song, and I for one can never fight the urge to sing along whenever I hear this track.


The final track on the album is 'Holding My Own', which is a return to the ballad. The sentiment is touching, and it is a satisfying end to the journey that I started 10 tracks ago. I hope that the band can fight what seems to be a backlash from some music purists who believe that they are not serious about what they do, as I for one want to hear a lot more in the same vein as this album. Everything about the band and their music is over the top, but it is a tried and tested formula which worked well 3 decades ago.Justin Hawkins vocals are impressive, although I am sure his higher pitch will grate on some listeners. There is a lot of swearing on the album, but until I listened closely, I had not even noticed most of it, and I would certainly not let my daughter listen to it if I thought it was that bad, although you can buy an edited version which has cleaned up lyrics. There is a parental guidance sticker on the front of the original release as a warning. Although the lyrics are not mindblowing, but they fit well with the mood of the album, and the band admit they are not trying to change the world with their music...they just want to entertain, and they won't apologise for that. The album is fun, and in my mind there is certainly nothing wrong with that, for the performer or for their fans.

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