Opinions on The Darkness

Jupiter · #1 12-09-2003, 02:40 AM

Hey!
After seeing their video to "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" {i think that's the name...} a few times, i gotta say, i'm nuts over this song!!! It's got a cool 70's rock vibe, and the vocals are so over-the-top! I'm probably going to buy the album, but i'd like some other opinions first. Has anyone else heard the rest of the CD? Is it all stuff like "I Believe..."? If so, i'm buying it ASAP!

Two hands31 · #2 12-09-2003, 05:45 AM

Yea, it's all similar from what I've heard, with that sorta 70s rock sound. Can't say I'm a huge fan of "Get Your Hands Off Of My Woman", but this one's not bad.

hexa-db · #3 12-09-2003, 06:19 AM

The only thing I find about The Darkness is that I get the feeling they're taking the p1$$ a bit. There's so many bands I used to listen to that had a similar sound and look and everything, but were doing it seriously (well, tongue in cheek I guess, but you know) and now it seems a bit like The Darkness are being all "post-ironic trendy" or something..

I dunno. On the other hand, if it brings guitar solos back in fashion it can't be bad

Ibateur · #4 12-09-2003, 07:33 AM

I find them extremely funny.

**cerealk** · #5 12-09-2003, 08:01 AM

Great laugh and great fun

I bought the DVD single for the vid

GuitarWizard · #6 12-09-2003, 08:29 AM

I've had the Darkness cd in my store since it came out.... we play the cd all the time.

I would say I have probably heard the album 150-200 times....all the way through.

I could give a track by track analysis, if I wanted to.

In England, the Hawkins brothers (the leaders of the Darkness) were originally reported as being the "next Queen".

....And while the influence is certainly there. They are not Queen.

Oasis was more Beatles (which they weren't) , than the Darkness is Queen.

So do not spend the money thinking you are buying "A day at the races".

There are 2 tracks on the 10 track cd that stand out in my mind.

One is called "On the Rocks"..... where the Hawkins brother singing takes his voice so high falsetto, that its stupid.

The other is the last track on the cd, and the only track where they actually seem to be serious...... also the only track where they even somewhat resemble Queen... its called "I'm holding my own".

It sounds like it could have been a left over song from Queen's "News of the World" .... as its sounds like "Spread Your Wings" meets "Somebody to love".

The band has talent... but they hit a sore spot with me.... because A) Queen is my favorite band and B) I hate funny bands.

I will take a mediocre talented band, who is very serious about their music anyday over a hugely talented band, who thinks everything is a joke.

When I see jokes, and pranks, and cussing in music for no reason..... I feel that a band is trying to attract the Jonny Knoxville, Jackass watching croud..... I usually hate the music that the "alternative, Sk8ter Boys" like.

The album is very vulger also..... F*ck is probably said 30-40 times on the cd?? Along with all the other colorful words.

Even if Freddie Mercury, or Brian May, or Angus Young, or Bon Scott, wanted to say the meaning of these words in a song..... they were creative enough to hide them, and mask it.... The songwriting on the Darkness doesn't hold up to the musicians they are heavily influenced by as listed above.

GW

dex · #7 12-09-2003, 09:00 AM

I've had the album for over a month and it's not great.
This Justin fellow is a bit over the top and he is an Angus Young/Bon Scott/Brian May/Freddie Mercury wanaby but his problem is that he is not even 1/10th as tallented as any of these guys.

If you like The Strokes/Vines/Hives/White Stripes and think they are [californian doped up skaterboy]awesome, dude[/californian doped up skaterboy] you will like the Darkness.
If you dont.............well then you most probably won't.

And if this Justin is for real...................???.....man is he lost.

ilia

ShredOrDead · #8 12-09-2003, 09:32 AM

I think they are horrid, and anytime I see something printed saying they are the "new face of metal" or some silly crap like that I want to vomit.

pawel · #9 12-09-2003, 09:37 AM

I find their music fun, not "I'll go buy the cd fun", but fun nevertheless. They are a joke, and they know it too, which makes it even more fun. Being a Queen fan, i'm not trying to make any comparisons...Just judging them for what they are.

GuitarWizard · #10 12-09-2003, 09:49 AM

I hate it when bands come out of the gate trying to be "hilarious".

It reminds me of like "Saved By the Bell" / "California Dreams" high school garage bands from TV.

To me it convey's the message of... "We suck, we know we suck, so lets just be stupid".

When my customers come in and buy new cds for $16, $17 dollars, they don't want stupid. They want talent.

This doesn't mean that I hate all humour in music.... but earn your way into that ground.

The Beatles had some silly songs.....After They sold 50 million albums. After they had 12 songs on Billboard 100 ....at the same time. (this feat will never be repeated).

The Darkness is like Barenaked Ladies with a bad English accent, distorted guitars.....and the "F" word every 10 seconds.

Trust me.... rather than blow your money on this... just get an old AC/DC or Queen album you don't already have..... and thank me later!

SalemB · #11 12-09-2003, 10:10 AM

I love The Darkness. In my opinion it's the greatest new release I've heard since the heavy-funk period of the early 90s.

They may appear to be a bad parody of 70s rock, but I think they're just pissed off that they weren't there at the time. Hence they're dressing and acting like a 70s band.

pawel · #12 12-09-2003, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GuitarWizard

When my customers come in and buy new cds for $16, $17 dollars, they don't want stupid. They want talent.

Are you sure? Judging by the patterns in music sold recently, few people seem to want talent... As for humour, there is enough bands out there take take themselves too seriously, I think we need someone like the Darkness every once in a while...

ShredOrDead · #13 12-09-2003, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pawel

Quote:

Originally Posted by GuitarWizard

When my customers come in and buy new cds for $16, $17 dollars, they don't want stupid. They want talent.

Are you sure? Judging by the patterns in music sold recently, few people seem to want talent...

Amen. Thank you MTV and Rolling Stone.

GuitarWizard · #14 12-09-2003, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pawel

Quote:

Originally Posted by GuitarWizard

When my customers come in and buy new cds for $16, $17 dollars, they don't want stupid. They want talent.

Are you sure? Judging by the patterns in music sold recently, few people seem to want talent... As for humour, there is enough bands out there take take themselves too seriously, I think we need someone like the Darkness every once in a while...

In my store....(My) .... they seem to like talent.

Of course I keep Queen, Satch, SRV, Cream, Joe Bonamassa, Beatles and bands of the like on full rotation....

Usually on LP.... yes, we have over 20,000 new and used cds... but we also have 10,000 LP records.

I gave the Darkness a chance.... I don't think they completely suck.... but IMHO they won't make it as far as Oasis.

Noel Gallager could write songs..... The Hawkins brothers may get along better than the Gallager's ..... but the writing is sad.

....And just so you know... I've never sold a Justin Timberlake cd in my store...we have them... no one has ever bought one. I sell a few Brittney's.... thats about it.

I sell Stevei Ray Vaughan and Joe Bonamassa more than anything in the store.

If any of you want to check out a real guitarist/singer.... Check out any of 27 yr old, New Yorker , Joe Bonamassa's 3 cds..... He's a fantastic rough voiced, smokin guitar player.....that isn't a SRV rip-off like so many others.