One Way Ticket to Hell & Back
More than 3.5 milliondebutrecords sold are enough to stuff any band from Lowestoft, UK, with a follow up full of bohemian rhapsody, and with one-time Queen producer Roy Thomas Baker in tow, the Darkness has managed to parcel its sophomore effort with notoriously ogress riffs and (Freddie) Mercurial bravado. Led by audacious (and high-octave) singer Justin Hawkins, the foursome channels the pompous arena rock of the late-seventies with flaunting glam bands like Slade and T-Rex, parading mellotrons, flugelhorns, sitars and saxophones into a bawdy mix already conquered by double-barrel Gibsons and layered vocals. While the assemblage of power ballads ("Dinner Lady Arms," "Hazel Eyes") hearkens back to mid-eighties MTv, the Darkness brightens the play list with hook-heavy rockers like "Is It Just Me," "Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time" and "Girlfriend." And with a sarcastic spirit and stretch-limo approach, there's no telling whom the band might round up to produce its third record. Is George Martin available?--Scott Holter