England’s most distinctive, multiple award-winning, platinum-selling, hugely entertaining rock gods – and one-time saviors of rock’n’roll turned national pleasures – The Darkness are back with their fifth album Pinewood Smile, due for release October 6th through Cooking Vinyl.
Marking the announcement, the band has today unveiled the spectacular album opener “All The Pretty Girls” across all streaming platforms. It’s also available for download with pre-orders of the album for the instant gratification of fans.
“All The Pretty Girls” is a glorious, hard-rockin’, autobiographical anthem intellectually examining the fact that when you’re a rock star you get a lot of attention from ladies and discussing the ethical conundrums that come with that.
As Justin Hawkins so eloquently sings with trouser-splitting vocal magnificence; “All the pretty girls, like me for who I am / All the pretty girls, when the record goes platinum / Plenty of action, massive attraction, when you’re selling out stadiums / All the pretty girls… and their mums”.
Addressing the forthcoming album and The Darkness’ undoubted relevance in 2017, Justin asks, somewhat rhetorically of the world at large, “Why should anybody care? Because if you don’t, we’re fucked!! History will remember us as the apathetic generation who negligently ushered in a dreadful dystopian age that may or may not come to be known as ‘The Rise of the Arseclowns’. We cannot allow this to continue! You may not give a shit about Brexit or Trump, but PLEASE… give a shit about The Darkness otherwise the last bastion of cultural sensibility will fall and our airwaves will be polluted by meaningless pop purveyed by arseholes and morons… Oh wait!”
In addition to the cerebral treatise of “All The Pretty Girls”, the album boasts the swashbuckling “Buccaneers Of Hispaniola”, the expletive-strewn howl of frustration that is “Southern Trains”, the hugely emotional “Why Don’t The Beautiful Cry?”, the globally anthemic “Japanese Prisoner Of Love”, and the ode to pumping out smash hit after smash hit “Solid Gold”, which finds The Darkness addressing the turbulent nature of the music industry and how they have enjoyed its flamboyant highs and spectacular lows.
Written in Putney, recorded in Cornwall and produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Adrian Bushby (Foo Fighters, Muse), the compositions have all the crucial elements of classic Darkness fare, but with added layers for the ears to peel away at… like a sonic onion but a lot tastier. It also features the drumming and vocal talents of gorgeous new band member Rufus Tiger Taylor, son of Queen legend Roger Taylor, who shares vocal duties with Justin on two of the tracks.
To celebrate the release of their comeback album Pinewood Smile, The Darkness will be touring extensively at the end of this year playing 17 dates in the UK throughout November and December including a headline show at London’s Hammersmith Eventim Apollo on December 10th (see dates below). The shows are part of a wider European tour, full dates can be found at http://www.thedarknesslive.com/tour-dates/
- All The Pretty Girls
- Buccaneers Of Hispaniola
- Solid Gold
- Southern Trains
- Why Don’t The Beautiful Cry?
- Japanese Prisoner Of Love
- Lay Down With Me, Barbara
- I Wish I Was In Heaven
- Happiness
- Stampede Of Love
The album will be released on CD, limited edition Deluxe CD (featuring four bonus tracks), Gatefold Heavyweight Vinyl, cassette and in both Standard and Deluxe digital versions.
THE DARKNESS UK TOUR DATES
NOVEMBER
11/23 – Southampton, O2 Guildhall
11/24 – Manchester, Academy
11/25 – Blackburn, King George’s Hall
11/27 – Leeds, O2 Academy
11/28 – Newcastle, O2 Academy
11/29 – Glasgow, O2 Academy
DECEMBER
12/1 – Stoke-On-Trent, Victoria Hall
12/2 – Nottingham, Rock City
12/3 – Norwich, UEA
12/5 – Guildford, G Live
12/6 – Margate, Winter Gardens
12/7 – Southend-On-Sea, Cliffs Pavilion
12/9 – Birmingham, O2 Academy
12/10 – London, Eventim Apollo
12/11 – Brighton, Dome
12/13 – Cardiff, St David’s Hall
12/14 – Bristol, Colston Hall
The Darkness played a number of landmark shows, including a headline set at the 2004 Reading & Leeds Festivals, as part of a whirlwind career of global touring as international sensations. The band then built upon the success of their debut with their 2005 follow up One Way Ticket To Hell… And Back, which produced the Top 10 hit “One Way Ticket”.
In 2006 Justin Hawkins left the band, checking into rehab and The Darkness fell apart. Following successful treatment, the band reformed in 2011 touring Europe and South America in 2012 with Lady Gaga. They released their comeback album Hot Cakes that year and Last Of Our Kind in 2015.
The band have now returned in 2017 with Pinewood Smile, their first album to come through Cooking Vinyl. Ahead of the album’s announcement, The Darkness toured Europe in support of Guns N’ Roses and are playing a number of festivals in the UK and Europe during the summer.
Musically Amusing 