The Darkness' 'Motorheart' - Album Review

When it comes to pure fun, there are are few bands out there that excel in that field more than The Darkness. While there are some that still do not get The Darkness, or choose not to get them in some cases, there is a reason why the band still remain popular here in the UK. The band are not as big as they used to be, with much of the period between the release of their 2003 debut album Permission to Land and their break up in 2006 seeing them fill arenas here in the UK, but they are still a big draw - especially live. I always think that it must be hard for bands who achieve such a large amount of success so quickly. Overnight success must be tricky to navigate and cope with, and I would imagine that it is more preferable in the long run to build success over time. Permission to Land was such an instant hit, and I would not be surprised if this instant catapult to fame contributed to the band's split three years later. While still a success, 2005's One Way Ticket to Hell...and Back did not reach the heights of Permission to Land - both critically and commercially. I actually think that it is the stronger album, but it was always going to be hard to capture lightning in a bottle twice - at least from an imapct perspective. The break probably did the band the world of good, however - and since reforming in 2011 The Darkness have been on a great run of form. COVID-19 notwithstanding, they have rarely been off the road - and they have released new albums on a pretty regular basis since relaunching with 2012's Hot Cakes. While, in my opinion, none of the band's 'newer' albums quite match up to the greatness of their first two, the band's recent albums are still great - with 2015's Last of Our Kind (which I reviewed here) and 2019's Easter is Cancelled (which I also reviewed here) being particular highlights. There is definitely more of a rawness to the band's recent work, but that suits The Darkness as they currently stand. Guitarist Dan Hawkins' big-sounding but relatively stripped back production style helps to bring the best out of the band - and there seems to be less of a desire to go for a full-blown Queen/Def Leppard-esque sound these days. That being said, The Darkness are still melodic, theatrical, and over the top - as their newly released seventh studio album Motorheart can attest to. It is early days, but Motorheart might be my favourite thing that the band have put out since One Way Ticket to Hell...and Back - which considering the quality of both Last of Our Kind and Easter is Cancelled is high praise indeed. If it is not the best overall, then it certainly contains some of the best individual songs that the band have written for many years - some of which benefit from a slightly lusher production than has been common of late. The album is still relatively stripped back, however, but the band have allowed themselves the odd flirtation with a larger sound again this time.

Proving that the band's trademark humour is still very much intact, the album opens with the tongue-in-cheek, and surprisingly heavy at times, Welcome Tae Glasgae. I am not sure that anyone outside of the UK will really understand what the song is about, and Justin Hawkins' accent will likely upset some Scottish people, but the song is a short stab of fun - which is what The Darkness have always been best at. It is certainly not the best song here, but there is plenty of energetic riffing to enjoy - with heavy sections that are the most powerful that the band have sounded in years. Before the heaviness, however, a pulsing bassline from Frankie Poullain and some bagpipes herald the entrance of the song's verse - which is full of Justin's silly lyrics, and followed by a pre-chorus that features some excellent falsetto vocals. The heaviness comes in for the chorus, with a riff that could have come from the band's debut album - with Justin taking on a gruffer vocal style than usual, to bark the simple chorus lyrics in something of a mock Scottish accent. The song will definitely turn off anyone who has never got The Darkness, but for those of us familiar with the band's style the song opens the album in fine fashion. The quality instantly shoots up, however, as It's Love, Jim is one of the best songs here - and one of the band's best songs ever, in my opinion. The song's main riff is packed full of classic rock attitude, with a stop-start pattern that sees both the Hawkins brothers locked together to whip up an energetic storm. The song continues on in the same vein too, and the track is a high energy piece that is packed with hooks. The chorus is very catchy, with a great falsetto vocal hook and some melodic guitar intricacies - but with all the hooks the energy and classic rock strut never fades. The song might be a little on the short side, and would have been even better with a solo and a final chorus reprise, but as it stands it is still great - and as mentioned previously it is a real album highlight. The album's title track is next, and following two relatively quick and straight forward songs it takes a slightly different path. The song is still classic Darkness in style, but the riffing and the main guitar leads feel a little more involved than usual. Special mention should also be given here to the drum performance of Rufus Taylor, who is now on his third outing with the band. The drumming throughout is full of energy, and the strange rolls that follow the song's main riff add some percussive energy to the piece - and help the song to stand out. I also like how the third verse takes on a different sound, with Justin instead delivering the lyrics in a largely spoken word manner. This also helps the song to stand out and, when the catchy chorus is also taken into account, the track is another highlight.

The Power and the Glory of Love takes on a bit of a smoother sound, and definitely channels the vibe that was established throughout Easter is Cancelled. While it does not have the acoustic guitar presence that really characterised many of that album's songs, the overall smoothness certainly brings the band's 2019 release to mind. This more laid back approach is welcome however, following three harder hitting tracks, and the song allows both Justin's voice and Poullain's bass to shine. The bass really drives the verses, with the guitars adding colour, while Justin sounds great vocally thanks to some AOR-esque vocal melodies - as well as the occasional burst of screaming falsetto in the chorus. I also really like the occasional harmony guitar leads, which usually act as a join between the different parts of the song. The band's Thin Lizzy influence has always been visible, and the guitar work throughout the song (as well as the overall smoothness) certainly bring the Irish band to mind. Jussy's Girl is similar. It does inject a bit more of a hard rock feeling back into the album, but there is still a smoothness - along with an arrangement that makes more room for occasional synths. The acoustic guitars from Easter is Cancelled return too which, along with the synths, help to give the song real depth. Things move back and forth between riffier sections and parts that are more atmospheric; which showcase the band's songwriting skills perfectly. While most of the band's songs are short, they are often interestingly arranged and packed with twists and turns that might not be expected. Jussy's Girl certainly has that feeling, with the chorus in particular sounding quite different from the rest of the song - along with a lengthy guitar solo that is set against a subtly industrial backing. Sticky Situations is something of a ballad, but in the somewhat bombastic manner which The Darkness' ballads have often taken previously. It also flirts with some of the Queen-esque vibes that the band have made use of previously - particularly in the way that the song has been layered and some of the choir-esque backing vocals. Piano and acoustic guitars add a lot of depth, while subtle slide guitar swells compliment Justin's voice nicely - but it is the chorus were the Queen elements are at their most obvious. Everything really comes together in the choruses, with walls of guitars, synths, and backing vocals joining forces to create a larger-than-life sound.

Nobody Can See Me Cry injects some more energy back into the album after three smoother tracks. The energy from Welcome Tae Glasgae is reprised here, but the overall sound from the smoother tracks is still also somewhat retained. Parts of the song are fast, almost punky, and packed full of energy - but there is still a lot of depth. Acoustic guitars still make their presence felt, and the choruses are again quite epic sounding - with melodic guitar arpeggios backing up Justin's vocals. The song is a bit of a strange mix of sounds as a result, but it is again a testament to the band's compositional skills. I particularly like the song's guitar solo, which sees the tempo behind it gradually increasing as it progresses in a comical fashion. It works well in the context of the varied song however, and this part mixes the punky and grander sides of the song together nicely. Eastbound is more typical of the band's core sound, however, and is built around an AC/DC-esque riff that drives things throughout. The band have done heavier tracks, but there is a great classic rock strut throughout. Poullain's bass helps this strut to really shine, but there are also more Thin Lizzy-esque guitar harmonies that add further injections of melody throughout the song. Anyone who likes the band's first two albums will love Eastbound, as it really channels the vibes found there. It is a song that wears its influences on its sleeve, but in truth The Darkness have never shied away from doing so - and, for me at least, this is all part of the charm. The song sounds like the perfect mash-up of AC/DC, Queen, and Thin Lizzy, with a spoken word section about a pub crawl thrown in. The album comes to a close with Speed of the Nite Time, a more atmospheric song that allows Justin to channel his love of The Cult. Open Fire did this back in 2015, and Speed of the Nite Time feels like a spiritual successor to that track - while shifting the focus onto The Cult's 1985 release Love. Some of the guitar motifs throughout are very Billy Duffy in style, while the strong keyboard presence and Justin's relatively restrained vocal performance recall The Cult's gothic period. The song is easily the most atmospheric piece here, and it is possibly the most gothic that the band have ever sounded. The sound suits the band, however, and the keyboard-heavy track is a great way to close out what is a very varied album - despite its short length. In fairness, however, varied albums are what we have come to expect from The Darkness. They have never truly stuck to one sound, which is what makes some of the criticism that they still face so laughable - as it is clear that those people have never listened to the band properly. For those of us in the know, however, Motorheart is another excellent album. There is not a weak song here, and the melodies throughout are as infectious as ever. The band's great run of form shows no sign of abating either, and for those who love a good time: Motorheart is for you.

The album was released on 19th November 2021 via Canary Dwarf Limited/Cooking Vinyl Limited. Below is the band's promotional video for It's Love, Jim.