The Darkness - 'Dreams On Toast'

This is brilliant. It’s also varied. And that might be a problem. I hope not, because Rock dreams are made of this...

Two men in suits, one with a vintage phone, energetic pose. Background text: "The Darkness" and "Dreams on Toast." Starry and sky backdrop.

Yes, part of this album talks about the way not so many people buy The Darkness albums any more, and it feels like since they returned in 2012 with the wonderfully named ‘Hot Cakes’, their albums have been sadly overlooked but fantastic quality. This release appears to be patterned on an eighties braces and big mobile phone style, and it may be their best since they’ve returned.

The simplicity of the riff and ZZ Top verse for opener ‘Rock And Roll Party Cowboy’ works extremely well, it sounds a little like H.e.a.t in the chorus, settles down for a piano and AOR moments, then races into hot Rock soloing – it’s quite marvellous.

They can race around with the precise ‘I Hate Myself’ with party saxes in the chorus too, then ape Punk Rock roustabouts with a tittle toffee-nosed narrative in ‘The Battle For Gadget Land’ and add some almost rudely-rhyming Country with fiddle of ‘Cold Hearted Woman’.

They hit the Country trail too with ‘Hot On My Tail’ but it comes off as too easy

listening, the AC/DC riffing of ‘Mortal Dread’ can’t be ignored though, neither can the simple chorus, or the almost Yacht Rock later on. They travel closer to Jellyfish territory with the simple piano and end of the pier ‘The Longest Kiss’, then bring the debut to mind in the florid, fun rocker ‘Walking Through Fire’ with the line “I can’t help falling in love with Rock N’ Roll”, and that lyrical feeling that they make hit albums but no one buys them any more... And we finish with a narrative which describes them “Meandering like the Tiber”, and ‘Weekend In Rome’ is a well done ballad dripping with irony and full of sweeping strings.

This is brilliant. It’s also varied. And that might be a problem. I hope not, because

Rock dreams are made of this...

Reviewer: Steve Swift

Label: Cooking Vinyl

Genre: Hard Rock

Issue Reviewed In: 110