The Darkness's New Album, "Dreams on Toast": A Journey of Evolution and Unity
"Justin Hawkins on his candid perspective: The Darkness' journey - from ascent, decline, and revival, highlighted by Angus Young's distinctive stage attire often reminiscent of a schoolboy"
After a six-year breakup, The Darkness, the British rock band known for their flamboyant glam rock style and high-energy performances, returns with their latest album, "Dreams on Toast". This new release marks a significant step forward in the band's evolution, as they delve into various musical styles such as country, dad rock, easy listening, and folk-pop, while maintaining their signature power chord riffs and flashy leads.
The band's frontman, Justin Hawkins, discussed their wild ride, the hands-on approach for the new album, and the addiction that could have ended the Darkness. Hawkins has transferred his addictive urges into buying expensive clothes and fitness, and he admits he is drawn to the ribald and juvenile lyrics and antics of AC/DC, believing a good sense of humor makes rock 'n' roll more fun.
The band's approach to "Dreams on Toast" was meticulous, with the members working together to write and refine each song over a period of three years. This collaborative process made an enormous difference in the final product, as the band fought for every note and every word during the writing process. One of the important things was to write riffs that make the guitar the prominent and powerful voice in the arrangement.
The band's decision to chase the country sound in "Hot on My Tail" was inspired by the Johnny Cash method: three chords and the truth. The lyrics for this song, penned by Hawkins, are about an unpleasant fart in an opportune moment, exploring a different kind of regret.
The band's style on "Dreams on Toast" still carries the high-voltage energy, glam-influenced outfits, and energetic anthems that fans have come to expect. However, the band has made a conscious effort to establish themselves as more than rousing, flamboyant rockers. They wanted to show their versatility and adaptability, proving that they can inject pop balladry, moustache-in beer country, and singer/songwriter alt-rock into their musical oeuvre.
The Darkness debuted in 2003 with their album Permission to Land, which quickly achieved quadruple platinum status in the UK and gold status in the US. The band's true heroes were Queen and AC/DC, and their music was characterized by energetic riffs, flashy guitar leads, and lyrics often rife with humor and double entendres. Despite the music purists dismissing the Darkness as a parody band, comparing them to Spinal Tap, they have maintained a strong fanbase and a steady output of albums, including "One Way Ticket to Hell... and Back" (2005), "Hot Cakes" (2012), "Last of Our Kind" (2015), "Pinewood Smile" (2017), "Easter Is Cancelled" (2019), and "Motorheart" (2021)[1][3].
In summary, "Dreams on Toast" is a testament to The Darkness's ability to evolve while staying true to their roots. The band's collaborative effort has resulted in an album that showcases their versatility and adaptability, proving that they can inject various musical styles into their sound while maintaining their signature power and energy.
[1] The Guardian. (2021, March 26). The Darkness: 'We're not a parody band, we're the real deal'. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/mar/26/the-darkness-were-not-a-parody-band-were-the-real-deal
[3] The Darkness. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.thedarkness.com/
- The Darkness's new album, "Dreams on Toast," features their signature power chord riffs and flashy leads on the Stratocaster guitars, showcasing their versatility in their technique.
- The country-inspired song "Hot on My Tail" follows the Johnny Cash method of using three chords, ensuring it matches the simplicity of the chords on a typical amp.
- In their evolution, The Darkness aims to move beyond being merely a rousing, flamboyant rock band, incorporating styles like pop balladry, moustache-in-beer country, and singer/songwriter alt-rock into their musical entertainment.
- When discussing their wild ride, Justin Hawkins voiced his admiration for AC/DC's ribald and juvenile lyrics, believing they contribute to the fun of the music, which he reflects in his own writing with songs like "Hot on My Tail."
