The Darkness ‘Motorheart’ Review: UK glam rockers bring simple pleasures to complex times on first album since 2019’s ‘Easter is Cancelled.’
We didn’t wanna make a lockdown album. In the beginning of that thing, there was a lot of lockdown music coming out, and it was music that was influenced and informed by the experience of the pandemic. And it’s tempting to do that kind of thing, but I don’t think it’s our job. I think our job is to provide something else, really. Our fans wanna hear us pissing about and doing stupid [stuff]. Other people can do the other stuff; we’ll just do what we do. Even if you feel sad, it’s good to write a happy song, I think…whilst it’s tempting to do serious and sad stuff, that’s not what our audience wants to hear, and I don’t think it’s what we wanna do, really. We just wanna have a good time.
That’s The Darkness frontman and lead guitarist Justin Hawkins discussing his band’s latest album Motorheart, (Nov 19, Cooking Vinyl) and to be honest, that statement comes as a relief. Over the past 2 years of pandemic fatigue, one can be forgiven for wanting some escapism in our current dystopia, instead of the aural equivalent of doom-scrolling.
And The Darkness have the cure for what ails you. They do what they do best: pump out hard stomping rock with witty lyrics, all overflowing with good vibes.
This is evidenced on opening track Welcome Tae Glasgae, a fond ode to one of the band’s favorite cities to play, where Hawkins croons that the women are gorgeous and the food is okay. It starts off like In A Big Country on steroids, full of blaring bagpipes and thunderous drums before kicking into AC/DC overdrive. It’s a fantastic opener, made all the better by Hawkin’s faux Scottish brogue towards the end.
It’s Love, Jim is a no holds barred glam rock barn burner, with rhythm guitarist Dan Hawkins at his blaring best while his brother sings in his triumphant falsetto with lyrics from the perspective of Star Trek’s favorite Vulcan: I feel compelled to meld her (if she’ll have me)/She knows I love her, telepathic/Telepathic alien love.
Elsewhere the band continues to indulge in all their favorite things, from the Thin Lizzy-esque dual guitar romp on The Power and Glory of Love and Eastbound, to the playful raunch of Jussy’s Girl (Hawkin’s remains a master of the turn-of-phrase).
The Darkness have always been Queen fans, and Sticky Situations may be their finest ode to their musical heroes, recalling Someone To Love. Like that song, it’s a pseudo-ballad, bursting at the seams with melodrama, some great multi-tracked backing vocals, a searing solo, and drumming from Rufus Taylor that does his father (Queen drummer Roger Taylor) proud.
But its the title track that sends the album into the stratosphere. Motorheart is a many tendriled beast, starting with a Middle Eastern flavored riff before becoming a hybrid of Motörhead, Judas Priest and Queen. It even dips its toes into dissonant Nu Metal before eventually ending in trippy Pink Floyd territory. It’s an appropriate sonic template to highlight Hawkins’ bawdy lyrics of man/robot love in full space opera glory.
The band break out of their comfort zone even further on album closer Speed Of The Night Time, a hypnotic, hooky number that feels more like vintage 80s New Wave than 70s cock rock, with keening, echoing guitars, celestial synths, Frankie Poullain’s heartbeat bass and a krautrock beat.
Motorheart is The Darkness’s 8th album. The band have managed to stay true to their initial sound while slowly and subtly incorporating other stylistic shifts. And its that very mix of familiarity and surprise that makes this release such a compelling and fun listen, and a welcome respite for worldweary rock fans the world over.
