ONE WAY TICKET TO HELL..AND BACK
When I heard Mutt Lange was going to produce THE DARKNESS' second
album, I got so excited, I soiled myself. I loved the band’s 2003
debut,
Permission to Land,
and I know what Lang did for DEF LEPPARD, so you just knew these ‘70’s
glam rock throwbacks would give you something even better than “Growing
On Me” and their hit “I Believe In A Thing Called Love.”
Well a funny thing happened on the way to the completion of
One Way Ticket to Hell… And Back….
Mutt Lang wasn’t on board as producer, and the band broke up briefly.
(Even singer/guitarist Justin Hawkins spent some time on a therapists
couch to get his head together.)
Instead of Lang, the boys got classic rock producing genius
Roy Thomas Baker to help them become all they can be. Surely the guy
who produced QUEEN's first four albums could help Justin hone the power
of his over-the-top falsetto and harness the bands inner Queen.
One Way Ticket… has a bit more to offer in the way of tasty morsels to sink your teeth into. The problem with
Permission to Land
was that after track five, you were hard pressed to find a reason to
keep listening. Though there are some rough patches with the
schizophrenic highland romp “Hazel Eyes,” that is more whirling dervish
than Irish jig. And “Bald” is a waste of a perfectly good chorus.
But with that said… You will totally get caught up in the catchiness of
“Is It Just Me?” and “Dinner Lady Arms”. The Queen influence really
come through crystal clear on the title track and “English Country
Garden”. (Maybe The Darkness should Tour as Queen instead of Queen
roaming around with Paul Rodgers on vocals. Hey I love Rodgers’ voice.
But he’s not Frddie. Neither is Hawkins, but he’s closer than most.)
If you loved the first album, you’ll love this one after a couple listens. The only problem with
One Way Ticket…
is the feeling of incompleteness in the composion of the ten songs on
this disc. You just feel there is still more untapped talent within
this spandex clad quartet.
We’ll see what happens on the next album…. But until then… Two words boys…. Call Mutt!!!
