(3-track single/ 2003/ 'MUST DESTROY MUSIC')
'Growing On Me' will grow on you instantaneously. It might even become a part of you - it is that fecking awesome.
Hawkins-the-frontman is such an incredible singer, maniacally screaming and shrieking with rock 'n' roll emotion as though he's washed his skin-tight leopardskin outfits in the same gene pool as Bon Scott, Steven Tyler, Freddie Mercury and, er, Tom Petty. Though it might be the fact alone that he wears skin-tight outfits that benefits his high-flying vocal bouts, as he somewhat shyly gushes 'I wanna touch you but I'm afraid of the consequences.' The line 'I can't get you off my head,' mind me, is a little more ambiguous however� the dirty, skinny, long-haired man.
So this Lowestoft (which really is the Eastern most place on mainland England for all u stats fans) 4-piece rock 'n' roll machine have had fame forced upon them faster than our Big Brother contestants since The Darkness supported Def Leppard on tour earlier this year and on the back of their avidly energetic gigs.
When playing live these guys are all over the stage totally rocking out, though 'How Dare You Call This Love?' is more of a ballad, the backing vox markedly reminding of something that Queen or even Bryan Adams might produce with glee. But, still, this is one quality tune with those absolutely incredible versatile vocals and rollicking guitars ear-marking their trademark sound.
The final track 'Bareback,' meanwhile, is without vocal intrusion. An instrumental riff of mightier-than-sword proportions, you may have to pinch yourself to remind yourself that you're listening to The Darkness and not Status Quo in this instance. No bother though, because if you wang this single on 'repeat-play' you'll soon be back revelling in the title track.
'Growing On Me' is indeed one of the finest rock anthems ever written. I could listen to it all day and all night in fact. And in fiction, that is exactly what I am going to do� (STEVE RUDD)
www.thedarknessrock.com www.mustdestroymusic.com