Vol. 52
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Full Pelt Magazine
Tag: The Darkness
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Full Pelt Magazine
Vol. 14
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The latest issue of the Full Pelt Magazine is here, and you can download your copy for free below!
Volume 14 features cover stars Don Broco as they conclude their ‘Amazing Things’ era. We also catch Halestorm play their biggest headline show to date and The Darkness as they celebrate 20 years of ‘Permission to Land’!
We have our News Report rounding up new releases from Green Day, IDLES, Dream State, While She Sleeps, Architects, Marisa and the Moths, TheCityIsOurs, DragonForce, Scott Stapp, South of Salem, Royal Tusk, Casey, Bad Touch and I DON’T KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME!
Plus new live announcements from Victorious Festival, Steelhouse Festival, Radar Festival, Maid of Stone, All Points East, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Dream State, Rituals, Scorpions, Creeper, The Cadillac Three, Limp Bizkit, Bloc Party, Twin Atlantic, Knocked Loose, The Almighty, Sepultura, Orbit Culture, Deaf Havana, Kasabian, Millie Manders and the Shutup and The Zutons!
Finally, we round up the latest additions to our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist with SAVE US, The Gems and Interlaker!
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Black Stone Cherry & The Darkness
Resorts World Arena, Birmingham
Tuesday 31st January 2023
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BLACK STONE CHERRY & THE DARKNESS – BIRMINGHAM – LIVE REVIEW
One fateful night many years ago in the depths of the forests of Thetford a relatively spontaneous pairing occurred as Black Stone Cherry jumped in to support The Darkness after an infamous festival cancellation.
I was there that momentous evening to witness the magic that transpired. I was rather pleased then when the two bands announced a co-headline arena tour a decade or so later. So, tonight I head to the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham to relive that fine evening.
Opening on this tour is Danko Jones, who always delivers the goods. You know that you are in for a good rocking with Jones and tonight is no different. When your time onstage is short, you need to make the most of it and that’s exactly what Jones does with a fast paced rock n roll romp.
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The first of our two headliners to take to the stage are The Darkness and as their set progresses I find myself reminiscing of that night in 2012. I remember that the band were fresh into their return and finding their feet again as a live act. The Darkness have always been considered a fantastic live act, but tonight I realise just how much further they’ve come.
Consistently good new material over the past decade has helped, but the band has really fine tuned themselves with drummer Rufus Taylor having a large role in that. The Showmanship of Justin Hawkins, the flamboyance of Frankie Poullain and the flair of Dan Hawkins now have a harnessing force that makes them incredibly slick.
When you then throw in plenty of pyrotechnics, you have a recipe for a stunning show and that’s exactly what The Darkness deliver tonight. From opening number ‘Growing on Me’ through to theatrical set closer ‘Love on the Rocks With No Ice’, The Darkness not only reassert themselves as one of the best live acts around but demonstrate the progress that they’ve made in the last decade.
WATCH ‘OUT OF POCKET’ ON YOUTUBE
Progress is a key word also when considering Black Stone Cherry who close the night this time around. They’ve come a long way in the last ten years and are now a regular arena filling act in the UK.
Tonight their time onstage is perhaps slightly shorter than usual, but they still manage to pack a career spanning setlist into that time. Less theatrical then The Darkness, Black Stone Cherry have always been happy to let the music do the talking and the crowd tonight are more than content with that.
Newer material like ‘Burnin’’, ‘Again’ and their latest single, ‘Out of Pocket’ feel at home in the set and evidence the great work produced by the band since 2012. Of course though tracks from that time like ‘White Trash Millionaire’ and ‘Blame It On The Boom Boom’ elicit huge response from the audience.
These are three different performances tonight from three different bands all bound by the love of rock. I knew walking into the arena that I’d be catching three of the most consistently good live acts on the circuit, so the quality of the evening isn’t a surprise tonight. Walking out of the venue however, I’m most impressed by the growth and evolution shown since that memorable evening in the woods!
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Album of the Year 2021
We countdown our Top 50 Albums of 2021
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2021 has been another tough year to live through. There have been some signs of normal life, for example the return of live music, but we end it as we started with true normality a distant memory.
This year has however been a stunning year for new music releases. Yes, lockdown musicians and the odds are their creativity will take over. In Full Pelt Music’s first full year of existence we have reviewed 65 albums and the quality of those releases has been exceptional.
Last year we counted down our Top 20 albums of the year, with a special Advent Calendar countdown on our Twitter. This year we have expanded! Our 2021 countdown has taken place across all our social platforms, and has listed our Top 50 albums of the year!
With that social media countdown completed, it’s now time to compile our completed Top 50 in one place. So let’s get started!
What we said:
“there are stunning moments spread throughout the album”
Check out:
What we said:
“there are plenty of songs on this album that rate amongst the best that the band has produced”
Read our review of ‘Waiting For Good Luck’
Check out:
What we said:
“Garbage are an incredible musical force”
Read our review of ‘No Gods No Masters’
Check out:
What we said:
“we have thrashing guitars, thumping drums, bizarre lyrics and plenty of bells and whistles to emphasise his brilliantly quirky musicianship”
Read our review of ‘The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy’
Check out:
What we said:
“was anybody craving a new album from The Offspring in 2021? Perhaps not, but actually in this messed up world we live in, maybe, just maybe, we needed it!”
Read our review of ‘Let The Bad Times Roll’
Check out:
What we said:
“this is an artist pouring all of their self into their creation and discovering magic”
Read our review of ‘Watch Me Break Apart’
Check out:
What we said:
“this record manages to encapsulate the sound that the band has nurtured over the past few years both on record and in the live setting”
Read our review of ‘How to Ruin Your Life’
Check out:
What we said:
“remind you how gloriously heavy yet anthemic the band can get”
Read our review of ‘The Bitter Truth’
Check out:
What we said:
“it won’t take long for people to stop and take notice of this great young band”
Read our review of ‘Fractured Party Music’
Check out:
What we said:
“this is Volbeat at their very best”
Read our review of ‘Servant of the Mind’
Check out:
What we said:
“vitality shouldn’t be mistaken for relevance and whilst the band may have peaked commercially, they remain of utmost importance to a generation of music fans”
Check out:
What we said:
“anybody that had any doubts about the natural talents of this group of musicians, they should now acknowledge a new force”
Read our review ‘The Battle at Garden’s Gate’
Check out:
What we said:
“over the top, outlandish, brash and most of all fun, the album not only lives up to but surpasses all expectations”
Read our review of ‘Van Weezer’
Check out:
What we said:
“quality continues to run throughout the entire record and there is very little ease on the throttle”
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What we said:
“another very good release from a band overdue commercial success”
Read our review of ‘Into the Blue’
Check out:
What we said:
“a middle finger up at the haters”
Read our review of ‘Still Sucks’
Check out:
What we said:
“a delicate masterpiece from a songwriter of the highest level”
Read our review of ‘The Hole Around My Head’
Check out:
What we said:
“an enjoyable listen and the band clearly still has something to say”
Read our review of ‘The Ultra Vivid Lament’
Check out:
What we said:
“up there with the best that Beans On Toast has released”
Read our review of ‘Survival of the Friendliest’
Check out:
What we said:
“it really is time to stop being surprised by the quality in this band”
Read our review of ’21st Century Love Songs’
Check out:
What we said:
“the extravagance of the band is what makes them great and thankfully their 7th studio album has it in abundance”
Read our review of ‘Motorheart’
Check out:
What we said:
“for their tenth album the band has set out to create their masterpiece”
Read our review of ‘Coral Island’
Check out:
What we said:
“a strong debut album that lays the foundations of what will likely be a long and successful career”
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What we said:
“this is a stunning pop rock album”
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What we said:
“the album is laced with quality and shows the ease with which AFI are able to produce catchy songs”
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What we said:
“Iron Maiden doing exactly what you’d expect Iron Maiden to do”
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What we said:
“this is very much Numan at the top of his game“
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What we said:
“the signature of a band comfortable in their skin”
Read our review of ‘Pressure Machine’
Check out:
What we said:
“the very thing that identifies their sound is their lack of boundaries, their quirkiness and willingness to experiment”
Read our review of ‘The Myth of the Happily Ever After’
Check out:
What we said:
“well crafted and superbly delivered album that is well worth your time and attention”
Read our review of ‘A Matter of Life & Love’
Check out:
The quality of this year’s releases has been truly phenomenal as our opening 30 albums attests. The competition is extremely tight for the coveted top spot and that is clear throughout the prestigious Top 20 that follows.
What we said:
“a sublime collection of upbeat, heartfelt and powerful songs that is bound to be stuck on repeat for the foreseeable future”
Read our review of ‘A Funeral For Youth’
Check out:
What we said:
“The Pretty Reckless have solidified themselves in the upper echelons of Hard Rock”
Read our review of ‘Death by Rock and Roll’
Check out:
What we said:
“you are fully absorbed by the mix of heavy hooks and catchy sing-a-long pop vocals”
Read our review of ‘Dark & Beautiful Secrets’
Check out:
What we said:
“Trash Boat have delivered their best work yet and they appear ready to lead the charge for British rock”
Read our review of ‘Don’t You Feel Amazing?’
Check out:
What we said:
“there are moments of grandeur that harness the bands expansive sound spread throughout”
Read our review of ‘The Greatest Mistake of My Life’
Check out:
What we said:
“the album attacks your senses and gets your feet stomping and your head banging”
Read our review of ‘When Life Was Hard And Fast’
Check out:
What we said:
“Trivium have well and truly earned their place at the top table of metal”
Read our review of ‘In the Court of the Dragon’
Check out:
What we said:
“a stunning release from a band assumedly at the peak of their powers”
Read our review of ‘American Noir’
Check out:
What we said:
“there is a real good mix of sounds on this album which together encompass Kennedy’s various alter egos”
Read our review of ‘The Ides of March’
Check out:
What we said:
“the power of this album doesn’t just lie with Bennett of course and the rest of the band have summoned even more power and majesty then before”
Read our review of ‘The Hope List’
Check out:
What we said:
“the album really feels like a love letter to both the bands own history and the music of those that influenced the members”
Read our review of ‘Medicine at Midnight’
Check out:
What we said:
“an album packed with rock club dancefloor fillers, designed to get you moving”
Check out:
What we said:
“there are grandiose ambitions spread throughout the album with the band obviously striving for more”
Read our review of ‘For Those That Wish To Exist’
Check out:
What we said:
“IDLES continue to be one of the most exciting and vital bands around”
Check out:
What we said:
“an album of pure, unadulterated, adrenaline-filled pop rock pleasure”
Read our review of ‘Amazing Things’
Check out:
What we said:
“Press To MECO have always had a knack for creating ferocious yet catchy songs and this album is packed full of tasty rifftastic bangers”
Read our review of ‘Transmute’
Check out:
What we said:
“the band are still able to mix catchy pop melodies with hard hitting beats to create a sound equally at home in front of mosh pits and dancefloors”
Read our review of ‘Seize the Power’
Check out:
What we said:
“the duo however manage to amplify these electronic elements without losing their rock attitude and resonance”
Check out:
What we said:
“a rare talent that have now reinforced their passion and ability to create great music for anybody who wants to listen but without concession on their vision”
Read our review of ‘Written & Directed’
Check out:
What we said:
“this record feels like it comes from a band at the peak of their powers, but knowing this group, they will still have plenty more to come”
Read our review of ‘Blue Weekend’
Check out:
Well there you have it! What a truly magnificent year for new music 2021 has been. What will 2022 have in store? Remember to discover the best new acts by following our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist’!
Stay tuned for our 2021 Year in Review coming very soon.
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The Darkness
Corn Exchange, Cambridge
Wednesday 24th November 2021
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THE DARKNESS – CAMBRIDGE CORN EXCHANGE – LIVE REVIEW
Would it be November without a tour from The Darkness? I mean can you even celebrate Christmas until you’ve heard the band play that song? In my opinion, no!
Said tour is in full gear, and tonight it finds its way into the Corn Exchange in Cambridge. The tour is in support of brand new album, ‘Motorheart’; and along for the ride are Massive Wagons.
Read our review of ‘Motorheart’ from The Darkness
After original support British Lion withdrew, some might say that the arrival of Massive Wagons late in the day wasn’t just a worthy replacement but actually an upgrade! The band have steadily built themselves a solid reputation as a band and as a live act and slots like this will only grow that reputation. Win, win then.
Tonight they are greeted warmly by the Cambridge crowd as they preview their own latest release, ‘House of Noise’. The likes of ‘In It Together’, ‘Pressure’ and ‘Bangin in Your Stereo’ mix perfectly with fan favourites ‘China Plates’ and ‘Back to the Stack’ to make for a fantastic opening set.
Crowd suitably warmed, it’s then time for that band of folklore The Darkness to shine bright on the big stage once again. To be completely honest, it’s almost a pointless job in reviewing this band as they are so prolific on stage. When you buy a ticket to The Darkness, you know that you will have a good time.
The set list for this tour is as you would expect for a new album tour – a mix of said new album and cult debut ‘Permission To Land’, with a handful of other offerings thrown in for good measure.
WATCH ‘IT’S LOVE, JIM’ ON YOUTUBE
‘Motorheart’ is another solid album of typical Darkness material and it therefore fits right in. From set opener ‘Welcome Tae Glasgae’, to the title track, to the fun ‘It’s Love, Jim’, the new material presents well live, again as you would expect really.
Naturally the biggest reactions of the evening come from the likes of early tracks ‘One Way Ticket’, ‘Growing On Me’, ‘Friday Night’ and ‘I Believe In A Thing Called Love’. It must be said though that the likes of ‘Open Fire’, ‘Heart Explodes’, ‘Solid Gold’ and ‘Barbarian’ from more recent albums are also now received as set staples.
Singer Justin Hawkins’ on stage banter tonight is to critique the somewhat quiet audience. Having just the night before reviewed a gig whereby I felt the need to comment on the rudeness of the crowd in talking louder than the music, it leaves me wondering just where the sweet spot is for crowd attention.
All that is left to complete the night is that old Christmas classic ‘Christmas Time (Don’t Let The Bells End)’ with the band attired in suitably festive gear. Then the crowd can go off into the night happy and ready to celebrate the time of year, all thanks to The Darkness!
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The Darkness
Motorheart
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THE DARKNESS – MOTORHEART – ALBUM REVIEW
What do you want from a new album by The Darkness? Justin’s falsetto singing? Dan’s riffs? The ferocious, driving rhythm of Frankie and Rufus? Well, the band are back with their new album, ‘Motorheart’ and it’s all in there!
Yes, ‘Motorheart’ delivers on every level of the Darkness-o-meter. There is the oddball witticism, the crazy stories, the inside jokes. The extravagance of the band is what makes them great and thankfully their 7th studio album has it in abundance.
Listen to ‘Nobody Can See Me Cry’ on our ‘Hard & Heavy’ Playlist
The story of the band is as unique and colourful as their music, and it’s somewhat astonishing that they’ve reached a point in their career whereby they can say they’ve released seven albums!
A decade ago, nobody would’ve believed a third album possible. Their meteoric rise and subsequent fall from grace seemed to have them confined to the storybooks of rock n’ roll folklore.
Luckily for fans their one way ticket to hell did have that “and back” caveat and they made their heralded return in 2012. Five more albums now in the time since have solidified the bands credibility, if not restored their fame.
‘Motorheart’ continues a hot streak of acclaimed releases and will rightfully take centre stage for their upcoming live shows. ‘Welcome Tae Glasgae’, ‘Motorheart’, ‘It’s Love, Jim’ and ‘Eastbound’ will no doubt go down a treat for those in attendance.
WATCH ‘IT’S LOVE, JIM’ ON YOUTUBE
Whilst their arena filling days may be gone, The Darkness still sell out large venues across the country and the reputation of their live shows combined with the nostalgia of debut album ‘Permission To Land’ could carry the band into retirement.
Luckily, the band don’t seem content to rest on their laurels and that work rate has now seen them release another quality album. ‘Motorheart’ is well worth your time, so, whether your a die hard or a nostalgia seeker, check it out!
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Full Pelt’s Greatest Christmas Songs
Just what are the Top 10 greatest Xmas Songs?
It’s that age old debate, just what is the greatest Christmas song of all-time? Christmas Songs. You either love them or you hate them, but as the holiday season approaches they are usually inescapable. We all have our favourites, our guilty pleasures and probably those that we despise with a passion.
As I discussed in my recent blog ‘Mental Health, Music and Me’, we all have a powerful connection to certain pieces of music. Some songs fill us with joy and sadly others can fill us with sadness. This is probably never truer than when talking about Christmas Songs. Christmas after all is generally an emotive time for people, whether celebrating good times with family and friends or mourning those bad times we all suffer on occasion.
Either way, the odds are that we have an emotional connection to a particular Christmas song. We all have our favourites and who am I to argue with your choices? The rules for selecting Full Pelt’s Greatest Christmas Songs are therefore very simple.
- They are all true Christmas songs and not simply a song that achieved fame at Christmas and is treated as a Christmas song. Therefore no ‘Mad World’ or ‘Stay Another Day’ – just adding snow to a music video doesn’t make the song a Christmas song!
- There are no other rules! These are simply my personal choice of my Top 10 Christmas songs! Don’t agree? Tell us your favourites in the comments or on social media with #fullpeltxmas.
So what are we waiting for? Let the countdown begin…
10
Chuck Berry
‘Run Rudolph Run’
Released by Chuck Berry in 1958, ‘Run Rudolph Run’ is a great little rock n’ roll song and it’s also a great Christmas song!
9
Wham!
‘Last Christmas’
In 1984, Wham! gave us what is now one of the most played Christmas songs of all-time in ‘Last Christmas’. In the context of this list, I guess this could be deemed our guilty pleasure but we don’t consider it so. That’s because we feel no guilt whatsoever for loving such a fantastic piece of music that seems to tick every element required for a Christmas song, most importantly tugging on the old heartstrings!
8
The Pogues w/ Kirsty MacColl
‘Fairytale of New York’
‘Fairytale of New York’ truly is the marmite of Christmas songs. Many hate it, many many more love it. I dare you not to sing along after a few too many sherries “…it was Christmas Eve babe, in the drunk tank…”.
7
Band Aid
‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’
For clarity here for a talking the original and best Band Aid that brought the world together in 1984. Bringing together a wealth of musical talent, the song ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ has transcended its origins and whilst still reminding us of the charitable endeavours required in this unfair world, it is also simply a Christmas song staple.
6
John Lennon & Yoko Ono
‘Happy Xmas (War is Over)
‘…so this is Christmas…’, John and Yoko manage to perfectly capture the essence of Christmas time in this quintessential festive song.
5
Elton John
‘Step Into Christmas’
As we enter the Top 5 greatest Christmas songs, competition is high! The criteria for the top five does appear to be that the Christmas songs must be feel good music. Sir Elton John gave us one of the greatest feel good Christmas party anthems in 1973 with ‘Step Into Christmas’.
4
Paul McCartney
‘Wonderful Christmastime’
The second Beatle to make our Top 10 greatest Christmas songs list is Paul McCartney with ‘Wonderful Christmastime’. Celebrating the togetherness and wonder of Christmas this track is essential listening at Christmas.
3
The Darkness
‘Christmas Time (Don’t Let The Bells End)’
The Darkness were at the height of their powers in 2003, and they seized the opportunity to release their festive rocker ‘Christmas Time (Don’t Let The Bells End)’. The outlandishness of the band translates perfectly into a Christmas song that some 17 years later has stood the test of time.
2
Wizzard
‘I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday’
Roy Wood and his group Wizzard made festive magic with this great Christmas song that echoes the thoughts of kids everywhere – we all wish it could be Christmas everyday!
1
Slade
‘Merry Xmas Everybody’
Who can resist screaming along to Noddy Holder on this Slade favourite – “…it’s CHRISTMASSSS…”. Enough said, ‘Merry Xmas Everybody’ is a stone cold classic and deservedly takes our number one spot!
There is of course a plethora of great Christmas songs that fail to make our Top 10, if you disagree with Full Pelt’s greatest Christmas songs make your opinion known in the comments, or let us know on social media.