Album review - Permission To Land - The Darkness ***** Remember rock fans, remember the days before Korn and their depressing ilk ? Remember songs that made you smile ? Singers that made you laugh ? Gigs that left you tired, happy and uplifted ? You do ? Well those days are here again. Like a shining beacon in the endless morass of nu-metal and so called 'emo', The Darkness have come to light our way back to the true faith. The Darkness look silly, their lyrics on songs like opener Black Shuck (they would have called it Black Dog but someone got there first) are damned silly, but you can see a twinkle in the eyes of Justin Hawkins, Frankie Poullain and co that says "We know, but don't we pull it off well" You can't help but laugh at Justins astounding vocal acrobatics, the extremely sweary first single 'Get Your Hands Off My Woman (Motherfucker)' has me in stitches. The Darkness take inspiration from Led Zeppelin, Queen, Boston, Aerosmith and more, and weave it in to a rich and entertaining tapestry. Listen with your eyes closed and you can hear Robert Plant warbling over a Brian May riff and solo, oh yes, it is that good. Halfway through the album comes my only criticism, I really would like to think that the relentlessly catchy drugs anthem 'Givin Up' is sung with tongue firmly in cheek, after that though it's right back to the histrionic, smile inducing cheesiness of 'Stuck In A Rut' and the corny but wonderful 'Love On The Rocks With No Ice'. This is a glorious debut, rich with well written and well performed songs, sing a long chorus' abound (if you are wearing tight underwear), catchy riffs and plenty of shape throwing, fret wank solo's accompany. All hail The Darkness, saviours of the soul of rock and roll. Thursday 9th October, Leeds Uni, come hell, high water or belligerent customers, I'm going, anyone coming with me ?