The Darkness - Is It Just Me? Single Review

The Darkness
"Is It Just Me?"
Single Review
Atlantic

The build-them-up-knock-them-down attitude of the British press always ensured that The Darkness wouldn't receive the hype that first welcomed the quartet from East Anglia. That's not to say that their second album, "One Way Ticket To Hell… And Back", was a poor record – far from it in fact – as it built on the formula of Led Zep-esque riffs and extravagant guitar solos that made so favoured to begin with.

"Is It Just Me?" is one of the stand-out tracks from "One Way Ticket…", a mid-tempo number that is driven along by Dan Hawkins' guitar playing. It screams out to be a stadium anthem, with Justin Hawkins at his operatic best, particularly on the grand chorus. Topped off with an exuberant solo, it goes some way to showing their critics that The Darkness are more than a novelty band who have out-stayed their welcome.

Alex Lai