Quite how they’ve done so well so far is anyone’s guess. Lowestoft’s finest –I haven’t researched whether anyone more famous is from Suffolk’s finest (I haven’t…. don’t go there) coastal town so feel free to write in –The Darkness have crept into the consciousness of the mainstream, the indie fraternity and the metal brethren and managed to find an ear for their ridiculously out-of-place rawk with all.

It must be because, quite frankly, this is the funniest and most fun debut for a long time. Along the way ‘Permission To Land’ echoes each one of the band’s heroes with teasing affection. Influences worn on a very, very tight spandex sleeve indeed.

From the opening Led Zep brutality of ‘Black Shuck’ (‘Black Dog’?) it moves to the brilliantly titled ‘Get Your Hands Off My Woman’ which features the longest, most falsetto scream of “motherfucker” in music history –n.b. also not researched fully –and could be Iron Maiden fucking about having a laugh.

‘Growing On Me’ and ‘I Believe In A Thing Called Love’, the two cracking singles are where Justin Hawkins vocal talents and OTT guitar solos reign supreme. On ‘I Believe…’ Hawkins even shouts “guitar!” before one overblown solo. God it’s corny, god it’s fantastic!

‘Love Is Only A Feeling’ is the Whitesnake rock ballad, except better than they ever mustered (not research again – do I need to?), ‘Givin’ Up’ sounds like a pastiche of 2-4-6-8 Motorway, ‘Stuck in a Rut’ is perfect rock boogie like the Stones without zimmer frames, and in ‘Friday Night’, not only does the song go through the days of the week, but Hawkins sounds like he’s impersonating The Cure’s Robert Smith. More comedy titles close the album: ‘Love On The Rocks Without The Ice’ and ‘Holding My Own’.

Vindication for sticking to a sound, which must surely have been doomed to failure and humiliation, has arrived early in the form of the kudos of a Mercury Music Prize nomination*. If you hate rock, you’ll like this, if you like rock (go on, admit it, just a little bit) then you’ll love it. When they tour in October I expect to see you all there making the devil’s horns sign without fear of embarrassment.

*Is a Mercury Music Prize nomination still worthy of kudos – not researched

words: Roger Hadwen