Album Review - The Darkness: Motorheart (November 19, 2021)
I wear my honesty on my sleeves. Therefore, it must be stated that nothing I write in this review will be as good as The Darkness press release for Motorheart. Let me leave this here for you to think about: “The Darkness are the Orwellian boot stamping on the flaccid face of limp rock, forever!”
(I take a deep breath and dive into this the best that I can.)
Rock is not dead. At least not by The Darkness standards. From the driving rhythm of “Welcome to Tae Glasgae” (not the best song on the album but the perfect intro for what follows) to “Speed of the Nite Time,” Motorheart is what you expect your uncle to say he listened to in the eighties when he had a rat tale and a frequently bloody nose. It has the energy rarely seen today, especially after the pandemic.
Glam rock. Prog rock. Dramatic, machine rock. “Motorheart” is that powerful rock album that I have not heard this millennium. Elements of ACDC, Def Leppard, Queen and Guns N’ Roses, reviewers typically compare it to “Spinal Tap.” However, for younger generations, it may bring to mind Tenacious D or better yet Jack Black from School of Rock. Humor mixed with talent.
Hard driven rock with poppy and recognizable riffs makes this album a great choice to play for your friends when you are looking to change up the routine. Take a drive in your car, turn it up loud, but be careful because songs like “Nobody Can See Me Cry” and “It’s Love, Jim” will have you pushing the accelerator pedal (EV friendly) a little too hard. Listen to “Motorheart” on the job when you want to get your coworkers’ attention, especially if you work with a bunch of uptight and overly serious individuals who need to get a little loose. (Just make sure you ask them to pay attention to the lyrics.} Or leave it for that special moment, when you can turn on “Jussy’s Girl.” There will be no holding back.
Final Thought: Motorheart is that strange theatric friend who looks slightly unstable and scary to outsiders, but you’ve looked past the eccentricities and see your friend for what they are, a little odd and extremely dramatic with a lot of talent.
Favorite Songs: “Eastbound,” “Motorheart,” and “The Power and the Glory of Love”
Rating - 4.5 out of 5 because they are great at doing what they do