The Darkness - "The Longest Kiss"

Photo by Simon Emmett

Twenty or so years ago, I got caught up in the madness surrounding The Darkness and "I Believe in a Thing Called Love." It was over the top fun and a throwback to the 80's metal scene, which I have an odd nostalgia for. They slowly fell off my radar after that, and when we received a press release for a new single, I listened more out of curiosity than anything else. Turns out "The Longest Kiss" is surprisingly great. It still has that throwback, classic rock sound you go to The Darkness for, but it's less hair metal and more 70's and early 80's. It's like a mixture of The Kinks and Queen, with the over the top and cheeky vibes both bands could pull off perfectly. If you're nostalgic for the best of glam rock and the British invasion (or even The Darkness at this point...), you're going to want to check this one out.

Frontman Justin Hawkins says of his band's upcoming album:

“You know that thing when God’s breath tickles your soul and tells you to create? Yeah, makes me giggle too. But you can’t resist. God might not be the power she once was, but say what you like about her, she knows damn well that what the world needs now, is rock sweet rock. And who are we, mere mortals of extraordinary ability, to argue with the divine? So we knuckled down and thought really hard about the best of the best, the elite songs, the life-changing music of the ages. Then we popped out a dozen bangers before lunch. And these bangers we present to you here, wallowing in an aromatic aural ragu, served atop the charred remains of our envious contemporaries…ladies and gentlemen, I give you Dreams On Toast!”

You can watch the video for "The Longest Kiss" below. Dreams On Toast is due out March 28, and is available for pre-order here. For more on The Darkness, check out the band's website.