England’s The Darkness are back with their fifth album, Pinewood Smile, due for release on October 6th via Cooking Vinyl. The album opener, “All The Pretty Girls”, is now across all streaming platforms. It’s also available for download with pre-orders of the album for the instant gratification of fans. Head here for details.

A tongue-in-cheek video for the track is now available. Introducing the video in his own inimitable manner, frontman Justin Hawkins proclaims, “Dear People of the Internet. We have made this excellent video to distract you from the humdrum banality of existence. By looking at film of The Darkness preening and cavorting, you will be transported to an unattainable world of awesomeness. Furthermore, we recommend that you purchase our new record album, for which the above video serves as an amuse-bouche. Enjoy!”

The video finds England’s most distinctive, multiple award-winning, platinum-selling rock gods performing “All The Pretty Girls” along the beautifully overcast Cornish shoreline. They embrace the typical British summer by rocking out whilst playing tennis, going on a band banana boat ride, travelling on a tractor and even attempting guitar solos while surfing, amongst other suitably seaside-like japes.

Addressing the forthcoming album and The Darkness’ undoubted relevance in 2017, Justin Hawkins asks, somewhat rhetorically of the world at large, “Why should anybody care? Because if you don't, we're fucked!! History will remember us as the apathetic generation who negligently ushered in a dreadful dystopian age that may or may not come to be known as ‘The Rise of the Arseclowns’. We cannot allow this to continue! You may not give a shit about Brexit or Trump, but PLEASE... give a shit about The Darkness otherwise the last bastion of cultural sensibility will fall and our airwaves will be polluted by meaningless pop purveyed by arseholes and morons... Oh wait!”

Returning to save our airwaves from mediocre, auto-tuned tweens and that awful, throbby EDM shite, the album Pinewood Smile finds The Darkness on electrifying form, delivering some of the most sharp-witted, infectious, humorous and downright brilliant songs of their career.

In addition to the cerebral treatise of “All The Pretty Girls”, the album boasts the swashbuckling “Buccaneers Of Hispaniola”, the expletive-strewn howl of frustration that is “Southern Trains”, the hugely emotional “Why Don’t The Beautiful Cry?”, the globally anthemic “Japanese Prisoner Of Love”, and the ode to pumping out smash hit after smash hit “Solid Gold”, which finds The Darkness addressing the turbulent nature of the music industry and how they have enjoyed its flamboyant highs and spectacular lows.

Written in Putney, recorded in Cornwall and produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Adrian Bushby (Foo Fighters, Muse), the compositions have all the crucial elements of classic Darkness fare, but with added layers for the ears to peel away at… like a sonic onion but a lot tastier. It also features the drumming and vocal talents of gorgeous new band member Rufus Tiger Taylor, son of Queen legend Roger Taylor, who shares vocal duties with Justin on two of the tracks.

To celebrate the release of their comeback album Pinewood Smile, The Darkness will be touring extensively at the end of this year playing 17 dates in the UK throughout November and December including a headline show at London’s Hammersmith Eventim Apollo on December 10th. The shows are part of a wider European tour, full dates can be found here.

Pinewood Smile tracklisting:

“All The Pretty Girls”
“Buccaneers Of Hispaniola”
“Solid Gold”
“Southern Trains”
“Why Don’t The Beautiful Cry?”
“Japanese Prisoner Of Love”
“Lay Down With Me, Barbara”
“I Wish I Was In Heaven”
“Happiness”
“Stampede Of Love”

The album will be released on CD, limited edition Deluxe CD (featuring four bonus tracks), Gatefold Heavyweight Vinyl, cassette and in both Standard and Deluxe digital versions.