England’s The Darkness are back with their fifth album, Pinewood Smile, due for release on October 6th via Cooking Vinyl. The band have released a brand new song, entitled “Southern Trains”. Delivering rip-roaring riffs that soar much faster than the lamented train service, The Darkness have once again created an important anthem for the nation, replete with spirited invective (a.k.a lots of swearing).

Regarding the track Justin Hawkins says, “This song has genuine realness in it, innit. Dan and I had to endure the Southern Trains "services" during the making of this album. The only difference between a normal day on Southern Trains and a day when they're all on strike, is that on strike day the ArseClownery is deliberate. They are utterly incapable of running a reliable service. Fact. The rest of the world is laughing at us. I hope this song goes some way towards facilitating change...”

As some of the more printable lyrics relate:

“Major delays, cancellations, tedious conversations / Trying to eat your dinner
With an arse in your face, It's a disgrace…
…Heaving carriages of indignation / Grown men weeping in pure frustration
Totally packed and always late”

The video finds the band performing the song via ludicrously fun SnapChat videos:

“Southern Trains” follows the release of the lead single, “All The Pretty Girls”, and the expletive-drenched insight on the music industry, “Solid Gold”. All three tracks are available on all streaming platforms and are also available for download with pre-orders of the album for the instant gratification of fans. Head here for details.

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.

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”

“Solid Gold” video:

“All The Pretty Girls” video:

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.