Last of Our Kind

Last of Our Kind
Studio album by The Darkness
Released 27 May 2015 (2015-05-27)
Recorded The Hawks Nest (Norfolk)
Genre
Length 41:27
Label Canary Dwarf
Producer Dan Hawkins
The Darkness chronology
Hot Cakes
(2012)		 Last of Our Kind
(2015)
Singles from Last of Our Kind
  1. "Barbarian"
    Released: 8 March 2015
  2. "Open Fire"
    Released: 25 May 2015
  3. "Last of Our Kind"
    Released: 29 July 2015
  4. "I Am Santa"
    Released: 19 November 2015

Last of Our Kind is the fourth studio album by British hard rock band The Darkness. Produced by the band's guitarist Dan Hawkins at his studio The Hawks Nest in Norfolk, it was first released on 27 May 2015 in Japan, and later in other territories, by Canary Dwarf Records. The album is the first and only by the band to feature drummer Emily Dolan Davies, who replaced Ed Graham in 2014 before leaving less than a year later. The album also features Frankie Poullain on lead vocals for the first time on the final track Conquerors. The album was promoted via PledgeMusic, with the band offering signed copies of the album on both CD and vinyl, as well as signed guitars, handwritten lyric sheets and setlists from the band's archive.[1]

Recording and production

Last of Our Kind was entirely written in Ireland, then produced by guitarist Dan Hawkins at his own recording studio, Leeders Farm, in Norfolk.[2] Around fifteen songs were in contention for the final track listing; ten appear on the standard release, with the Japanese and Best Buy releases containing two exclusive bonus tracks, while another – "Million Dollar Strong" – was played live during their warm-up tour of Ireland in March 2015.[3] A special edition of the album will be released in November, containing four bonus tracks.

Release and promotion

The first song revealed from the album was "Barbarian", which was released on 23 February at the same time as the album's official announcement.[2][4] "Barbarian" was released as the first promotional single on March 8, 2015. A PledgeMusic page was set up to promote the album before release.[5] The release of Last of Our Kind will be preceded by a tour of Ireland in March 2015.[6] The second promotional single from the album, "Open Fire", premiered on 23 March, followed by an official chart release on May 25, 2015.[7] The album was re-release on November 20, 2015, with alternative, Christmas-themed cover and four bonus tracks including the single "I Am Santa".[8]

Critical reception

Journalist J.C. Maçek III of Spectrum Culture wrote "This fourth album was produced by guitarist Dan Hawkins who proves to be a genius with this style of music, especially when evoking the most primal wails of his brother, vocalist Justin Hawkins."[9]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[10]
Kerrang![10]
Classic Rock[10]
Spectrum Culture[9]
Glide Magazine[10]

Music and lyrics

Frontman Justin Hawkins has described the album as "brutal", adding that "It's definitely stripped back with the exception of some mandolins. But when you're doing medieval rock, you should have a mandolin on it ... It's medieval rock, but it still sounds like The Darkness. It's medi-urban, I suppose".[2] Explaining the meaning of the lyrics more deeply, the singer has noted that they "describe the Viking invasion of East Anglia which culminated in the decapitation of Edmund the Martyr", describing the thematic basis as "classic Darkness".[2]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Justin Hawkins, Dan Hawkins and Frankie Poullain; "Mudslide" and "Messenger" co-written by Emily Dolan Davies, "I Am Santa" co-written by Rufus Taylor.

No. Title Length
1. "Barbarian"   3:34
2. "Open Fire"   4:01
3. "Last of Our Kind"   4:09
4. "Roaring Waters"   4:38
5. "Wheels of the Machine"   3:07
6. "Mighty Wings"   5:46
7. "Mudslide"   3:25
8. "Sarah O'Sarah"   3:52
9. "Hammer & Tongs"   4:02
10. "Conquerors"   4:55

Personnel

Charts

Chart (2015) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[12] 23
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[13] 53
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[14] 56
Irish Albums (IRMA)[15] 49
Italian Albums (FIMI)[16] 36
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[17] 43
UK Albums (OCC)[18] 12
UK Rock Chart[19] 1
UK Indie Chart[20] 2
UK Vinyl Chart 4
US Billboard 200[21] 125
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[22] 13
US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)[23] 2

References

  1. ↑ Pledgemusic.com
  2. 1 2 3 4 "The Darkness: 'Last Of Our Kind' Album Due In June; 'Barbarian' Video Released". Blabbermouth.net. 23 February 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  3. ↑ YouTube
  4. ↑ Leight, Elias (23 February 2015). "Exclusive Premiere: The Darkness Return With 'Barbarian' Video". Billboard. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  5. ↑ "The Darkness Return with Viking-Themed Song 'Barbarian', New Album 'Last of Our Kind' (Audio)". Rock Cellar Magazine. 23 February 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  6. ↑ "The Darkness Unleash Barbarian". Classic Rock. TeamRock. 23 February 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  7. ↑ "THE DARKNESS: New Single 'Open Fire' Available For Streaming". Blabbermouth.net. 23 March 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  8. ↑ http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/the-darkness-to-release-deluxe-edition-of-last-of-our-kind-featuring-four-new-songs/
  9. 1 2 J.C. Maçek III (July 7, 2015). "Last of Our Kind". Spectrum Culture.
  10. 1 2 3 4 James Christopher Monger (August 11, 2015). "Last of Our Kind". AllMusic.
  11. ↑ https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/last-our-kind-deluxe-edition/id1052291333
  12. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – The Darkness – Last of Our Kind". Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  13. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – The Darkness – Last of Our Kind" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  14. ↑ "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  15. ↑ "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week 23, 2015". Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  16. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – The Darkness – Last of Our Kind". Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  17. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – The Darkness – Last of Our Kind". Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  18. ↑ "The Darkness | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  19. ↑ "Rock Albums". BBC.
  20. ↑ "Indie Albums". BBC.
  21. ↑ "The Darkness – Chart history" Billboard 200 for The Darkness. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  22. ↑ "The Darkness – Chart history" Billboard Top Rock Albums for The Darkness. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  23. ↑ "The Darkness – Chart history" Billboard Top Hard Rock Albums for The Darkness. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
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