Eccentric wild-haired rockers The Darkness are back with their brand-new album ÔÇÿPinewood SmileÔÇÖ,
as well as a huge nation-wide winter tour. After band departures, and a relative lack of activity over
the past two years, these new projects are a statement of intent from the four-piece that, even in
their seventeenth year, they are still committed to, as per their single ÔÇÿSolid GoldÔÇÖ, ÔÇ£blow[ing]
peopleÔÇÖs fucking heads offÔÇØ with their innovative, humorous, and electrifying music. ÔÇÿPinewood
SmileÔÇÖ is certainly not a complete departure from The DarknessÔÇÖs rock ÔÇÿnÔÇÖ roll roots, and is saturated
throughout by heavy beats and riffs, but it does demonstrate an expansion of the bandÔÇÖs musical
range, as well as their undeniable talent and passion. I spoke to the bandÔÇÖs bass player Frankie
Poullain about the album, the tour, and possible new ventures.
When asked to describe the general sound of the new album, Frankie compares it to that heard
across the Beastie BoysÔÇÖ albums ÔÇÿPaulÔÇÖs BoutiqueÔÇÖ, ÔÇÿCheck Your HeadÔÇÖ and ÔÇÿIll CommunicationÔÇÖ, saying
ÔÇ£itÔÇÖs very much in that vein, itÔÇÖs very playfulÔÇØ. When listening through the album, it is extremely hard
to disagree; the varied nature of its contents gives the whole work a youthful vibe, and preserves the
bandÔÇÖs endearing imagination, as they continue to fight against mundanity. ÔÇ£The sound is definitely
adventurousÔÇØ says Frankie. ÔÇ£But we try new things on every album, otherwise whatÔÇÖs the point, you
know? The most dangerous place to be is in your comfort zoneÔÇØ. As a result, ÔÇÿPinewood SmileÔÇÖ is
defined by the band ÔÇ£playfully delving into things [they] havenÔÇÖt done beforeÔÇØ. For example, as
Frankie explains, ÔÇ£Why DonÔÇÖt The Beautiful Cry?ÔÇÖ is [their] first venture into soul music, and ÔÇÿSouthern
TrainsÔÇÖ is probably more of a political protest or punk songÔÇØ. The youthful feel to the album can
somewhat be credited to the inclusion of the bandÔÇÖs new drummer, Rufus Taylor, who ÔÇ£brings a lot
of energy through both his drumming and his duets with JustinÔÇØ. Although this is the first The
Darkness album on which Rufus has performed, his inclusion feels very natural. ÔÇ£HeÔÇÖs fitted in very
well Poullain explains. Just the synergy, the way he connects with all of us in different ways its
like a dream really, I canÔÇÖt imagine it any other way. I think we got lucky there. HeÔÇÖs not like I would
have imagined at all. HeÔÇÖs very wise in some ways, I think heÔÇÖs an old soulÔÇØ. Furthermore, the bandÔÇÖs
collaboration with producer Adrian Bushby [Muse, Foo Fighters] has also shaped the albumÔÇÖs sound.
ÔÇ£For someone who has worked on so many albums, he has an amazing boyish energy and
enthusiasm, which is also definitely reflected in the songs [on Pinewood Smile], although enthusiasm
has always run through everything weÔÇÖve doneÔÇØ.

The UK leg of the bandÔÇÖs upcoming year of touring begins in late November. I was keen to ask
Frankie if there were any venues that he was particularly excited about playing at. ÔÇ£Well, I like to be
surprised, so I donÔÇÖt want to look too far aheadÔÇØ he said. ÔÇ£However, I am looking forward to playing
at the Hammersmith Apollo [on 10 th December], thatÔÇÖs always the highlight. ItÔÇÖs such a great venue,
and thereÔÇÖs always a great sense of occasion and a sense of history when you play thereÔÇØ. The band
are in Cardiff (at St DavidÔÇÖs Hall) three days later, and Frankie was full of praise for the energy of the
Welsh crowds. The tour also provides an obvious opportunity for the band to play some of their new
songs from Pinewood Smile. I asked Frankie if he felt optimistic that the new material would go
down as well with crowds as the bandÔÇÖs early hits ÔÇÿI Believe in a Thing Called LoveÔÇÖ, ÔÇÿLove is Only a
FeelingÔÇÖ and ÔÇÿOne Way TicketÔÇÖ. ÔÇ£It really depends. You never know if the new ones are going to be
good, itÔÇÖs a testing ground. When you play live, you have no idea, and sometimes you can be
pleasantly surprised, or sometimes it could be the opposite, when you think a new song is going to
be good and just it falls flat live. I guess in a way the truth comes out, you know? And that can be
quite scary, but you have to confront that.ÔÇØ

Moving away from the tour and the album, the eccentricity and humour of The Darkness as a band
has, for years now, rendered them unique within rock music and in music as a whole. Whilst their
edginess may have originally left many listeners confused, their ability to not take themselves too
seriously, in a business that has become obsessed with image and success, is partly what makes
them so endearing. I asked Frankie if he thought that humour and showmanship were being lost in
contemporary music, or if it was simply being reimagined. ÔÇ£Yes, I think itÔÇÖs definitely being
reimagined. People always used to accuse us of being ironic. Some people would say it was ironic,
some people would say it was comedy. Now, irony is everywhere, even amongst indie bands. Father
John Misty, for example, has irony running through a lot of his songs, and itÔÇÖs very dry and self-
regarding. So, yeah, I think humour has just evolved. WeÔÇÖre trying not to be clever-clever or
sophisticated, I guess weÔÇÖre anti-sophistication. So weÔÇÖre happy to embrace elements of humour that
are maybe a little more vaudevillian or music hall. WeÔÇÖre not trying to be subtle or hide behind
obscurismsÔÇØ
So, what does the future hold for The Darkness? Their tour will run through to the end of 2018, with
some other appearances being made during festival season, before returning to song-writing again.
As ever, Frankie and the rest of the band are plan to expand their musical range even further on
future projects. ÔÇ£WeÔÇÖd like to maybe try on the next album, rather than collaborating all the time,
band members to do some more solo compositions, so it gets a bit more competitive. We havenÔÇÖt
tried that before, it might bring a new side out of usÔÇØ.

The DarknessÔÇÖs new album ÔÇÿPinewood SmileÔÇÖ drops on 6 th October. The UK leg of their tour begins on
23rd November and ends on 14 th December.

By John Jones