The Darkness have announced a new album, Dreams on Toast, which will be out March 28 via Cooking Vinyl.
“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,” says frontman Justin Hawkins of the album. “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!”
Dreams on Toast finds The Darkness going back to the 1970s and their own sweet spot embracing the grand rock of Queen, ELO and Wings. The first taste is indeed pretty tasty: “The Longest Kiss” might be the best Darkness single since the mid-’00s, with a big harmonious chorus and lots of twin-leads soloing. Have they finally made an album that’s a worthy successor to Permission to Land? We shall see.
Says Hawkins, “I was bleary eyed and locked in an unending embrace with my (mid)life partner. Weird that I can still sing, but that’s a testament to the resilience of humans, especially lead singers. The music itself is a piano-led composition, the chorus of which my brother and I came up with after he’d taken a long time to empty his bladder during some impressive pub endurance. The verses were transposed from a song I’ve been working on for decades as part of a musical about the collapse of the Lowestoft fishing industry, called ‘The Collapse Of The Lowestoft Fishing Industry.’ The musical isn’t finished yet. But “The Longest Kiss” is. The results are astounding. We’re all very proud of this. Please, to enjoy!”
Watch the “The Longest Kiss” video below.
The timing of this album announce is fortuitous (and perhaps moved up because of) as The Darkness were recently thrust into the spotlight by Taylor Swift, who was spotted enthusiastically singing along to their 2003 hit “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” at the US Open with her boyfriend Travis Kelce. Viral video of that sent the song back into the charts, hitting #1 on Apple Music’s Rock Chart. If you somehow didn’t see that clip, watch it below.
The Darkness play Ocean City, MD’s Oceans Calling Fest on September 27 with blink-182 and more. They’ve also just announced an extensive 2025 UK tour for the new album. All dates are listed below.
THE DARKNESS – 2024/2025 TOUR DATES
Fri, SEP 27 – Oceans Calling 2024 – Ocean City, MD
Fri, MAR 7, 2025 – Regents Theatre – Ipswich, United Kingdom
Sat, MAR 8, 2025 – New Theatre – Oxford, United Kingdom
Sun, MAR 9, 2025 – Arena – Swansea, United Kingdom
Tue, MAR 11, 2025 – G Live – Guildford, United Kingdom
Wed, MAR 12, 2025 – Connexin Arena – Kingston Upon Hull, United Kingdom
Fri, MAR 14, 2025 – Mountford Hall – Liverpool, United Kingdom
Sat, MAR 15, 2025 – Wolverhampton Civic Hall – Wolverhampton, United Kingdom
Mon, MAR 17, 2025 – York Barbican – York, United Kingdom
Tue, MAR 18, 2025 – Usher Hall – Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Thu, MAR 20, 2025 – The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall – Glasgow, United Kingdom
Fri, MAR 21, 2025 – City Hall – Newcastle, United Kingdom
Sat, MAR 22, 2025 – O2 Apollo Manchester – Manchester, United Kingdom
Mon, MAR 24, 2025 – Beacon Theatre – Bristol, United Kingdom
Tue, MAR 25, 2025 – Portsmouth Guildhall – Portsmouth, United Kingdom
Thu, MAR 27, 2025 – De Montford Hall – Leicester, United Kingdom
Fri, MAR 28, 2025 – Cambridge Corn Exchange – Cambridge, United Kingdom
Sat, MAR 29, 2025 – OVO Arena Wembley – London, United Kingdom