Album review: DARKTOWN JUBILEE – The World, the Flesh & the Devil

Parade Recordings www.darktownjubilee.com

Manchester based Darktown Jubilee release their debut album, an album that recalls many other bands, although with vocalist David Boardman they retain their own sound.

The album has a good mix of tempos with a few nailed on arena anthems including opener ‘Breakdown’. With its crashing drums and cymbals plus distinct power chords this could be Simple Minds by way of Coldplay. The latter come to mind as the band cleverly add piano, synths and samples to the songs and often these effects only come to light with repeated listens. ‘Stay’ could be the Stereophonics, the Gaslight Anthem and the glorious Aeon Spoke (they maybe not a houshold name but they have a similar sound to this band) all mixed into one. Boardman shows off his gentler vocal side on the slower ‘The Great Escape’, a song that bizarrely reminded me of ‘Seasons End’ era Marillion!

If the album has one drawback is that it needs another big arena anthem, but hey the songs overall are pretty damn fine and not one overstays its welcome. This sort of music will never be loved by the music critics in national newspapers and the NME but the band will be loved by many if they can get their music heard.

Darktown Jubilee have set themselves a high standard on this debut album and it will be interesting to see how they progress from here.

****

Jason Ritchie

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Next session: Sunday 1 December

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 20 October 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 22 October 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 28 October 2024

THE RASMUS Rest In Pieces (Better Noise Music)
THE PLAGUE What Else Can I Do (FiXT)
STAR CIRCUS Turn The Tide (indie)
DEFENCES Breathe It In (Long Branch Records)

Featured Albums w/c 28 October 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)