Last Minute Music Roundup Cornucopia Of Fun Time Happy Love Parade (Broken English Edition)

Before the never-ending (or never-beginning depending on my state of abject laziness) year-end list-a-thon (now with more hyphens!), I thought I'd share my thoughts on a couple of eagerly awaited album releases that came out recently.

The Darkness - One Way Ticket To Hell And Back. There's a lot of embarrassment potential when you loudly sing the praises of a band's freshman effort. This is especially true if no one knows if the band is serious or will some day be filed next to Tom Lehrer and Blowfly in the dusty comedy corner of your local record store.

The Darkness' sophomore entry is definitely not as funny as their first, but since they're actually a talented band who can legitimately rock out with their cocks out, I gots no problem with that. Whereas their first album was a fun game of 'who are they making fun of now?', this album takes that trivia contest, throws it to the ground and lights it on fire whilst they kick out another headbangin' numbah.

They are a polarizing band to be sure, but the only people I've ever met who hated The Darkness are people who took bands like Cinderella and White Lion way too seriously the first time. It's fun music you former mulletheads. Now quit whining about how Kurt Cobain ruined your chances to get laid in high school and rock out!!

Junior Senior - Hey Hey My My Yo Yo. This duo embodies everything that's great about being Danish. Anyone who's ever backpacked around can instantly recognize the Danes. They're usually drunk, always happy, and generally dress and act like they don't give a flying Borge about what anyone else thinks.

All these things and more apply to the music of Junior Senior. Their music is so goddamn infectuous that it's like you took the best parts of the Jackson Five and crumpled it together with Chromeo and the B-52s. Every track is fun, every track makes you want to move, and it's just a happy happy album.

I've only been listening to it for a few days, but every time it's over I want to start it from the beginning again. I'm trying to resist so I don't get sick of it, but this record is like twee, merry crack, cutesily hopping into my glass pipe to wile away another 40 minutes. One of the best records of the year, without question.