 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Permission to Land
- By The Darkness
- Genre: Rock
Common Sense Media says
Not very good or original -- teens can do better.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this CD isn't age-appropriate for younger kids and tweens. And don't believe for a second that just because The Darkness invokes every 1970s and '80s hard-rock cliche ever imagined that the CD won't attract your kids like a moth to a searchlight. Also realize that when The Darkness borrows all those hard-rock cliches, it includes the language, drug, and sex references, so you may want to check out the lyrics (on a site like lyrics.com) before you share with your teens.
What's the story?
The big questions regarding PERMISSION TO LAND: Does The Darkness mean it, or are these guys trying to cash in on America's big appetite for irony? The answer seems to be, yes, they do mean it. Unfortunately, the band isn't over the top enough to be funny, and certainly isn't original enough to be good. At times, the record does work musically. Riff-driven and simple, songs like "Growing on Me," "I Believe in a Thing Called Love," and the semi-sweet "Friday Night" are easy to like. But when a band writes an upbeat song about heroin, or throws around profanity that's seriously offensive to women, it's time for parents to at least notice.
Is it any good?
Even if the content of this CD doesn't bother you, the bad clichés might. "Love on the Rocks with No Ice," could possibly be the worst song title ever, fitting the record's worst musical composition. Be concerned that your children might want to join a band and start writing songs like that. However, there is one good thing to mitigate The Darkness' subject matter. It's difficult for anyone -- even teens -- to take it that seriously. It's not a record worth confiscating or censoring. But it might be worth a conversation with your kids.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the use of irony and how difficult it can be to tell if sentiments are real or if they are meant to be ironic. Also, why do bands push the boundaries for good taste?
There aren't any reviews yet. Be the first to review this title below.
| Artist: | The Darkness |
| Release date: | August 5, 2003 |
| Label: | Atlantic |
| Genre: | Rock |
| Parental advisory: | Yes |
| Edited version available: | Yes |
Review It
Great alternatives handpicked by our editors
Already listened to it? What do you think?
More from Common Sense Media
Top advice and articles
