Produced by Andy Carpenter and Buddy Darling, Made of Phantoms is a tremendous representation of the band’s no-holds-barred honesty and buzz-like energy, giving listeners a mere glimpse of what it’s like to witness the band’s live show. The Darlings successfully create a mesmerizing and addictive combination of blues, punk and good ol’ American rock and roll that leaves the listener wanting more.

 

Littered with special guests, including Strung Out’s Jason Cruz and Green Day’s Jason Freese, Made of Phantoms satisfies a hunger for angst with a retro twist. The album opens with “No Sunshine,” and immediately injects the listener with get-on-your-feet energy that will have you either dancing around your room or suddenly hauling ass down the highway. The guitar riffs are fast, the drums come in hard, and then switches up to a fast-paced, blues-infused track with a tinge of punk for good measure.

 

“Little Teenage Thing” is gritty and seductive, with spell bounding vocals asking, “Hey, little darlin’, can you hear my voice when the rain comes swaying in/ Hey little darlin’, did you make a choice? Did you let the old vices win?” The guitar riffs are hypnotic and paint the picture of a slightly older man attempting to lure a beautiful young girl his way.

 

The instrumental opening of “There’s a Madman in Waco” is reminiscent of a blazing hot desert in the middle of nowhere – you can almost feel the sweat run down your face with the drawn out guitar riffs. The tempo speeds up and feels like a marriage of Johnny Cash and Social Distortion.

 

The Darling’s Southern roots are evident in the blues-infused twang of the vocals of “Luv Story,” with guitar and bass riffs that lend an ethereal quality to the song as a whole. Lyrics like, “Sometimes love will catch you with a right hook/ Red flame leaves your little world shook” make this an atypical, yet totally relevant take on the traditional rock and roll romantic ballad.

 

Made of Phantoms is the perfect antidote for the downward spiral of contemporary rock music that is overplayed on the radio. The energy is non-stop, and each track has its own distinct sound. The band has wrapped up their West Coast tour with Jason Cruz, Howl and The Pullmen Runs, and will drop their new LP on July 30, 2014. No news of an East Coast tour yet, but there is no doubt that Savannah, GA would be a welcoming audience. Pre-orders are available now!