No, this is not the new Jack White project (but man does it sound like it sometimes). Baby Darling Doll Face Honey is the debut album from the hyped English group Band of Skulls. The proceeds kick off with “Light of the Morning,” a grungy, bluesy track with a few twists away from the expected. It sets the tone for the second track, “Death By Diamonds and Pearls,” though perhaps a little too well, as the two songs are similar to a fault. Which raises the question: What does the rest of the disc hold?

RATING: 6/10
HIGHLIGHT TRACK: “I Know What I Am”
SUBPAR TRACK: “Bomb”

The good news is that despite a worrying start, Baby Darling Doll Face Honey does not in fact dissolve into 12 slight variations of the same. As early as the third track, album highlight “I Know What I Am,” a completely new vibe rushes in.

“I Know What I Am” is certainly the right title: the song has a strong rhythm and an addictive chant-like chorus. By track five, “Honest,” the edge is gone, the tempo has slowed, and a female singer has taken over lead vocals. This addition adds a fun-enough element of uncertainty to the rest of the album: you never know who is going to be singing, and whether the style will shift. Also well worth a mention is the track “Impossible,” a bizarre cross between Kings of Leon and Arcade Fire that somehow manages to keep it all together.

In the end, this album dodges the déjà vu bullet, even though the grungy guitar sound and cheeky vocals remain king. An interesting debut; consider us curious for round two.