Who Are The Wildhearts?
The Wildhearts are an English rock band, formed in 1989 in Newcastle upon Tyne.
The band’s soundscape is a mixture of hard rock and melodic pop music. To my ears, they sound a great deal like pop-punk, but with an AC/DC sensibility.
The Wildhearts achieved several top 20 singles and one top 10 album in Britain, regardless of “difficulties” with record companies and many internal problems often relating to recreational drugs and depression. Much of the band’s early career was affected by bitter feuds with their record company, East West.
Throughout the band’s history, there has been a rotating cast of members, with the only constant member being the band’s founder, singer and guitarist Ginger. The band has also been split up or placed on hiatus by Ginger multiple times. In the 2010s, the band would get back together occasionally for various anniversary tours. However, a 2018 anniversary tour by the band’s 1993 lineup led to a return to the studio. In February 2019, the band released the new single “Dislocated“, and their first new album in ten years, the excellent Renaissance Men, which was released in May 2019. You can read the CGCM review here: Renaissance Men
Diagnosis
This six-track EP is a mixture of superb pop-punk, laced with more acerbic harder material, which meshes together to form an interesting addition to their catalog.
There is a ripping opener. The fire-filled adrenaline ride of the title track foams at its mouth when it bursts out of the speakers. It has a near cousin in AC/DC‘s “Live Wire” with a throbbing bassline of intent. It seems to be a diatribe about medicine, but even if this is not the case, it still sounds angry. The guitar work is excellent and Ginger is singing out of his skin.
The second tune is “God Damn” and this is a punkier effort, albeit retaining the sense of melody that The Wildhearts are famous for. So far, so great.
“A Song About Drinking” ups the pace. This is a speedy rocker, full of energy and melody. This is a good driving song and impresses me with its harmony guitar work.
The next song continues the great work. “The First Time” ticks all the boxes and if the record had finished there, it would have been just fine. However, the last two tunes (“That’s My Girl” and “LOCAC“) are more disposable and pass me by. It is not that they aren’t well crafted, but they aren’t in the same stratosphere as the rest of the collection.
My Diagnosis
Great four tracks and glad to see the band rocking on!
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