THE WILDHEARTS
Riff After Riff (Gearhead)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson

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From a band with one of the most bizarre histories in the great book of rock and roll comes a surprise: they ain't dead! Despite every effort at self-destruction, lead singer Ginger and his boys are back with a loud and proud hard rocker called Riff After Riff. This is the Wal-Mart Friendly version of the name, actually. They released an EP in Japan called Riff After Motherfucking Riff, but they knew it wasn't gonna play here. Do they still have it? Yeah, and hell yeah! The sound is appropriately murky and the tunes rock at you like you're in their damned way and must be destroyed. They're all over the map, from the trademark hard rockin' sound to something close to dark metal to something else that approaches the glam influences of The Sweet with some power pop thrown in for structural reference. They even seem to channel Cheap Trick at one point, but all this comes with a heavy coating of Wildheart attitude. Does this mean The Wildhearts are really on the rise again? Don't count on it, but wouldn't it be nice?

© 2004 - DJ Johnson