Comments on: The Wildhearts: Chutzpah!

By: Gordon

Gordon — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 08:51:11 +0000

Nice article but maybe I’m not hearing the same things as you? For me Chutzpah is their best release since the general release of FFL. It’s the first album since then where I didn’t feel disappointed. EN was disappointing as it’s like listening to radio static, MBD sounded far too poppy and Self-titled had some of the worst lyrics, worst riffs and a general lack of enthusiasm. Maybe it’s because I can hear a lot of my other favourite bands in Chutzpah. Low Energy Vortex and the vocoder on Chutzpah sound very Electric Light Orchestra to me. The title track also has elements of System of a Down and the outtro sounds very Pink Floydish. Ginger was very honest saying they do take bits from other bands’ songs and glue them together (that’s maybe not a perfect quote but it was something along those lines) and the band are making songs they want to hear because nobody else now is making them. For me Chutzpah is the first Wildhearts album I’ve been excited about this century. As long as I don’t have to wait until the next century for the next great one then I’ll be happy.
Cheers.

By: Gaz

Gaz — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:42:55 +0000

I have to say, I kind of agree with what you’re saying. Had this been the first album of their’s I had lsitened to, I would “like” them rather than “love” them. Ginger should take back sole control of writing and vocals for a start, that was one of the majorly disappointing aspects for me.

That said, for me it kicks the backside out of both their self titled effort and Must Be Destroyed. There are some good tracks on this album, it’s just not as “solid” as some other efforts (Earth Vs, Endless, Nameless – which invariably happens as a band gets on a bit, granted).

I saw them a couple of weeks ago, and they played the entire album before the second set of classics… The album sounds better live than it does on the CD.

Despite all of this, they still have some of the best vocal harmonies in the business, so on that count I was a very happy bunny.

By: Carl Walker

Carl Walker — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 08:44:23 +0000

I have to disagree with the review also. Chutzpah! is a really great Wildhearts album and if any single Wildhearts album is their weakest, then it has to be Ednless/Nameless, which is when the band really seemed to lose their direction. But to criticise the album for being too varied seems unfair. You Took the Sunshine From New York is such a fantastic song! Okay – quite cheesey, but so what – One Love, One Life, One Girl is still one of my favourite songs of The Wildhearts past (as is Geordie in Wonderland, and that IS a different kind of song on Fishing for Luckies!).
If I had to sum up this album, I’d have to say it makes me feel as good as I did when i was fourteen and listening the Earth Vs for the first time, which is no mean feat…!

By: Phil Grainger

Phil Grainger — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 10:59:08 +0000

Right, i’ve been a fan for the best part of 10/11 years, chutzpah is a disapointment, not because it doesn’t traditionally sound like the wildhearts (endless nameless is a masterpiece and that sounds bugger all like the rest of their back catalogue) but because the songs aren’t up to scratch. Yoni by ginger is an infinitely better album, achieving a creative step forward without sounding like the past. I felt that the self titled album was brutal without the tunes, but still enjoyable, but unfortunately they didn’t take the next step and build on the promise. i hope they sort it for next time, cos i’d hate this to be the last wildhearts lp

By: david HARRY

david HARRY — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 07:22:10 +0000

ive been a wildhearts fan since the 91-92 ish- i think chutzpah is a great album-its got great songs with great melodies and thrashing guitars-giunger is always on form but it was nice to here scott singing aswell.
ive seen them live in over 30 times in the last 16 years and they always put on a great show,but last night i saw them at leeds cockpit where they played the whole album in first set and a few classics in the second set.the new album sounds AWESOME played live!!!!!it was one of the best shows ive seen them play and nice to see them do it differently.SOLD OUT it was too. cracking night!!!
after hearing chutzpah live i love it even more now!!!

By: Mark Grainger

Mark Grainger — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 22:31:11 +0000

Firstly I reckon EN contains some of the best work. Tracks like Nurse Maximum are still poppy but covered in the distortion that characterises the album whilst Anthem and Junkenstein show how much of a product of its time it is. Theres an emotional involvement there which is sorely lacking from Chutzpah!

Your right about the two main styles, but there’s still a distinction between writing songs that fall into those catagories and writing songs that fit the catagory but generally arn’t very good or pale copies of previous efforts, and there are a few on here. Also I don’t believe that just ‘cos your a fan of the band you shouldn’t care, If anything it should affect you more when a band has a slump, no matter how long it lasts (or if anyone else agrees with you…). Im a huge WH fan and thats why this album annoys me, Its a let down but it indicative of a new direction which they’ll probably keep heading in.

And yeah from what I hear they play the whole of Chutzpah! followed by a more hit/crowd pleasing set.

By: DomZRoss

DomZRoss — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 21:12:59 +0000

Quick straw pole on “endless nameless”? I really didnt take to that album………

I see The Wildhearts as 2 bands sometimes.

1. The awesome riff-tastic band (Ginger) that write 8/9 minute long songs I never tire of listening to, that are (in a wanky sense) a proper audio journey

2. The awesome, brief, pop cum heavy rock tunes, that again, are a great listen

Any long life band get some people thinking they have ups and downs, but fans usually don’t care, and I am one of them

Only slight worry, going to see them in Leeds this weekend, and I think this tour is heavy new album, that seems a shame, but I still won’t complain.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 21:43:47 +0000

The Wildhearts always do something different. They are one of the rare rock bands who can do a wide variety of rock genres and still totally sound like the Wildhearts.

I couldn’t disagree more about You Took the Sunshine From New York – it might not be a three-part melody followed by a thrash riff, but its a great metaphoric song that’s completely Wildhearts.

I wasn’t so sure about the album at first, but now I’m totally hooked. I do agree about the title track – that’s the only one I haven’t really been able to get into.

By: Wiz

Wiz — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 16:27:45 +0000

They started by performing all 36 minutes of Chutzpah, in order. Nothing wrong with that, although Scott was decidedly shaky on vocals on his own, so best left to Ginger, who was in sparkling form.
After that, the aforementioned grabbed a pint of wine, and in his own words ‘let the party begin’ before rattling through 8 or 9 classics – by then my judgement and memory start to haze, so I can only list: Nothing Ever Changes BtS, I Wanna Go WtPG, Red Light GL, Sick of Drugs, My Baby is a HF, though there were two or three more. (sorry about the acronyms). There were some cameras about the place, so expect some action on YouTube.

By: Mark Grainger

Mark Grainger — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:56:32 +0000

I’m afraid we’re going to have to agree to disagree on a few points here, but never mind. Out of interest what was the setlist like at the gig? Did they play the whole album?