C.J. Wildheart - Blood (2017)

Genre - Hard Rock / Punk Rock

Label - Pledge Music

Track listing:

01. Tea Leaf

02. Gutless

03. Lazybones

04. Beak

05. 50 Percent Indian

06. Tired Of Sex

07. Kiss It

08. Plastic Invasion

09. Itch

10. Lost In The Game

Wildhearts guitarist CJ Wildheart returns with his third full length solo release, and follow up to last years rather excellent release, 'Robot', in the form of 'Blood', and his musical evolution continues to develop. Gone are the bubble gum pop/punk melodies of his first post Wildhearts solo projects such as  Honeycrack and The Jelly's, in favour of the harder edged more riff based direction that began with 'Robot' and its predecessor 'Mable'. I have to say that 'Blood' is some of the most heavy and riff based (and dare I say intense?) material that CJ has put his name to outside of The Wildhearts to date. 'Blood' opens with 'Tea Leaf', a great track that would have sat well on 2014's 'Mable'. A few electronic samples mixed into some great riffs and CJ's instantly recognisable vocals fitting perfectly. Next up we have 'Gutless', a song driven along by some great intense riffs, and a song that would have sat well on any Wildhearts release. A great statement of intent, and brilliant indication of what is to follow. 'Lazybones' follows and continues to deliver on both the quality and intensity fronts. Another great riff too! 'Beak' is up next, a slightly more melodic and up tempo track than its predecessors, and a great song to showcase a slightly different side to CJ's song writing talent. '50 Percent Indian' marks the half way point to this great album, a great song with a great lyric throughout. Next up we have 'Tired of Sex' (surely that cant be true!). Here the keyboards are slightly more prominent, adding atmosphere to this songs fairly laid back feel. 'Kiss It' follows and is a short sharp blast based around a great riff with very few vocals.  'Plastic Invasion' sees things slow down a little and return to the type of blue print used throughout 2014's Mable album with electronic samples being mixed with some great guitar rhythms and riffs. The albums penultimate track is 'Itch' which follows a similar blue print to its predecessor, and seems to be a rather autobiographical track, concerning the career path the mighty Wildhearts. 'Lost In The Game' closes out the album, and is one of the best songs CJ has ever been involved with.
I have to say that 'Blood' is the best album so far from CJ's solo output. It truly has everything. Intensity, melody, riffs, great songs, brilliant production (once again courtesy of Dave Drapers magical ears!).
This is one album that you really do need to check out! 10 tracks that clock in at around the 33 minute mark, leaving you hungry for more!!

Rating: 10/10

CJ Wildheart - Robot

Genre - Hard Rock / Modern Rock / Alternative

Label - PledgeMusic / Self releasd / Vinyl Junkie Recordings / Devilspit Records

Track listing:

01 - The Robot

02 - Light It Up

03 - Ctrl-Alt-Delete

04 - The Box

05 - Sleep Deprivation

06 - Delirium

07 - F.U.B.A.R.

08 - No Rhyme Or reason

09 - I Got You

10 - Sasquatch

11 - Maureen (Fountains of Wayne Cover) (Japanese Bonus Track)

12 - Sick of Myself (Matthew Sweet Cover) (Japanese Bonus Track)

13 - Black Bugs (Regurgitator Cover) (Japanese Bonus Track)

Ok this album has been available for a couple of months now, (it was released back in March!) so I will keep this review short and sweet.
The Robot is the second solo album to be released by Wildhearts and former Jelly's and Honeycrack singer / guitarist CJ Wildheart. (His first solo release came out under the moniker CJ and the Satellites), the first being 2014's Mable.
The album sees CJ take a much heavier route, with the likes of F.U.B.A.R.' and 'Light it Up' highlighting a more aggressive sound. CJ adds "This is something that has happened naturally and also due to having Jason Bowld on drums. You can't help but go heavier when you have an engine like that behind your music." The Robot showcases CJ Wildheart as one of the best - and most underrated - songwriters operating in Britain today. Robot is him operating right at the top of his craft. It's a complex work, with songs that rise and swoop and deliver catchy beats "The Box", crunching power "F.U.B.A.R." and pace changes "Sasquatch" aplenty. There's not a bad track on here!
As for just how this album sound, well for anyone who is familiar with CJ's history it sounds pretty much exactly like you’d hope an album from someone with his back grund would sound. It combines  the gorgeous harmonies of Honeycrack, the bounce factor of the Jellys, the aggression and heaviness of The Wildhearts. In fact it would be fair to say that a couple of the songs here would have made fantastic additions to Wildhearts album!
Do yourselves a favour and check this album out!

Rating: 10/10

CJ Wildhearts - Mable (2014)

Genre - Hard Rock / Pop / Punk

Label - Pledge Music

Track Listing:

01 - Better Late Than Never

02 - Down The Drain

03 - Next To You

04 - Vitriol

05 - Always Believe Her

06 - Kentucky Fried

07 - D.C.

08 - Come With Me

09 - State Of Emergency

10 - Devil

11 - Midlife Crisis

After what seems like an eternity CJ Wildheart finally gets around to recording and releasing his debut solo album, (previous releases include Honeycrack, The Jelly's and CJ & The Satellites) in the form of Mable, which is named after his favourite pet chicken!
So how did Mable finally come about, and whats the story behind each of its 11 songs, well who better to answer that than CJ himself?
"So, in June 2013 I started demoing songs which would lead on to me recording my first solo album in 7 years. ‘Mable’ is the result of me locking myself away in my home studio and just letting things take a natural course.
Like with any album there is a theme to the songs and this album loosely charts my last 3 years of life in London before I moved to North Yorkshire and the big changes about to happen in my world.
For those who do not know, I retired from music for 3 years as I needed a change and wanted to try something new…. I started my own cleaning business.
I employed 8 guys and worked for all sorts of folk, from the stupidly wealthy to the heartbreakingly poor. My last 3 years in London was me running my company
and sometimes dreaming of returning back to music but most of the time trying my hardest to bring home the bacon.
The frustration I felt with having to deal with the rich snobs who live in the city would leave me wanting to kill the stuck up fuckers but I would always pull back my rage…. anyway I also felt equally furious at Councils who would let OAPs live in their own shit and expect my co workers to clean it up for peanuts…. the same Councils who would waste millions per year on art and other crap…. go figure.
Well, something had to give and I married, sold my business and moved to the countryside and back to the music. The songs on ‘Mable’ are about my last few years in London and my life completely changing again when I picked up my guitar and moved north.
I’m fast approaching middle age and I’m about to become a father for the first time…. My album reflects all these changes and I hope you enjoy it. X
1) BETTER LATE THAN NEVER
The opening track and a wee ditty about getting it right…. eventually.
2) DOWN THE DRAIN
My message to Mother Nature telling her to get up and fight back against man.
3) NEXT TO YOU
You know when life gets too much and you just want a friend to comfort you, take you out for a pint and let you vent.
4) VITRIOL
This tune is a cover of the Bluejuice (A great band from Australia) song. I would play this a lot when driving around London…. it’s a good ‘fuck you’ song!
5) ALWAYS BELIEVE HER
In any relationship you have that great part at the beginning when it’s all new and nervous and then you get to the point where you either commit or run away. I didn’t run away and ended up marrying the girl…. those early days never leave you.
6) KENTUCKY FRIED
A song about running a cleaning business in the old smoke. The daily grind, traffic jams and frustrations.
7) D.C
Back in the early 90s my little brother Steve took me to a rave…. this is how I felt.
8) COME WITH ME
This is the oldest song on the album. I first demoed this in 2007 and the intro was used on ‘Plastic Jebus’ which is on ‘Chutzpah’
This songs charts my long battle with insomnia and sleeping tablets…. an on-going struggle even today but thankfully without the aid of pills.
9) STATE OF EMERGENCY
Angry people who blame everyone but themselves. There comes a point when you just have to grow up and take responsibility.
10) DEVIL
A song about temptation…. but from a junkies point of view.
11) MIDLIFE CRISIS?
The last track and a song about part of my life coming to an end and the beginning of something new and truly wonderful.
CJ"

But is the album any good? You bet your ass it is!
Opener Better Late Than Never begins with some quaint electronic noises and ambient effects before exploding into a great modern melodic rock riff. A great song and solid opener to the album! Next up is Down The Drain. This track has a darker feel, more of a solid riff and some great lyrics. I love how CJ has fitted the quite dark and serious lyrics into quite a poppy melody, wonderful song, although I'm still not sure what the hell the video has to do with the song! lol
Next To You follows and is not the lovey dovey ballad that the title suggests. A Slow to mid tempo rocker with a sort of stop start riff, and a cracker of a song. CJ is really on form here, both in his writing and vocals!
Next we have CJ's cover of Bluejuice's Vitriol, having never heard the original I cant comment upon how it compares, but what I can say is that its a great song a stunning performance from CJ, so Id say it probably compares rather well!
Always Believe Her is up next, and those electronic noises make another appearance during the songs intro, before a killer melodic riff kicks in, only for it to give way to the electronic noises throughout the verse. A great song with some interesting ideas throughout. Love it!
Kentucky Fried follows, which is another great mid-tempo rocker. This could be a killer track live!
The next song is D.C. a great track, again managing to blend electronic sounds usually more associated with dance music than rock with great rock riffs, and pulling it off really well.
Come With Me follows, with a darker feel to it both musically and lyrically. A great song with its familiar riff (explained above!)
State Of Emergency is up next and is possibly the most traditional rock track on offer on Mable. Its a great song and again I imagine will go down really well in a live environment!
Devil is the albums penultimate track, a dark track which twists and turns musically. Another great song
The album closes out with Midlife Crisis, another great traditional styled rock track, a real slow builder and a great choice to close out the album!

Mable shows that CJ is more than just the other vocalist / guitarist in The Wildhearts, it shows that he is one hell of a songwriter and solo musician too!. I say that because with the exception of a few gang vocals from producer Lee Potter Wray (Zen Motel) and Chris Catalyst (Eureka Machines / Sisters Of Mercy / Ginger Wildheart Band) everything on this album is played by CJ himself, even down to the drum programing!
Lee Wray does a sterling job with the production making Mable a stunning album.

Well worth checking out!

Rating 10/10

Zen Motel - We Want Your Blood (2012)

Genre - Hard Rock / Punk / Pop / Alternative / Modern Rock
Label - Under Dog Records (Independent)

Track listing:

01 - Superhuman Colosseum
02 - The Pit
03 - Kill Your Radio (Feat CJ and Si Fricker)
04 - Trust Your Instincts
05 - Death Rock City (Feat CJ)
06 - Cut And Run
07 - Bone Deep In Trouble (Feat CJ)
08 - Curse Of the Girlfiend (Feat Si Fricker)
09 - I Will End This
10 - House Of The Dying Sun

Formed back in 2003, Zen Motel release their third studio album in the form of We Want your Blood. Coming hot on the heals of the awesome Cranked Ep released earlier this year.
I bloody love this album, a worthy follow up to Cranked and the bands previous two albums!
Ten tracks, clocking in at just under half an hour, of angst driven hard rock with some great melodies.
Opening with the mighty Superhuman Colosseum, a weighty peice that delcares that they have given up giving in before crashing into the The Pit which first saw the light of day on the Cranked EP, still an awesome track, full of energy and angst. Kill Your Radio is up next, a slighty more commercial song that features CJ from the Wildhearts as a guest on guitars and vocals (the first of three tracks to do so!) as well as Si Fricker. This is a great song that debuted via the internet last year, but still sounds great in its finished form. Trust Your Leader follows, again a typical Zen Motel song, filled with twists and turns, another great addition to the back catalogue.
Death Rock City follows, again featuring CJ on vocals and guitars. Here the guys turn the tempo upa little, yet this song still has a very commercial feel to it, a great song that should be a huge hit, again a song that debuted a year or so ago via the internet. Cut and Run is up next, a little more atmospheric to my ears, yet retaining all the punk angst and rock elements. A great song.
Next up is the last of the three songs to feature CJ, Bone Deep In Trouble, a song that takes the album off on a little tangent with its acoustic guitars and almost country feel, this really is a great song!
Curse of The |Girlfiend follows, again a song that originally saw the light of day a year or so ago via the internet, darker and moodier than its predecessors, great fun and has a great video too!
The albums penultimate track comes in the form of I Will End This, a song that sees the tempo pick back up together with some some great lyrics and riffs. House Of The Dying Sun closes out the album, a slower more epic track but more importantly,another great song song rounding off a great album!
There is so much energy and diversity presented on this album that it truly showcases the bands abilities as both song writers and performers!
We Want Your Blood gives us six songs that we havent heard before ( and four that have been available for a while in some form), and is possibly a little too short forin my opinion, but still I absolutely bloody love it!

We Want Your Blood is another great album by a blood great British band that your really do need to check out. Lets just hope that we dont have to wait as long for album number four! Now where are those tour dates?

Rating - 10/10
Website - www.ZenMotel.Co.UK

Zen Motel - Cranked EP (2012)

Genre - Hard Rock / Modern Rock

Tracklisting:

01 - Soul on Fire

02 - Nobody but You
03 - The Pit
04 - Down and Out
05 - The Witch

Zen Motel return with a five trck Ep and all that I can say is where have you been guys , we've missed you!
In their own words the Ep includes, "soul on fire(the first tune dario showed me and how he got in the band, he wrote it, so he sings it)....nobody but you (been around for a while, a paean on smoking)....the pit (another dario tune with lots of swearing!)...down and out (originally written for a movie called 'torn flesh) ...the witch (the sonics classic re worked in zen style)".
the most commercial track on here is Nody But You, with Soul On Fire and The Pit being angst filled high octane workouts.
A great Ep well worth checking out,
 
Welcome back guys!
 
rating - 10/10
Its a great Ep and has well wetted the appitite for album number three!