CJ Wildheart – Siege
Release Date: 11th December 2020
Label: Self Released
Bandcamp
Genre: Covid-Rock, Rock, Punk.
FFO: The Wildhearts, Honeycrack, The Jellys.
Review By: Paul Cairney
“My emotions were running high, both my parents are in nursing homes and were sheltering. I didn’t see my girlfriend for 3 months and the world just seemed to go down the toilet pan!”
So speaks CJ Wildheart in the press release received with his latest album, ‘Siege’. Written during the 1st UK lockdown, the album almost acts as a catharsis for CJ, where he thrusts his emotions upon the listener in, what is without a doubt, the single heaviest, most punk, album of his solo career.
Siege drips with raw, emotive aggression throughout the 8 tracks. Opener, ‘Peking Duck’ introduces the mood of the album perfectly. Recorded by himself, with drums added at a later stage, CJ recently discussed his bass guitar on facebook, saying,
‘My bass cost me £45 and I’ve used it on all my solo albums and I could’ve got a real Fender P but I went with the Squire as I loved the sound and I love an underdog. My bass growls and you will hear its bark’.
Throughout the album, dogs will shy away until long after the last song ends.
Speaking of the last song, ‘Shit Brick’ is an abso-fucking-lute BEAST of a song. Easily my favourite of any song CJ has ever written, it dominates the album like Dominic Cummings did the Government, until Boris’ other half got involved – apologies for political pish in reviews.
The biggest disappointment of this album is that it is short. Very short. In fact, it is potentially EP short. When the last song reaches the end, you are left feeling distraught that there is not more to follow, such is the quality of what precedes it. It is less than 25 minutes long.
But then, perhaps that is also the charm of Siege. It doesn’t outstay its welcome, it is short, to the point and each and every song hits home, each and every time you listen to it.
Like many of us, CJ has obviously gone a very tough time in 2020. However, unlike many of us, he has a medium to exorcise a couple of his demons, which has led to, in my opinion, the finest work of his solo career.
Siege is available to preorder now directly from CJ’s website www.cjwildheart.bigcartel.com and you will not regret investing your cash in ‘Siege’. It is the sound of the, Covid ridden, year that is 2020.
CJ, I applaud you!
(4.5 / 5)
