The Wildhearts – Earth Vs The Wildhearts

As SmilingAtWax has stated, this album was a demo that was deemed good enough to release, and who could argue?
Among the fan base there is a train of thought that considers that the Wildhearts' "worst" songs would be most other bands' "best" songs, and this album is perfect evidence of that - strong songs, perfect harmonies and anthemic choruses. All traits that had already been made evident in the first two E.P.s (Mondo Akimbo A-Go-Go & Don't Be Happy, Just Worry), and would continue in Ginger's songwriting through to the first break up, and yes, I am including Endless, Nameless.
Contrary to what SmilingAtWax claimed towards the end of the review, this IS the Wildhearts at their "finest" - they were sonically consistent throughout most of the fag-end of the eighties and into the rest of the nineties (many of the songs from Earth vs... still form part of their current set thirty years on) and any differences that may affect one's perception of the music (positively or negatively) were mostly caused by the slight alterations in the line-up (mostly the drummers in the early days), which will cause stylistic differences (Bam's drumming on the first two E.P.s is by far the best the band's ever had (IMHO), and it made those early songs punchy and tight; Stidi (Earth vs...) is also a great drummer, but considerably "looser" in feel than Bam, and it altered the songs accordingly).
If there are to be any doubts about this not being the Wildhearts "finest hour", then consider why, out of all the records the Wildhearts have made to date, they have only ever recorded official live albums of two releases that were played live in their entirety as celebrations of those albums on their anniversaries (PHUQ (Never Outdrunk Never Outsung), and... Earth vs The Wildhearts (Rock City vs The Wildhearts); there is Live In The Studio, but that was a studio recording rather than in concert, so I discount that release in the context of this review).

Basically, there was no "finest hour". The Wildhearts musical output was fully consistent throughout the nineties and beyond, especially when one considers the quality of the b-sides of the earlier singles. Granted, some of the production might have been more "radio-friendly" (they played several of their new singles on Top of the Pops in the mid nineties) on the next albums, but the songwriting was ALWAYS, ALWAYS there, without fluctuation in quality, and that, I personally feel, is what a band's legacy should be based on.

Buy this, if you don't already own it. And then buy all their other stuff and tell me this wasn't one of their "finest hours".

A demo tape deemed so good it was released as their debut. The album / the band itself, even, is the basically the snotty brat that was born from thirty years of rock n roll anthems and off-stage excess. The Wildhearts had the fucking tunes and crazy lifestyle to back it up.

Despite what many many tell you, this is NOT their finest hour. It’s a bonafide Classic that you must hear, but there is better work by them. Enjoy
Impossible to