The Wildhearts release frenzied new single Splitter, 'a righteous riff and some shouting'

The Wildhearts
(Image credit: Graphite Records)

The Wildhearts marked the release on Friday of new album 21st Century Love Songs with a new video for Splitter

The fourth single to be lifted from 21st Century Love Songs, Splitter bursts into life with an archetypally frantic riff, something frontman Ginger Wildheart says set the tone for the whole album.    

Splitter was the first song that I wrote for the new album," says Ginger. "The one where I thought "Oh fuck, I can hear us playing that, it's gonna be filthy, especially live.

"I sent the riff to Ritch straight away, as I always do when I get an idea I'm excited about, and he was into it right off the bat. That's the thing with new Wildhearts songs, until there's a big, dirty riff in the bag you can't move on and write the rest of the album. It all starts with a righteous riff and some shouting. And I hope it always begins that way. If you ain't got the riffs then you ain't got shit."

The Wildhearts have previously released Remember These Days, Sort Your Fucking Shit Out and Sleepaway from 21st Century Love Songs. The band are currently on tour in The UK (dates below).    

The Wildhearts Tour Dates 

Sep 06: Frome Cheese & Grain
Sep 08: Manchester Academy 2
Sep 09: London Electric Ballroom
Sep 10: Norwich Waterfront
Sep 11: Brighton Chalk
Sep 12: Bournemouth Madding Crowd
Sep 15: Wolverhampton KKs Steel Mill
Sep 16: Gloucester Guildhall
Sep 17: Newcastle Boiler Shop
Sep 18: Leeds Stylus
Sep 20: Galashiels Mac Arts
Sep 21: Stirling Tolbooth
Sep 22: Aberdeen The Lemon Tree
Sep 24: Sheffield Foundry
Sep 25: Southampton Engine Rooms
Oct 01: Skegness Great British Alternative Festival
Oct 02: Milton Keynes MK11
Oct 15: Northampton Roadmender
Oct 16: Cornwall Rocks
Oct 17: Bristol The Fleece
Nov 04: Great Yarmouth  Hard Rock Hell
Nov 05: Birmingham MMH Radio 10 Year Birthday Bash
Nov 11: South Shields Hedworth Hall
Nov 12: Inverness Monsterfest
Dec 09: Buckley Thu Tivoli
Dec 10: Kendal Brewery Arts
Dec 11: Stockton Georgian Theatre
Dec 12: Hull Asylum
Dec 13: Reading Sub 89
Dec 15: Nottingham Rock City

Fraser Lewry

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 38 years in music industry, online for 25. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.