EP Review - The Wiggles, The Chats and Spacey Jane - ‘ReWiggled’
REVIEW BY: HARRY HARTNEY
In the year of their 30th anniversary, the Wiggles have dropped their ReWiggled EP to round a huge year for the Aussie children’s music legends. The track-list features the Wiggles ‘Triple J Like A Version’ rendition of Tame Impala’s ‘Elephant’, as well as two new covers: Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody, and Aussie garage-rock band The Chats’ ‘Pub Feed’. The Chats also chipped in with their interpretation of ‘Can You (Point Your Fingers and Do The Twist?)’, as well as WA indie-rock group Spacey Jane changing up ‘D.O.R.O.T.H.Y (My Favourite Dinosaur)’. This EP is a teaser to the release of the Wiggles double album of covers by both themselves and other celebrated acts such as Luca Brasi, Stella Donnelly and San Cisco (along with many others), coming in 2022.
Only fifteen minutes long, ‘ReWiggled’ is packed with fun, a not-so-serious attitude and humour, as well as some genuine talent being putting on display. Opening with ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, a notoriously poorly covered song, The Wiggles make it completely their own, even leaving out certain out lines in favour of humming due to their not so child-friendly lyrical content. The singing is also outstanding, reaching the highs of the track with seeming ease.
Going for a completely different feel, The Wiggles then show off their range, moving on to ‘Pub Feed’, bringing to it new keyboard riffs and a Wigglified chorus. Sticking true to the original version, the song packs a punch and the choir of shouting Wiggles gives the track an unexpected edge.
Spacey Jane instils their laid-back soaring guitar riffs over ‘D.O.R.O.T.H.Y (My Favourite Dinosaur)’, contributing to what might be the most feel-good song of the summer so far. This tribute to Australia’s favourite rose-eating, lawn-mowing green dinosaur is an upbeat, convivial rendition of one of the Wiggles’ most-loved tracks.
The Chats’ cover of ‘Can You (Point Your Fingers and Do The Twist?)’ is an absolute highlight of this EP. A ripping guitar solo, and the call-and-response humour (‘Can you stand on one foot and shake your hands?/Oh boy that’s hard!)’ are standouts, as well as Eamon Sandwith’s delivery which gives the track some real energy.
The Wiggles highly celebrated version of ‘Elephant’ rounds out the EP, a medley of the title track as well as ‘Fruit Salad’. The song dominated charts upon its release earlier this year, with over 2.9 million views on YouTube. Sure to rank highly in Triple J’s Hottest 100 early next year, ‘Elephant’ was many people’s first listen to The Wiggles outside of the children’s music genre.
The ReWiggled EP is full of surprises, reinvention, and will definitely garner some increased excitement for the release of the full double album early next year. It is available for stream on all platforms.
THE WIGGLES AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2022
Daytime shows, + night-time OG Wiggles concerts
In 2022, The Wiggles will hit the road for a massive national Arena tour, with daytime shows from the newly expanded line-up, and night-time shows from The OG Wiggles (for audiences aged 15+). The OG Wiggles shows will feature support from a rotating cast of artists including The Polish Club, DZ Deathrays, Planet, and others to be announced shortly.
Saturday, 12th February | Darwin Entertainment Centre, NT
Saturday, 19th February | Derwent Entertainment Centre, TAS
Saturday, 12th March | Rod Laver Arena, VIC
Saturday, 9th April | RAC Arena Perth, WA
Saturday, 23rd April | Qudos Bank Arena, NSW
Saturday, 30th April | Brisbane Entertainment Centre, QLD
Saturday, 7th May | Adelaide Entertainment Centre, SAa
A VERY SPECIAL COVERS DOUBLE ALBUM, OUT MARCH 11, 2022
FEATURING THE OG WIGGLES TOGETHER WITH THE NEWLY-EXPANDED LINEUP, PLUS A STAR-STUDDED CAST OF AUSSIE ARTISTS
5 TRACK EP OUT NOW
STREAM / DOWNLOAD EP, AND PREORDER THE ALBUM HERE
