Earache Records
Release: 14 March 2025
Genre: Rock/Hard Rock
Links: https://www.facebook.com/rickywarwickofficial/
Tracklist:
Angels of Desolation
Rise and Grind (feat Charlie Starr)
Don’t Leave Me in the Dark (feat Lita Ford)
The Crickets Stayed in Clovis
Don’t Sell Your Soul to Fall in Love (feat Billy Duffy)
Dead and Gone
The Hell of Me and You (feat Billy Duffy)
Crocodile Tears
Wishing Your Life Away
The Town That Didn’t Stare
For those of us that grew up on great classic rock where every unturned stone contained yet another artist brimming with talent, musicianship and most importantly an ear for a tune, this is what we were talking about. Modern bands should take note because every one of these 11 tracks sinks deep into the brain and doesn’t become disposable some two months later. An essential purchase for those modern classic rock acts who want to see how it’s done.
Lyrically, Ricky has a wealth of ‘life’ to call upon and the content reflects that showing that he has dug deep into a several decades long career (even if the lad (sickeningly) still looks like he’s in his 30s). He’s even pulled out all of the stops with some guest musicians. Blackberry Smoke’s Charlie Starr makes an early appearance on ‘Rise And Grind’. Lita Ford delivers a great rock duet on ‘Don’t Leave Me In The Dark’ and ‘The Hell Of Me And You’ sees The Cult’s Billy Duffy lay down some trademark licks over the top of Ricky’s own impressive playing.
*It’s that Ricky that we get on this wonderfully rocky solo album, preceded, if you’ve kept an ear on the radio, by his catchy homage to ‘proper’ Christmas singles with ‘All I Want For Christmas…’. * The clue to the answer btw is in the chorus and is simply “..is Christmas” which is a theory I can happily get behind.
It’s almost as if The Almighty and Black Star Riders / Thin Lizzy front man can write what feels like note perfect Thin Lizzy tunes in his sleep. Who would have thought that, under all of that gravel and bravado in The Almighty, that Ricky Warwick had the voice that could channel Phil Lynott so perfectly?
Written by: Adrian Hextall
Ratings: 8/10
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