Album Review: Ricky Warwick - Blood Ties
Reviewed by Dan Barnes
Ricky Warwick must be the busiest man in the music business, as when he’s not ripping up stages with the Black Star Riders, he’s dusting off the classic line-up of The Almighty; now, he’s even found time to record his new solo record – and his debut on Earache Records – following up 2021’s excellent When Life was Hard and Fast which, as I recall was pipped to the top spot of my Album of the Year by Borstal’s debut.
Flitting between Los Angeles and Europe must be racking up the Air Miles, giving Mr W ample time to marshal his thoughts into those blue-collar anthems he does so very well.
As the title suggests, Blood Ties is a record about the past and the connections to it; whether they be positive of not; we are, wrote Tennyson, a part of all that we have met and there is an unmistakable nostalgia about the record and not in a mournful way.
Each of Blood Ties’ eleven songs feels like a piece of the Ricky Warwick jigsaw; not autobiographical so much as marking points in his life and career that has had an influence on him as an artist and songwriter.
There are few tunes on the album that can be directly traced back to distinct moments in time: perhaps The Crickets Stayed in Clovis could have found a home on the last Black Star Riders’ record, with its classic rock ethos and driving beats, all while cracking out a catchy riff and confronting a influence – whether wanted or not – of the omnipresence of religion on his formative years.
Album opener, Angel of Desolation, finds Ricky delivering an unmistakeable nod to a Mr Lynott in the vocal performance, without forgetting Thin Lizzy’s masterful ability to construct anthemic, singalong choruses and pure class when it came to solo time.
The only track to harness the raw power of The Almighty is the rip-roaring The Hell of Me and You, which revels in the rampaging riffs and driving beats, welcoming Billy Duffy of The Cult to the party and letting him loose on some early song licks.
Mr Duffy isn’t the only guest: Charlie Starr of Southern rockers, Blackberry Smoke, lends his talents to Rise and Grind’s groove-infused sleezy riffage as it oozes and slithers. Walking the fine line between never too heavy and never too safe, there’s an unmistakably lascivious feel to his one, even down to the screeching solo.
Third and final guest – but certainly not the least of them – comes Ms Lita Ford, one of the Queens of Metal herself, duetting with Ricky on the closest Blood Ties comes to a ballad, Don’t Leave Me in the Dark. The Americana, almost Springsteen, vibes of this would have almost guaranteed it chart success once over; but just because popular tastes have changed, the parameters of what makes a great rock song certainly haven’t
The whistle-stop tour of Ricky’s influences makes stops at the punky, on Crocodile Tears; the hard rock of The Town that Don’t Stare, and the rock and roll of the muted strains of Wishing Your Life Away.
The back-to-back of a particularly laid-back Don’t Sell Your Soul to Fall in Love, with its low-key Road to Hell-style vocal delivery and fine guitar work, is a world away from the caustic critique of the drug issue in Scotland on Dead and Gone. Heavy guitars and pummelling percussion and the depths such addictions drive a person to give the song a Trainspotting – more than novel than the film – feel.
Bonus track, Not My Circus, has installed the phrase “not my circus, not my monkeys” into my lexicon and I’m looking forward to using that one at work tomorrow. The song itself is an upbeat relentless rocker that feels it fits on the album proper, rather than being relegated to a bonus.
I’ve been enjoying the music of Ricky Warwick for thirty-five-years now and, whether it’s with The Almighty, Black Star Riders or solo (or with (sic) or Circus Diablo) it’s always been a pleasure to hear his work. Blood Ties sits comfortably alongside any one of his solo records.
With a tour coming up as support to Stiff Little Fingers – the Manchester show will coincide with the release date of this record – we won’t have to wait long until Blood Ties gets a thorough road test.
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