Album Review: Ricky Warwick - "When Life Was Hard And Fast"

 

It's been a while since we've heard from Ricky Warwick - two years since his last effort with the Black Star Riders, Another State Of Grace, and a full seven since his previous solo album of original material, 2014's Hearts On Trees and When Patsy Cline Was Crazy And Guy Mitchell Sang The Blues.

Put aside memories of the more acoustic led nature of those last two solo albums though as When Life And Fast sees Warwick back to the straightforward rock music he's excelled at with Black Star Riders - indeed, this could easily have passed as a new BSR album with the mid-paced rock of the title track and I'd Rather Be Hit definitely owing a heavy debt to that sound with the shoutalong choruses and twin guitar sound. But there's no doubt that it's done just as well as always and those hooks will take a bit of shifting once they sink into you, mark my words.

There's the odd diversion off the track here - Never Corner A Rat and Still Alive are furious punked-up assaults which pack the necessary punch to work well and the gentle acoustic ballads Time Don't Seem To Matter and Clown Of Misery along with the more mid-paced I Don't Feel At Home are a chance to get your breath back in between the guitar onslaughts, but in the main songs like Fighting Heart and You're My Rock 'n' Roll are simply the sound of Warwick doing what he does best - simple singalong outlaw rock anthems that his predecessor Phil Lynott would no doubt approve of.

Very much business as usual for Ricky here. But that's much better than no business at all and when it's carried off this well, it seems supremely churlish to complain. When Life Was Hard And Fast definitely packs the requisite punch, tunes and riffs to make it a more than worthwhile listen.

NITE SONGS RATING: 🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌑🌑 (8/10)

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