Ricky Warwick

Slick, tough pop rock in the league of the Del-Lords, if not the Georgia Satellites, Warwick releases his second solo effort since his role in the punkish New Model Army and the UK’s Almighty. Never far removed from his roots as a renegade folkster, Warwick echoes his formative influences and more on Love Many. The lush harmonies (thank you, Emm Gryner) on "New Neighbours Old Fences” belie Warwick’s greater gifts as a songwriter and arranger. The swaggering Stones-like "I Don’t Know What To Do” contrasts with songs like "Guilty,” with its inclusion of a banjo, and the achingly beautiful "Lonely Moon,” with its background strings. Warwick’s vocals cover a lot of ground and meet any challenge while his guitar sears as it seduces. This is one confused record offering 14 wonderful tracks — each one different than the one preceding it. Credit producer Joe Elliott (yes, of Def Leppard) and metal guitarist Vivian Campbell for both sugar and spice. Yet Warwick is clearly heading down the right road with this bold, confident statement. Consider "Johnny or Elvis” — the penultimate driving song, vintage convertible preferred. For a guy who looks like he’d kill your mother, who grew up in Northern Ireland on a diet of Johnny Cash, Guinness and Ramones, this is hardly the record you’d expect. All the better.