This is my man. His wonderful, 'filthy' yet warm voice - along, of course, with his band's superb music - was to blame for the huge success of the fist two The Almighty albums; Blood, Fire & Love (1989) and Soul Destruction (1991) were the finest pair of 'punk-y' Hard Rockin' albums to emerge from the U.K. in those years. Now, 15 years later, Ricky Warwick strikes back with his second solo effort, and I can see a good deal of Warwick/Almighty followers applauding for this album.
The magic regarding The Almighty's music was the following: you can have a Motorhead fan attached to the sound, a Ramones maniac will keep it up while the AC/DC diehard will say 'thumbs up' and devotees of the Sleaze Rock scene (call me L.A. Guns, Faster Pussycat, Vain or Zodiac Mindwrap) may have a good time with excellent company. Even if - how weird - The Almighty was another English band that did not succeed in preserving their original sound [the Powertrippin (1993) album was just ok, while the erstwhile CDs would better be described as trials to 'hook up' to the indie/alternative/U.K. Rock (then) stream], Ricky's attitude prevented someone from calling him a 'betrayer'. Time does tell, and this is the main reason while Love Many Trust Few gains enough recognition, just like his debut solo album Tattoos And Alibis (2003) did in the first place.
Most people know Rick Warwick as the husband of (once) MTV's 'Headbangers Ball' host Vanessa Warwick. Such a shame... The minority is aware that Ricky started his career as the rhythm guitarist of the New Model Army. Furthermore, away from the hard rockin' roots, Tattoos And Alibis featured a collaboration with Scott Gorham (Thin Lizzy, 21 Guns) and was produced by Def Leppard's singer Joe Elliot. Enough with past facts: the current essential is that Love Many Trust Few is another inner-self album from a guy whose 'on the road' experience has given him countless motives for lyrics and melodies. Forget the electricity of The Almighty sound; here is the mature Ricky Warwick (must be over 40 now, huh?) in a calm mood, grabbin' his guitar and playin' his soul out. That simple... A mix of The Eagles, The Clash, some of The Almighty and enough of Tom Petty and The Cult/Black Crowes, Love Many Trust Few sees a great deal of - lyrically - facts & opinions about people and people's relationships; or so I assume. A 'chill out' Rock album with an endless lust for open conversations about life and its ideals. Don't know who else's playin' in this album but - anyway - that does not count that much.
In a set of equally interesting melodies, I can see Ricky Warwick exposing his maturity as an artist, the proper way. The Almighty fans with the ability to foresee what the band's frontman could release in his 40's surely got the idea. For the rest: to grab a guitar and play some chords is the easy thing to do. The 'other' way is to fill the chords with your own knowledge in the best possible way. Thanks Ricky, you can do this.
P.S.1: Joe Elliot and Vivian Campbell are featured in this one.
P.S.2: Check the cover version of Iron Maiden's Running Free classic...