If there’s a harder-working man in rock ‘n’ roll than Ricky Warwick, no one’s sure who it is.
Alongside his work with The Almighty, Black Star Riders, and sometimes Thin Lizzy, he’s had a solo career spanning well over 20 years.
In many ways, his first solo record, Tattoos and Alibis, saved his career and turned things around for him—reminding the rock world just how good he was.
It’s interesting, though (and we won’t bother hiding how much his music means to us), to chart how his career has developed. Tattoos and Alibis was very much a singer-songwriter album, but by the time of his last release—2021’s When Life Was Hard and Fast—the sound had shifted. While there were still moments that wouldn’t quite fit in his other projects, for the most part, it was a straight-up hard rock record. A brilliant one, of course.
That’s the case with Blood Ties, too.
Opener “Angels of Desolation” has what we might call the archetypal Warwick sound—a chugging rocker with Black Star Riders vibes.
“Rise and Grind”, though, despite having the right ingredients, is the kind of track that wouldn’t fit with BSR. Its crunch, its groove, and its cameo from Charlie Starr (and as an aside, I wonder if he caught the line “It’s got more soul than Wigan Casino”) make it something special.
“Don’t Leave in the Dark” could have come straight off his early solo albums—absolutely supreme troubadour stuff. Think Springsteen or Mellencamp at their most bombastic. And a word, too, for Lita Ford, who channels a Lucinda Williams vibe beautifully.
But here’s the crux of it: one thing binds all of Warwick’s work together—his brilliance. No one comes close when he’s on top of his game, and here, that peak is The Crickets Stayed in Clovis. A celebration of rock ‘n’ roll wrapped around an incredible chorus—yes, it sounds like Thin Lizzy, but I think Ricky might know that…
And choruses. That’s Blood Ties in a nutshell. There are some absolute belters here, like Don’t Sell Your Soul to Fall in Love.
“Dead and Gone” takes us deep into drug addiction, and it feels heartfelt. The Hell of Me and You is in that vein as well—another fantastic hard rocker.
“Crocodile Tears” is an arena anthem. The Stereophonics have gone gold on less. “Any fool can start a fire, not everyone can keep it burning.” Maybe he’s reflecting on the last 40 years.
His punk side takes the spotlight on Wishing Your Life Away (and kudos for rhyming “demeanour” with “greener” in a punk song).
And if we’re talking about choruses, we need to mention the riffs—because there are plenty. The one that kicks off The Town That Didn’t Stare is yet another standout.
The bonus track delivers another great riff, too, but Not My Circus takes a hard look at the U.S. in 2025—and isn’t amused.
Anger isn’t the driving force of Blood Ties, though. These songs come from the heart. And as long as that fighting heart is pumping blood through Ricky Warwick’s body, music will always be part of him. He knows no other way.
Rating: 9/10
REVIEW: RICKY WARWICK AND THE FIGHTING HEARTS – BLOOD TIES (2025)
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