This Is the Life [Import]

Ricky Ross | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 9, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: MSI:PAPILLON
• ASIN: B000062USD
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #887,300 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Northern Soul

2. London Comes Alive

3. Rodeo Boy

4. This Is the Life

5. Angel & Mercedes

6. I Sing About You

7. Nothing Cures That

8. Threatening Rain

9. Starring Love

10. Hippy Girl

11. My Girl Going to Town

12. Looking for My Own Lone Ranger

13. The Way to Work

Editorial Reviews

RICKY ROSS This Is The Life (2002 UK 13-track CD Rickys third solo album & by far his finest. Six years in the writing this album shows Rickys songwriting in an entirely new light & proves that Rickys music is as relevant now as it has everbeen. Deacon Blue were always a highly charged act with huge anthemic songs but Rickys solo material is markedly more personal & introspective; material that easily rivals that of acclaimed artists such as Rufus Wainwright and Ryan Adams)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars All solo, no sell-out., June 10, 2005

By 

Dull Roaring - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: This Is the Life (Audio CD)

There's no denying that Ricky has a incomparable voice; to be sure, he does. But Ricky's charismatic, songwriting, and vocal contributions weren't the only reasons why Deacon Blue was truly a great band, and "This Is The Life" supports that argument. All but a handful of the tracks here could have been left on the cutting floor and the album would've faired just as well as an EP.

The song structure is, at times, uneventful and the melodies worth remembering are few and far between (mostly sandwiched in the middle of the record). If anything remarkable stands out on this record, it's the apparent incarnations of Brian Wilson's sensibility on songs like "I Sing About You" and "Starring Love" as well as the soul-inflected "Nothing Cures That," all of which testify to Deacon Blue greatness, and prove that Ross is no one trick pony. The opener, "Northern Soul," is a song that necessitates multiple listens to really appreciate and, ultimately, is worth the investment. Ricky's familiar blue-collar-flavored sense of yearning is still tangible on this his U.S. solo debut and, if for that reason alone, "This Is..." can be forgiven for not offering up one immediately catchy song after another; that's not what Ross set out to do.

Bottom line: if you're unfamiliar with Ricky Ross, don't begin with this album; start with an outstanding Deacon Blue collection such as, "Our Town -Greatest Hits," and then determine how dedicated a fan you are. If you're a more serious fan of Deacon Blue and Ricky Ross, "This Is The Life" should be part of your catalog, if only on the merits of 5 or 6 exemplary tracks.