What You Are

Description

What You Are is the sophomore solo album by the British singer and songwriter Ricky Ross of Deacon Blue fame, released in the UK on Epic in 1996, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, distributed by Sony Music. The album was produced and recorded by The Robb Brothers (Bruce, Dee, and Joe Robb) at Cherokee Studios in Hollywood, California. Mixed by Paul Q. Kolderie and Sean Slade at Fort Apache in Cambridge, Massachusetts. All songs written by Ricky Ross except tracks 3 and 8 co-written with Michael Slaven.

The first solo album proper. Following the pattern established with Deacon Blue releases this album once again marked another musical change of direction as Ricky set out to make an album which sounded un-Deacon-Blue-like. There’s hardly a piano, keyboard or organ to be heard across the grooves as Mick Slaven’s gloriously frenzied and joyously unpredictable lead guitar takes centre stage. The album was written and recorded after his father died and the impact of burying his father seemed to call into question some long held beliefs. «Rosie Gordon Lies So Still» states, “There’s only earth and grass and sky,” during «Jack Singer» it emerges “The worst thing ever is to sing to the gods/ Discover nothing coming back and that’s all there is” while «Cold Easter» portrays death as being the last word, “You put a rock around my heart/ And you know the killing part/ Is Sunday morning when nothing rolled away.” «When Sinners Fall» deals with the subject of divorce. Coupled with the sound on the album B-sides such as «Death Work Song» and «Joe» suggested Ricky’s new revved up rock (backed by the wonderful Sinners) had what it took to cut it in the post Definitely Maybe Britpop world of the time while acoustic cuts of «In The Pines», «The River Is Wide» and «Radio On» found on the CD singles had much to recommend them to the average Deacon Blue fan. In the end fans of his former band stayed away and few new converts were made. When the raucous debut single «Radio On» only peaked at number 31 and follow-up «Good Evening Philadelphia» missed the Top 40 and album sales failed to match Sony’s expectations Ricky was dropped from the label on his 38th birthday. Pity since the album and accompanying singles boast some great songs and uncompromising playing. [Dougie Adam, Cross Rhythms, July 2005]

> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/what-you-are/1274568809)

CD tracklist:

01. Good Evening Philadelphia
02. Icarus
03. Cold Easter
04. What You Are
05. Radio On
06. When Sinners Fall
07. Jack Singer
08. The Lovers
09. Wake Up And Dream
10. Rosie Gordon Lies So Still
11. Promise You Rain
12. Love Isn’t Hard It’s Strong

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