Often it's good to see (and hear) the walls of prejudice being smashed to smithereens. This new single by RICKY WARWICK being such a case in point.
Let's face it, the prognosis wasn't good. Ricky was formerly singer with Glaswegian metal outfit The Almighty. This writer freely admits he despised them. Also, 'The Arms of Belfast Town' is a soccer anthem. I mean, come on, there's the odd example of a half-decent football song like 'World In Motion' and that half-forgotten one for Charlton penned by Difford and Tilbrook, but frankly it's a genre (term used loosely) where the likes of Chas and Dave still hold sway. Besides, it's a commercial enterprise where I can give you palpitations with five little words – Gazza's 'Fog On The Tyne'.
OK, maybe that last bit was uncalled for, but your merciless reviewer was still disenchanted going on plain scared when he cranked up 'The Arms of Belfast Town', a tune endorsed by no less than the Northern Ireland Football Association themselves as they attempt to qualify for South Africa 2010.
But crikey, against all the odds, it's a decent song. Introduced by a swirl of tin whistles, mandolins, bodhrans and Warwick's well-scrubbed acoustic guitar, it's a rousing, Celtic-tinged anthem of the kind The Pogues delivered with piss and vinegar to spare back in the day, while a well-observed non-sectarian lyrical slant (“tomorrow we'll be sittin' pretty/ our divided destinies bound”) further impresses and Warwick's gruffly passionate delivery fits like an envelope around a cheque.
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Just to ram the point home, we also get the Amps-to-11 'rock' version of the song. It still works well in this guise, akin to the sort of punky, adrenalised anthem Warwick's Belfast neighbour Jake Burns might have written and its' sense of community and positivity is worn with pride on its' sleeve. To round off, we're also treated to a swampy acoustic blues called 'Love Owes' which brings us down to earth with a bump. It's a grizzled, survivor's blues of the kind Alabama 3 or Morphine might do/ have done and once again its' passion and scope immensely impresses.
Whoa. Your reviewer approving of a soccer anthem? He never thought he'd hear the day yet it still feels good to confront it. Listen without prejudice indeed.
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