This Is the Life (Ricky Ross album)

Infobox Album
Name = This Is the Life
Type = studio
Longtype =
Artist = Ricky Ross


Released = 2002
Recorded =
Genre = Rock, Pop
Length =
Label = Chrysalis Records (Papillon) (UK)
Evolver (US)
Producer = Kenny MacDonald, Ricky Ross, Davie Scott
Chart position =
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|3|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:kvfixq9aldfe]
Last album = The Undeveloped Heart EP
(1997)
This album = "This Is the Life"
(2002)
Next album = Pale Rider
(2005)

"This Is the Life" is a solo album from Scottish rock musician Ricky Ross and member of Deacon Blue.

Ricky Ross produced the album with Kenny MacDonald, who has produced for Deacon Blue in the past. Perhaps as a result, this solo album is less divergent from the typical Deacon Blue style than are Ricky's previous two solo albums, "New Recording" and "What You Are". The sound is not a carbon copy of Deacon Blue, however. The album has more touches of folk and country music and the general mood of the album is more placid than most of the Deacon Blue catalog.

Deacon Blue colleague James Prime plays piano on "The Way to Work", and Ross' wife and Deacon Blue colleague Lorraine McIntosh contributes vocals to a single song (as she did on each of Ross' three prior solo albums), "Nothing Cures That".

This is the first Ricky Ross solo album to receive a US release, albeit on a minor label.

Hip-hop artist, Rick Ross (Who shares a similar name), has a song title "This Is The Life" on his album Trilla.

Track listing

All songs written by Ricky Ross, except where noted:

# "Northern Soul" (Ross, Dore) – 6:34
# "London Comes Alive" (Ross, Slaven) – 3:33
# "Rodeo Boy" (Ross, Davie Scott)– 4:32
# "Angel & Mercedes" (Ross, Slaven) – 5:05
# "I Sing About You" (Ross, Slaven) – 4:28
# "Nothing Cures That" – 4:26
# "This Is the Life" – 6:01
# "Threatening Rain" – 3:05
# "Starring Love" – 3:56
# "Hippy Girl" – 3:48
# "My Girl Going to Town" (Ross, Davie Scott) – 5:13
# "Looking for My Own Lone Ranger"(Dore, Ross) – 2:29
# "The Way to Work" – 4:54

Bonus Download Track

# "Driving George" – 3:58

Personnel

* Ricky Ross - vocals, guitar, percussion, piano, wurlitzer, synthesizer
* Davie Scott - piano, bass, guitar, keyboards, glockenspiel, percussion, backing vocals
* Mick Slaven - guitar, mandolin
* Jim Gash - drums
* Scott Fraser - bass
* Simon Clarke - baritone saxophone, alto saxophone on "Nothing Cures That"
* Tim Sanders - tenor saxophone on "Nothing Cures That"
* Roddy Lorimer - trumpet on "Nothing Cures That"
* Annie Whitehead - trombone on "Nothing Cures That"
* Jacqui Penfold - viola on "Looking for My Own Lone Ranger"
* Jo Sutherland - violin on "Looking for My Own Lone Ranger"
* Alastair Savage - violin on "Looking for My Own Lone Ranger"
* Amanda Shearman - cello on "Looking for My Own Lone Ranger"
* James Prime - piano on "The Way to Work"
* Lorraine McIntosh - backing vocals on "Nothing Cures That"