This Is The Life
Q Magazine April 2002

Deacon Blue frontman's first new solo material in five years.

Deacon Blue continue to sell out concert halls all over the country on what now seems to have become a Madness-style annual reunion jaunt. Meanwhile, Ross has also carved a lucrative career writing soundtracks for television and theatre. No wonder it's taken him so long to get around to recording another solo record. This Is The Life is polished pop-rock, with Ross rasping his heartfelt lyrics over the work of some accomplished session musicians. Rodeo Boy and Hippy Girl have attitude, but without the distinctive girlie whoops and big choruses that characterised Deacon Blue's hits, there's little to steer these 13 songs from the middle of the road.  Sarah Cohen