Ringo 2012
By: Ringo Starr
Label: Hip-O-Records
Review Date: February, 2012
When Ringo Starr releases a new CD or is on tour, you know that you’re in for a sustained period in which messages of love, peace, happiness and encouragement. One should not expect anything different with Ringo Starr’s seventeenth solo album, Ringo 2012.
Consisting of seven Ringo-written tunes (two are re-covers of Step Lightly and Wings) and two covers (Buddy Holly’s Think It Over and the folk classic, Rock Island Line), this album is a solid 29 minute uplifting toe-tapper.
The opening tune, Anthem, is one of those get-off-your-butt-and-do-something-and-you-know-what-it-is tunes. Challenging and yet encouraging, I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see this tune used by a global charity of some sort to encourage donations. Steve Dudas’ guitar work fooled me. Before I read the liner notes, I thought for sure the licks were provided by Ringo’s brother-in-law, Joe Walsh. I’d pay your next paycheck to what Dudas and Walsh jam together to see what they come up with. Walsh does show up on the next tune, Starr’s re-recording of one of his earlier love songs, Wings, and the sound is unmistakable.
A trademark of a Ringo Starr album is the appearance of friends who, in their own right, have made their distinctive mark in music. Mr. Mister’s Richard Page provides backing vocals on the rock-meets-Caribbean Buddy Holly song, Think It Over.
A Boomerocity favorite on this album is Ringo’s treatment of Rock Island Line that was recorded with the help of Don Was on bass, Kenny Wayne Shepherd on guitar (of course) and Edgar Winter on sax. Benmont Tench’s funky keyboard work is fun to listen to by itself.
In Liverpool is a great nostalgic tune ( . . . the rain never stopped but the sun always shone in my mind . . . in Liverpool) that is worth the price of the CD all by itself. I guess that’s why I always love Ringo’s work. He is unashamedly full of positive messages and remembrances of the past without trying to live there. After all, that’s what Boomerocity is all about and it’s great to see an icon like Ringo to reflect those same values in his work.
You’re already going to buy this CD so you don’t need my encouragement to do so. I sincerely hope you enjoy the uplifting message, take it to heart and do something about it.
Would we do well to make that our anthem?
Written by Randy Patterson
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