Ringo Starr - Liverpool 8

7/10

Former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr’s new album Liverpool 8 marks his return to the studio for his first full-length solo album since 2005’s critically acclaimed, yet poorly received Choose Love. The ex-Beatle broke off his professional relationship with long-time producer and collaborator Mark Hudson and re-produced the entire album with David Stewart.

The result is a lush album filled with more hooks and sing-a-long choruses than a Boy Scout fishing trip. Liverpool 8 kicks off with the title track and lead single. “Liverpool 8” takes a longing look back at Ringo’s childhood in Liverpool and nostalgia for his old hometown. The track has the same lyricism as groups like The Kinks combined with the poppy melodies of Sgt. Pepper’s-era Beatles. The track even goes so far as to reference his old bandmates and The Beatles’ famous show at Shea Stadium.

Sadly though, about halfway through the next track “Think About You” the album lags. Every track gets repetitive about 90 seconds from its end. The songs just turn into dry blues influenced rockers that get far too repetitive. It’s not that Ringo put out bad songs here. It’s just he settled too far into the same groove of Beatles inspired rock melded with a heavy blues influence. It gives the album amazing coherence, but also acts as a barrier to any sort of major creative breakout.

The album finally picks up again with the bluegrass inspired “Harry’s Song” and continues on a torrid pace with every song picking up some new influence. The real highlight of the back half of the albums comes with “Pasodobles,” where Ringo inexplicably decided to pick up Spanish guitar and flamenco beats. Somehow it works and turns into a lush love song.

Liverpool 8 is a solid, yet unspectacular album. Tracks like the title track and “Pasodobles” are utterly amazing. The rest just fall into the rut of being better than average without being anything to write home about. This is an enjoyable record and should fit nicely into the collection of anyone with a desire for unassuming yet quality rock.

Ringo Starr - "Pasodobles"

-Garrett Lyons