Give More Love (2017)


 

  1. We're on the Road Again
  2. Laughable
  3. Show Me the Way
  4. Speed of Sound
  5. Standing Still
  6. King of the Kingdom
  7. Electricity
  8. So Wrong for So Long
  9. Shake it Up
  10.Give More Love
  11.Back off Boogaloo (Re-do)
  12.Don't Pass Me By (Re-do)
  13.You Can't Fight Lighting (Re-do)
  14.Photograph (Re-do)

 

When The Beatles disbanded and the solo floodgates opened, Ringo Starr wisely recognized a fundamental truth: he wasn’t going to carry a record by himself. So he did the sensible thing—he called up some friends. Not just any friends, either. In those early years, his albums were peppered with input from people like Harry Nilsson, Elton John, and, of course, John, Paul, and George. Unsurprisingly, those early records—particularly Ringo and Goodnight Vienna—are still regarded as the high points of his solo output. When that revolving door of famous collaborators stopped spinning, so did most of the public’s interest. After that, Ringo albums became more of a novelty. Not unpleasant, not embarrassing (usually), but rarely taken seriously.

So it’s no coincidence that Give More Love finds Ringo, forty-plus years later, going back to that same old playbook. Different cast, same idea. Instead of Lennon and Harrison, we get Joe Walsh, Peter Frampton, Richard Marx—and apparently Paul McCartney contributes backing vocals on one track, though you'd be hard-pressed to actually hear him. Still, the approach works well enough, and once you accept that Ringo isn’t aiming for the gravitas of Springsteen or the artistry of Prince, the album is actually a surprisingly enjoyable ride. In fact, it’s easily his strongest showing in nearly a decade.

As usual, the tone is upbeat and cheerful. The songs bounce along with a sort of innocent, old-school charm, and he even tosses in a few rockers and a couple of country-influenced numbers that fit him better than most would expect. Ringo’s voice—what’s left of it—does what it needs to do, and the production is clean and tight without sounding sterile. In a bit of a head-scratcher, he includes four “remakes” of older Ringo tracks, presumably to lure in fans who might assume there’s nothing new left in the tank. They’re fine, if unnecessary, and don’t hurt the overall experience.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Ringo Starr album without the obligatory dip into kitschy nostalgia, and yes, that moment arrives right on schedule. It’s called Electricity, and it’s another trip down Liverpool memory lane. This time, the story revolves around someone named “Johnny Guitar”—maybe it’s Lennon, maybe it’s not. The lyrics are vague, the tone overly sentimental, and the song feels like it wandered in from a completely different project. If this is the kind of thing Ringo thinks keeps his albums grounded, he might want to check the grounding wire. It’s easily the worst thing here, which is a shame, because the rest of the album really does hold up.

Like every Ringo release since about 1992, Give More Love will find its way into the hands of the faithful few, get a handful of spins, and then be politely shelved once the next album comes along. And that’s too bad, because this one deserves a bit more attention than that. Ringo won’t win over any new converts at this point, but for those willing to meet him where he’s at—smiling, content, and still strangely charming—there’s a good amount of joy to be found here.


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