Long Long Road (2026)
1. Returning Without Tears 2. Baby Don't Go 3. I Don't See Me in Your Eyes Anymore 4. It's Been Too Long 5. Why 6. You and I (Wave of Love) 7. My Baby Don't Want Nothing 8. Choose Love 9. She's Gone 10.Long Long Road
Reviewing a new Ringo Starr album presents something of a unique challenge. On one hand, it is difficult to approach the music with the same seriousness one might apply to a major release from an artist still attempting to redefine himself. On the other hand, it is equally difficult to say anything particularly harsh about Ringo. The man is eighty-five years old, still touring, still recording, still smiling, and still apparently enjoying every minute of it.
Really, when Beatlemania exploded in 1964, who could possibly have imagined that sixty-two years later Ringo Starr would still be making records and performing for audiences around the world? Certainly not me.
One gets the impression these days that Ringo approaches recording not as a grand artistic statement, but simply as something enjoyable to do. Touring undoubtedly keeps him busy, but perhaps a new album serves as a pleasant diversion from life on the road. And honestly, if one possesses a legendary career, a comfortable fortune, and unlimited access to recording studios, why not spend a few weeks making music with friends?
The problem is that good intentions do not always translate into great albums.
The biggest disappointment surrounding Long Long Road is that it follows a path that seemed so promising. Like its predecessor, 2025's Look Up, the album ventures once again into country territory, a style that has always suited Ringo remarkably well. Ever since the charming Beaucoups of Blues, country music has felt like one of the most natural homes for his voice and personality. There has always been something appealing about Ringo's everyman quality when paired with songs about loneliness, heartbreak, and perseverance.
After all, this is the man who once sang "I'm the greatest" with complete sincerity while somehow making it sound charming rather than arrogant.
Unfortunately, Long Long Road never fully commits to its chosen genre. While traces of country music certainly appear throughout the album, much of it feels watered down and strangely unfocused. There are moments when the formula works. I Don't See You in My Eyes Anymore captures some genuine emotion, while the closing title track featuring Sheryl Crow provides a pleasant and fitting conclusion. Both songs hint at what the album might have been had the material consistently reached that level.
Sadly, most of it does not.
Instead, much of the record settles into a comfortable but forgettable mediocrity. Nothing is actively offensive. Nothing is embarrassing. Nothing inspires the listener to dive for the stop button. Yet very little demands a second listen either. The songs arrive, do their job, and quietly drift away moments after they end.
One particularly puzzling decision is Ringo's continued habit of revisiting his own catalog. He's done this before, and once again he chooses to dust off older material for reasons known only to himself. This time the selection is Choose Love from the excellent 2005 album of the same name. The original version hardly seemed in desperate need of reinvention, and the new rendition doesn't really offer much insight into why it was chosen.
Perhaps he simply likes the song.
At eighty-five, that may be all the justification required.
Ultimately, Long Long Road is an album that will likely satisfy nobody except the people who made it. Yet strangely, that observation doesn't come across as criticism. Ringo no longer appears interested in breaking new musical ground, chasing chart success, or proving anything to anyone. He has already accomplished more than most musicians could ever dream of accomplishing. At this stage, making records seems less about ambition and more about enjoyment.
The album itself is largely forgettable, but expectations were probably never sky-high to begin with. Ringo seems perfectly content spending his remaining years as a beloved former Beatle who occasionally releases new music, tours when he feels like it, flashes the peace sign, and reminds everyone why people have always liked him.
And honestly, if Ringo Starr is happy, the rest of us should probably be happy too.
Peace and love.
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