Ringo 2012 (2012)


 

  1. Anthem
  2. Wings
  3. Think It Over
  4. Samba
  5. Rock Island Line
  6. Step Lightly
  7. Wonderful
  8. In Liverpool
  9. Slow Down

 

At this point in his career, one begins to suspect that Ringo Starr has quietly set his creative compass to autopilot. That he’s still recording at all is, in some sense, admirable. But Ringo 2012 feels less like a musical statement than a polite obligation—an annual check-in rather than a purposeful effort.

There’s always been a kind of knowing charm to Ringo’s public persona—the “lovable Beatle,” whose role in the band was never about innovation so much as consistency. It was never meant as an insult to call him the least musically gifted of the Fab Four. He was, after all, hired to drum, and he did so with precision, taste, and unshakable timing. The solo years began with whimsy, often dipping into novelty, but there was a creative streak in his catalogue that too many missed. From Time Takes Time through Liverpool 8, he released a string of albums that quietly stood among his best—melodic, thoughtful, and, when paired with The Roundheads, surprisingly cohesive.

That run, it seems, is now firmly behind him. Y Not marked a noticeable dip, and Ringo 2012 doesn’t do much to suggest a reversal. The album runs a brisk 29 minutes—a virtue, perhaps, depending on one’s patience—and contains a few recycled elements, both literal and figurative. Two tracks are remakes: Step Lightly from 1973’s Ringo and Wings from the lesser-loved Ringo the 4th. Neither are unlistenable, but one struggles to understand the reasoning. Why these two? Why now? The whole affair carries the air of a shrug, as though the selection process involved a dartboard or a coin toss.

Elsewhere, we get the usual nods to peace, love, and Liverpool. Anthem is another of Ringo’s well-meaning but curiously limp “message” songs—more poster than poetry—while In Liverpool continues his apparent quest to become the city’s most prolific musical memoirist. One begins to suspect he’s written more songs about Liverpool than any artist from Liverpool.

And yet, it’s not all dour. Think It Over carries a touch of old-school bounce, while Samba and Wonderful hint at stronger ideas that, with more careful attention, might have flourished. The production throughout feels underbaked, the performances serviceable but rarely inspired. It’s essentailly an album that never quite justifies its existence but fortunately doesn’t offend either.

What’s frustrating is the knowledge that Ringo can still deliver. The previous decade proved that. But Ringo 2012 offers little of the spark that once animated his late-period revival. It’s content to coast. And for an artist capable of more, that’s the real disappointment.


Go back to the main page
Go to the next Review