SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: RINGO STARR – LONG LONG ROAD

RINGO STARR
LONG LONG ROAD
UNIVERSAL MUSIC

Last year, Ringo Starr released his first country album in 55 years, titled Look Up (his first country album was 1970’s Beaucoups Of Blues). Not only was Look Up a brilliant album, it also gave Starr his first solo number one album. This year, Starr has released his third country/Americana album, Long Long Road. Once again he is working with producer T Bone Burnett (who co-wrote a number of songs on the album) and Bruce Sugar who helped produce as well as write a couple of songs with Starr. Long Long Road is an incredibly strong album, with more of its base in the country/Americana camp.

Long Long Road holds together as an album. This is not a collection of songs, rather this is an album in which every track feeds into the next. The album builds on every song, with some themes throughout the album. At the heart of the album is Starr reflecting on his career. He doesn’t do it on every track, but there is a great deal of reflection found on the album, much like Liverpool 8. He covers “I Don’t See Me in Your Eyes Anymore,” a song first published in 1949 but later covered by Charlie Rich and Carl Perkins. Starr has covered a number of Perkins’ songs over the years, both with The Beatles and solo, so it is nice to hear him in familiar territory. He revisits a song he released in 2005, “Choose Love,” featuring St. Vincent on backing vocals.

Elsewhere the new songs written for the album are moving, emotional and incredibly melodic. The first single, “It’s Been Too Long,” which features Sarah Jarosz and Molly Tuttle is a perfect introduction to the album. “Baby Don’t Go” allows Starr to show off his drumming skills. No, there is no solo, but his drumming is creative and inventive. A song like “She’s Gone” is classic ‘hurting’ country music. It is the perfect vehicle for Starr. And the closing song, the title track “Long Long Road” has incredible harmonies and brings a tear to the eye. “I look in the mirror and wonder where, where I’ve been,” tugs at your heart but is also a lyric that one can easily identify. The fiddle in the song is a perfect addition to the arrangement.

As good as Look Up is (and it is a stunning album), Starr hits it out of the park with Long Long Road. There is also the small matter of the shirt he is wearing on the cover. You may recognize it from pictures with The Beatles circa 1968 to 1969. Once again, this is Starr not only acknowledging the past but looking back. Long Long Road is the soundtrack for him. Some rock, some country, Americana, and some fine playing from Mr. Starkey as well as his supporting players. Starr’s voice is as good as ever, if not better, and it is brilliant to hear him embracing news songs, and new song structures. He is playing with some very young artists whom he obviously holds in high regard, and more established artists, such as Sheryl Crow and St. Vincent. But T-Bone Burnett makes sure that in the end, it is 100% pure Ringo Starr.

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