This may suffice as a purchase recommendation for all non-Beatles fans who should have actually lost on this platform.
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All others are now invited to read on and participate in my research. But be careful, it may take longer! Because there is so much to discover in "Ringo's New". In fact, Ringo's latest disc is even for a long-term supporter nor an asset! And I would still consider anything related to his earlier works and also his past in order to appreciate them accordingly.
But the appearance of a new board is expected Ringo- for each faithful (Beatles) Fan a match "5 star message"! As early as December 1980, when John Lennon was murdered, the media had also glances thrown at the three other surviving Beatles: Paul remained 'Job teen Active ", George did not know you so correctly and ruled on Ringo some newspaper as the BRAVO "plates he takes on no more!"
Where this assumption was not so hasty. At that time were musicians who had crossed forty, as "old as the hills" and obsolete. The nostalgia wave had not yet been invented. The previous longest hiatus between LPs Ringo Starr gegann because even at that time and was nine years. They existed between 1983 ("Old Wave") and 1992 ("Time Takes Time"). And even "Old Wave" was published only in a few countries, specifically: in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Mexico, Brazil, Scandinavia and Holland. In addition, Germany was among the few countries where the board after all, still allowed to be sold as an import. In other words: In the US and in England "Old Wave" was at that time no longer published.
Decades later, Ringo was long since returned established, but the purchasing behavior had changed. The number of YouTube views or the other free downloading has become higher by a multiple than buying physical recorded music. Ringo's "Liverpool 8" (2008) was initially sold only 31,000 times despite fairly good reviews in the US. Four years later went "Ringo 2012" there really amazing measly 6,348 times over the counter - this at least almost 320 million US citizens. A quirky fact is precisely this to the tremendous crisis of the recording industry. Because "Ringo 2012", although commercially disappointing, could actually still place in the US Billboard charts. It was enough for 80th place!
When I read this for the first time, I thought, "What a shame, from now on it will probably really no new studio disc more give Ringo."
But there are definitely some positive surprises in life as in the music world! So appeared Ringo's "Postcards from Paradise", his 18th studio album now, but then in March 2015 - the way almost to the day exactly 45 years since the publication of his first work "Sentimental Journey" (1970).
Incredible 53 years have now (by contract in August 1962) passed since Ringo's stake in the Beatles. 52 years ago, that he was first kicked with his rock interpretations of "Boys" and "I Wanna Be Your Man" as lead singer in action. This at a super group like the Beatles! And most complete exactly 50 years he had come with the County- rocking "What Goes On" for the first time as a (co-) composer in appearance. Respect!
Only so-called "hadcore Fans", it should be noticed that Ringo had since the release of "Ringo 2012" even with the albums "You Should be so Lucky" contributed by Benmomt Tench and "Goin` home" by Kenny Wayne Sheppard and also as Singer the promo single "I wish I was a Powerpuff Girl" published the homonymous TV series (on youtube can simultaneously hear this excerpts).
The now present "Postcards from Paradise" contains 11 songs - these are as many as Ringo recorded 1963-1969 with the Beatles and published. Only in the albums "Magical Mystery Tour" (1967) and "Let It Be" (1970) he had gone out as a singer yet, but these works had been planned even from the outset as LPs.
The "Postcards" - album cover with the stamp Portrait likely among the finest of his career as well as the CD is cheerful colorful printed. A booklet is attending, without images, but with all the song lyrics, and these can be read by the gray outline as in a book.
Thus Ringo certainly, trying to move the remaining fans to purchase a physical sound carrier. In the US Billboard Charts is placed "his postcards" at least still at No. 99 and also in Italy, Spain and Holland it reached still a top hundredth entry. In addition, Ringo gave numerous interviews and managed at attention leathers after all on the cover of "Rolling Stone". For the first time since 2008, he was a music clip production ("Postcards from Paradise") and published the great trailer "Ringo Starr plays drums on Miami Beach". Who has not seen, this may like to call at youtube.
"Postcards from Paradise" Ringo himself has produced and is also involved as a songwriter for every song. As a musician, he plays (of course) all drums and occasional keyboards, percussion and piano, after all, even (with "Let Love Lead"). Only at the guitar, like a couple of times before, he has not ventured this time.
Co- producer is - as already on the albums in 2010 and 2012 - Bruce Sugar. In this respect, there are a few similarities with the two previous albums, yet beat "postcards" in places, a truly new direction. The sound moves slightly away from the more mainstream rock solid and there are abrupt changes in style in many a song. For Ringo rigid-board (even for a pop record!) This is unusual and therefore for the fan a gain.
And the result is decent. A short meeting elevation should be worth:
Track 1, "Rory and the Hurricanes" is a nice melodic introduction to Ringo 2015er postcard world. There are two alternating melodies. Also striking is the harmonious antiphon of Ringo with his Background- singers. While the Beatles were female voices (almost!) Taboo, Ringo had already worked on his Debut album "Sentimental Journey" (1970) with a female choir. Ringo and women - this is an issue anyway. Musically, I mean. Because of very successful, I think his recordings with Alanis Morissette ("Drift Away" album "Vertical Man", 1998), Chrissie Hynde ("Do not hang up," album "Choose Love", 2005) and Joss Stone (" Who's your daddy? "album" Y Not ", 2010). Ringo had absolutely to sometimes bring out the stuff a duet album.
But back to "Rory and the Hurricanes': After a few small short stories Ringo sings:" I was with you know who. " Who does he mean? Around the Beatles? Sure, because he continues to sing: "I Played the drums like I always DO." Yes, and then, after almost exactly three minutes he plays, something hidden and overlaid with guitar sounds, drum elements of his legendary "Abbey Road" - drum solos and the song "Birthday" by. After an instrumental passage that, here too weakened somewhat, picks up the vocal trio of "Twist and Shout" follows. We recall that John began and held the tone with "ahhhhh", George and Paul sat by with "ahhhhh '' ........ !!!
So melodic, unconsolidated flaky this entry song in the style of the late 1950s is also, as was the story of Rory Storm not very encouraging: After several Skiffle- groups since 1957 rose Ringo, at that time under his real name Richard Starkey, 1959 in a Hurricanes. Rory Storm was actually Alan Caldwell and in 1938, two years before Richard and Ringo born (perhaps this was also influenced Ringo, to go up a stage name ???). Between Rory and the Hurricanes and the young Beatles there were multiple points of contact in the Hamburg Star Club. As the "Fab Four", as was also managed Rory Storm with its Hurricanes of Brian Epstein. The two singles "Dr. Feelgood" (1963) and "America" (1964), however, were hardly successful. In 1972 the life of Alan Caldwell took a truly horrible end: Together with his mother, he committed suicide by an overdose of sleeping pills!
The ideal world of "Ringo Postcards" this does not detract. The second piece, "You bring the party down" ripples initially far spent, but is generated by synthesizers sitar sounds that are reminiscent of the Travelling Wilburies ("Inside out", 1990), slightly upgraded, then takes a first surprising, but overall matching change of style towards Santana- moderate, South American latin pop. That leaves first take notice! Elements of this type have already been used on the plate "Y Not", especially the title track.
Track 3 turns out to be gospel song with the chorus probably the longest of the album "Crossing Bridges is the best way to grow". It is a hymn equal. For me this is a first strong highlight! Again done stylistic change and at the end give the guitars again on the gas!
About Track 4, the title song, there is again more to write: imploringly, casual, cool, Ringo quoted almost exclusively Beatles lyrics. Joe Walsh, ex-Eagle and multiply member of Ringo's "All Starr", plays a Slide-guitar that something reminiscent of the sound goes to the playing style of George Harrison. The electronically generated squeaking sounds give the song also something magical. Ringo uses his drums until the second verse (here a comparison with "Hey Jew"!) And after having textually cited "Back off Boogaloo", he realizes this also technically drums. In the line "I will love you till I'm 64," he must, the laugh now good ten years older, self-deprecating. And you can not hear the end of the song very, very quiet even fragments of "Strawberry Fields Forever" out ???
In addition, three digressions:
First, the idea to create a lyrics almost entirely of Beatles quotes, has already been implemented by Barclay James Harvest on the song "Titles" (1975).
Second: The title "Postcards from Paradise" is based on the person created by Ringo Starr book "Postcards from the Boys" (2004, "Chronicle Books" and in the same year "Genesis", since 2005 as a German translation output "Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf "). Herein Ringo holiday had collected postcards of his three fellow Beatles!
Third: Biographical recaps of this type at Ringo Starr not uncommon: Not only since his "Liverpool Trilogy" (2008: "Liverpool 8"; 2010: "The other side of Liverpool"; 2012: "In Liverpool") Ringo faces his past back, but in his early songs like "Early 1970" already (1970), "Photograph" and "I am the greatest" (both 1973), "Snookeroo" (1974), "Old time reloving" (1978) etc. , etc.
The other meetings take place once again shorter:
Track 5, "Right side of the road" is a ballad Country- in which Ringo using smaller puns openness to criticism and a change of behavior is recommended.
Track 6, "Not looking back" is a very demanding ballad, one of the many pearls usually overlooked in the overall picture Ringo Starr, as well as - in addition to a number of ballads of the 1970s - "As far as we can go" (1983) "I'm Yours" (1998), "Imagine Me There" (2003) etc, etc. As for the orchestral score, had also can be George Martin Pate.
Track 7, "Bamboula" ("Drum Dance"), is a very exotic song, at the same time my album favorite! This work is exciting from the start, must evolve not only. Co- author Van Dyke Parks, who had "2012 Ringo" co-written already in one of my favorite local songs, which suggests roughly the same line: "Samba"
In Track 8, "Iceland in the sun", one should quickly forget the big hit of the same name by Harry Belafonte in 1957 to non-biased to approach this song. For the first time Ringo has a song with its complete "All Starr" - written and recorded team. The 2015er "Iceland in the sun" turns out to be driven reggae saxophone with great gospel choir! Against end of the song you can hear Ringo shout enjoyable. A small moment that shows a great playfulness!
An excursion to this "All Starr" - Generation:
Since 2012, Ringo is touring with his current lineup (Todd Rundgren, Richard Page, Steve Lukather, Gregg Rolie, Mark Rivera and drummer Gregg Warren Ham and second- Bissonette), usually twice a year by the United States, but also by Canada, Central and South America as well as Japan, New Zealand and Australia. It is - since 1989 - to his 12 companion within 17 touring and 27 calendar years! A minor change, it had only been at the instrumentalists: come for long-term companion Mark Rivera (last 2012, 2013) was in 2014 Warren Ham, otherwise the team remained unchanged. This is the live lineup, has been stayed together the longest with the Ringo (after the Beatles)!
This also a novelty: for the October 2015 further concerts are planned, initially only in the US. If Ringo also come back to Germany? After 1966, the Beatles, he was so far in 1992, with an "All Starr" in 1998 and 2011 - occurred in our group. Which (n) new title he will play? I type on said "Iceland in the sun"!
After these digressions back to Ringo's "remaining Postcards":
Track 9, "Touch and go", finally "back in 1960 domestic years- flair", derives melodic, fast, catchy and determined the final sprint a rock. Track 10, "Confirmation" is more rhythmic stresses and track 11, "Let Love Lead", impresses with the (again only very short, but fast catchy) chorus and the excellent guitar solo by Peter Frampton (which, incidentally, already nearly 40 years earlier, in 1976, on "Ringo's Rotogravure" had mitausgeholfen!). Also, Ringo makes in this initial piece of a few minor (discreetly in the sound robe spurious) drums eddy.
Also on the participation of Gary Burr and Gary Nicholson I was very happy. You are Übrigbleibsel of the "Roundheads", a group that had taken up consistently creative and melodic good plates with Ringo 1998 ("Vertical Man") to 2008 ("Liverpool 8")! The producer was Mark Hudson was, at that time a close friend of Ringo Starr and avowed Beatles fan.
To resume:
Who can you "Postcards from Paradise" recommend? Of course, all collectors, every Beatles fan, but also all other open-minded (!) Music fans.
However, the album has the disadvantage that you can underestimate it initially. It does not have a ground-breaking peak (such as "Y Not", 2010 with "The Other Side of Liverpool"). Some songs - especially in the first half album - start to sedate. Take through their respective mid tempo, their prevailing Vierviertel- clock and Ringo always unemotional presentation, first the effect. So because you dare to even some of the songs to their beginning nor the further development and the many, many hidden little things.
By contrast, the album is extremely versatile!
Ringo combines rock, pop, country, soul and gospel (rudimentary blues) and South American rhythms to create a harmonious overall work. Even there is style and tempo changes within individual songs. The respective choruses are as a rule short, but also rough. Every song stands out from all others. The participating Star musicians do well, no matter whether you are using guitar, saxophone, organ or Tablas (North Indian boiler drums). The arrangements are clever, they provide surprises. Thus, "Postcards from Paradise" at the same time a very brave plate, for themselves as well as for his fans still enters new musical territory with Ringo!
And yes, last but not least: There are numerous references to the Beatles! And his voice is her Ringo age-not estimable. In no case it sounds as you imagine a 74-year-olds. After all these decades it has remained the same, it feels authentic, not contrived. He sings not perfect, but still has a lot of charm!
That's it.
