Ringo Starr - Give More Love Album Review
Ringo Starr rose to fame as one fourth of the legendary band The Beatles, taking the role of the percussionist. For many years, during that era and beyond, Starr has found himself in the realm of music. There were many albums that he’s produced, recorded and written and not all of them are good.
Perhaps it was his infrequent exposure to taking the reins and making his own music that allowed for a multitude of them, all without the same flair that the Beatles have been able to master for at least 8 years. The fact remains that he has definitely made attempts to bring this kind of music into the modern era, but they are not as welcomed in this day and age.
Give More Love sounds like an off-Beatles album in all aspects. The production and lyrics sound as if they were taken right out of 1964. In it, he focuses mainly on Meta rock and roll, such as heading over to the studio to record more music or driving around in his car to feel the nice breeze. "We're on the Road Again" is something that would have resonated a lot more back in that era, but feels forced and a tad cringey in this time period. He also focuses a lot on the idea of love: being in it and giving it to other people. His influence from the 1960s and previous music is a possible dictator for this choice or it could be a positive outlook on the world today, which is now full of volatility and hate. "So Wrong for So Long" and "Show Me the Way" are the prime examples of this, but are unfortunately burdened with writing that isn’t remotely interesting or sensical. However, there is one track that makes an attempt to do it correctly.
The title track does a good job in sounding like a callback to the music that made Ringo famous. Starr has a better sense of music production than writing lyrics. The sounds of his drums, of course, pivot the album throughout and is accompanied by the guitar and bass, as is standard for rock albums. “Give More Love” is a song that sounds like it could be from a lost Beatles album, which is the purpose of it. But it’s upsetting that it’s the only piece of it that could relate to his past venture as a Beatle efficiently.
It’s clear that there was a lot of effort put into the construction of the album, but unfortunately Ringo was unable to make the same strides as he had with the Beatles. This album is the pinnacle of an anachronism, which tries to capture the same feel good, peaceful tone of the past. Ringo Starr has proven himself to be a talented musician, but his lyricism is something that could have been perfected after many years of producing music. While made with good intention, songwriting has never been Ringo Starr’s strongest ability and it is shown clearly within this latest release.
Rating: 3/10
Jack Grossman is a sophomore majoring in telecommunications. To contact him, email jackdgrossman@gmail.com.
