Ringo's "2012" album views and reviews.

Thought I'd start a thread specifically about the album and the reviews it gets and people's opinions on what it's like.

My copy was posted out from Amazon on Friday so I'm expecting it today, however, i have 7 (heavy metal) CDs to review already this week so may not get a chance to listen to it until tomorrow.

best since Choose Love

Roundheads or not, it's more of the same.
Ofcourse it's typical Ringo, but a little more effort wouldn't have hurt. Might be the first Ringo cd I won't be buying. Not sure either wheter I'll get it as an legal download instead of the illigal one I'm listening to now.

I'll make this a sticky so more people will see and respond. It's nice to see the forum getting traffic.

Not sure when I'll be getting the cd, so I'm hoping to read many reviews here.

My copy came in just before I left for work yesterday, so I only had time to play "Step lightly"

I've not said this about any singer or song in ages but, playing that one, only one thought kept running in my mind: "Why did he even bother ?"

It literally sounds as if, when warming up in the studio...

Say, the bass player: "Hey, I was playing one of your old albums the other day, and I came upon a song... errr... can't remember the title, but it went something like..." (hums the tune)

Ringo (already at the drums): "Ohhh, that one... yeah, it was called Step Lightly... I think it went like this..."

He doodles the song on the drums, one or two other people jopin in, at best, just following his lead... and, after a couple of minutes...

Technician (in the booth): "... and that's a cut !"

Ringo: "... huh ? ... (laughs), no-no... we were just goofing around..."

Technician: "... nah, lets put that on the album !"

Ringo (shrugs): "O.K., why not ?"

Sad to hear, I hope the rest of the album is much better than that track (I skipped through a few more tracks, not very promising at first glance), otherwise, far from being his best album since "Choose Love", it may proove to be his worst since... errr... "Bad Boy" (1978) ? *

* Not that his previous two (before this one) were gems either, even in a B level (for him) way...

I've gotten all, and really liked most, of his works... but the last few years really show that, as good as he can be, Ringo just can't "afford" to put out a new album every two years, not unless he's got the likes of John, Paul, George, Elton John, Eric Clapton ect... sitting in with him.

Had a bad feeling even when word first came out about this album...

Only 9 tracks ?

On an even remotely good album, you usually have the reverse, too many (good ?) songs...

... and, to boot, two of those are remakes (one of which of a very lesser song) and a third song had already been released (on a Buddy Holly tribute CD some months ago).

I hope to be prooven wrong when I give the rest of the CD a proper listen today...

Originally Posted by Uncle_Albert

best since Choose Love

According to what I've been reading, it seems more like best since Y Not...

And just under 29 minutes, shortest Beatles/ solo album ever?

Originally Posted by taxman

...And just under 29 minutes, shortest Beatles/ solo album ever?

It seems that way - beating both "Please Please Me" and "With The Beatles", both of which clocked in at 32 minutes each.

My copy arrived yesterday but I was reviewing some other CDs first so will hoepfully get round to "2012" in the next few days.

Ok, so I got this the other day and figure I might as well review it now because, like, when is the next time I'm going to listen to this?

Let's cut to the chase before I go more in-depth: I don't begrudge Ringo the opportunity to continue making albums even though he's 71 (which is coincidentally the same number of people who will ever listen to this album). But I'm just baffled as to what he's trying to accomplish. If he just wants to have a good time and remind everyone that he was a Beatle, then more power to him. But this album is so short and so light on original material--two covers + two remakes among its nine tracks--that it can't help but feel like a rushed cash grab. The cheap title doesn't help either, unless his goal is to create a month called "Ringo" that will be celebrated between August and September of this year, in which case I'm totally on board, because September is the deadline I have to pay back the crazy Mafia debt I owe so I welcome any delay in its arrival.

We kick off with "Anthem," which, at five minutes, constitutes approximately 83% of the entire album's run time. Most anthems don't repeat the phrase "This is an anthem" over and over but just in case you didn't gather it from the title...this song is an anthem. It's about peace and love, which is certainly new territory for Ringo. I for one have had enough of the "blood and death" theme of his last few albums. It's not a bad track, although it certainly isn't gonna cause any revolution...wait, Ringo missed out on such an easy Beatles reference? Call a doctor; obviously he's sick or something. He did start off with a random beat from "Glass Onion" though, which breaks the record for Quickest Time For an Album to Acknowledge Ringo's Beatle Past at a whopping three seconds in. Good job, Richie.

"Wings" is apparently a song from a 1977 album called Ringo the 4th, but I Eternal Sunshined that album out of my memory so I couldn't hum either version of this song with a gun to my head. You can rearrange all you want, but a bad song is going to be a bad song no matter what.

"Think It Over" is from the 2011 Buddy Holly tribute album that I didn't buy. I wish Ringo had included the Zooey Deschanel song from it as a bonus track on here. This is less than two minutes long but it's a pretty good, spirited take and one of the highlights here.

Hey, remember that time someone said Ringo should do a Latin song? Neither do I, so what the hell is "Samba" doing here?

"Rock Island Line" was apparently the first thing recorded for this album, and it feels like it. It's basically a rehearsal to make sure everyone's instruments are in tune. And the answer...is no.

I've never been a fan of "Step Lightly" and always considered it the weak point of Ringo. This arrangement is just atrocious. At least the original is a light-hearted scoop of mellow fun. If you ever asked yourself, "What would 'Step Lightly' sound like if Ringo just entirely ignored the mentality of the lyrics?" here's your answer. And it's no. I know, that wasn't a yes-or-no question. But trust me. The answer is no.

"Wonderful" doesn't exactly live up to its title but it is the best song here. I quite enjoy this one, actually.

Ringo 2012 continues the tradition of including a bad song about Liverpool. This one is about Ringo's teenage years. I guarantee you, no matter how much you hated high school, it was much more pleasant and less awkward than listening to this song.

The last song is called "Slow Down"...because you've been rocking out for nearly a half-hour so yeah, it's time to relax. Not an impressive closer but it still manages to crack the top half of this album, which says more against the record as a whole than to this song's credit.

On a scale of 1 to 2012, I would give this album a 58.

Originally Posted by johnnymain

It seems that way - beating both "Please Please Me" and "With The Beatles", both of which clocked in at 32 minutes each.

My copy arrived yesterday but I was reviewing some other CDs first so will hoepfully get round to "2012" in the next few days.

... and another way of looking at it that speaks "volumes": between Ringo's "new" album and Paul's, is that there's a 17 to 8, cover to original, ratio... including covers of three of their own songs and two previously released tracks.

... not to mention the overall quality aspect... who would have thought that a calendar year featuring two "new" ex fab albums would yield so little...

Originally Posted by ABCKO

... and another way of looking at it that speaks "volumes": between Ringo's "new" album and Paul's, is that there's a 17 to 8, cover to original, ratio... including covers of three of their own songs and two previously released tracks.

... not to mention the overall quality aspect... who would have thought that a calendar year featuring two "new" ex fab albums would yield so little...

Paul's album is an standards album, not really sure how you can expect it to have all original songs on it. If you were expecting two albums with all original songs then yes these two new albums yields very little in that aspect. However I do like Paul's one while I mostly agree with Ringo Rama about Ringo's latest offering. There are a few differences in opinion tho which I will elaborate on when I do my review.

Still don't have the cd, but at least I have done the right thing by getting an official version from iTunes. But after listening to it a few times on my pc and on the mp3 player I think it remains at that.

While Liverpool 8 did nothing for me I was positive about Ynot, unfortunately this album is a step backwards again. Ofcourse it's typical Ringo, but he is capable of and has done better albums in the past.

Few steps into the album on what's called an Anthem, there is a nice "Glass Onion" sample. Nice touch and ignoring much of the lyrics including the many reminders that this is an Anthem, and that we know we know we know it's true, I suppose you can say that it has some nice musical bits. I like the guitar playing at the end, in fact that's the best bit of the song.

Here is where I disagree with Ringo Rama. I think that "Wings" is a good song. One of the few if not the only good song on the "Ringo the 4th" album. It's been turned into a less good song with a reggae flavour on this album. I like the guitar playing in the end. Still nice enough, and one of the better songs on here. Prefer the original needles to say, but not an enterly pointless remake, but almost.

"Think it over". I think it's an nice and enjoyable enough song. One of the highlighs? Why not? I also don't have the Buddy Holly tribute album.

"Samba" is the worse song on here. A song I can't get through at all. It has put "Pasodobles" in second place as least favourite Ringo song.

"Rock Island Line" an uninspired cover. I agree it sounds like something coming from an rehearsal.

"Step Lightly" one of the weaker tracks on the "Ringo" album, but while that wasn't a problem for that album another weak song is something that 2012 can't use. Especially since the remake isn't better then the original.

"Wonderful" is the best song on here, this like the rest all imo ofcourse.A close to wonderful and very uplifting song. Really enjoy this one. I like the lyrics as well, even tho I don't agree that the worse stuff on this album is still wonderfull. Or isn't that what he means? And it has some great guitar playing as well.
Now that I am at my most positive let me say that Ringo's playing on the album is very good as well. And whoever plays the guitar on this album gets a positve review.

Back to another song with Liverpool in it's title.
The music is good I suppose, yes it's still good music. Maybe I can get Ringo to sing a different set of lyrics, either that or I will make it an instrumental version. So still a good song. I always end up with having the "I'm in Paradise" line from "Waterloo Sunset" in my head after listening to this.

"Slow Down" a nice little song. Almost gets my feet tapping. Something that I really have to mention is how good the guitar parts are. I like the riffs, licks etc towards the end.

And that's it.

"Anthem" is the closest thing to being a pretty song... except that...

1. It's way too long for it's own good

2. The wild ramblings of a guitar solo doesn't do it any good

3. ... same thing for the "we-know-we-know-we-know" *

* When playing it, I felt like shouting "O.K., WE KNOW !"

Correct those three points, and make the whole song as good as it's intro, and he might have had something there...

I really like Y Not so was hopeful for this album even though the cover art made me wonder. Unfortunately this record lives up to all the bland awfulness of the art.

Anthem reminds me of some other song, can't think of which at the moment but I'm sure it'll come to me. At least the music is better than the lyrics as they are not only repetitious but trite. Come on, Ringo. You can do better than this!

Wings - I like Reggie but I don't go for that Reggie rhythm here. The guitar is nice though, have to give cred there.

Think It Over is Ringo join the Beach Boys anno 1963.

Samba or so it claims. Yet, one of the big things about samba is the rhythm but this is tourist samba by somebody who thinks it's a tango! And something there even sounds like a balalaika! Ethnic music can be fun but let's stick to the same continent at least, shall we?

Rock Island Line must the local dance band 'updating' their repertoire. I guess. And when we compare this by the numbers version to John's take on this song, Ringo had to be pretty great to beat that. And he isn't.

Step Lightly is pure snooze time.

Wonderful - The only truly wonderful thing with this song is the guitar, which is great. As for the rest, well, it's a decidedly weaker cousin to Y Not's Mystery of the Night. Man, I've never heard this song before and I can already sing along with the lyrics. If there's something new and unique here I missed it.

In Liverpool I've never been and this was one visit too many. Again, I did like The Other Side Of Liverpool on Y Not but this just doesn't quite get there although better than Liverpool 8, which doesn't say much.

Slow Down is a real old-fashioned rocker, Chuck Berry time, but I would like to tell Ringo to speed up instead. This song should be about twice as fast and then we'd go somewhere. Go listen to Fill In The Blanks (Y Not again) and see how to give it a properly driven rhythm.

To sum it up, would anyone buy this if the name Ringo wasn't on the cover? I doubt it very much.

Now I've gone back listening to Y Not and quickly forgetting this fiasco.

Ringo should've called this album Y Try?

Less than 29 minutes of music, 9 songs, two are remakes of songs he's already done and the Buddy Holly cover was released last year.

I just dropped $13 on it and basically get 5 new Ringo songs and a cover of "Rock Island Line." I get the feeling Ringo has a certain amount of contempt for his fans. Very different from the effort put into Paul's new album!

Dear lord, this latest Liverpool song is dreadful. What is Ringo trying to prove? Just go back and buy Pete Best a beer and leave us out of it.

Originally Posted by Fluxus

Dear lord, this latest Liverpool song is dreadful. What is Ringo trying to prove? Just go back and buy Pete Best a beer and leave us out of it.

Maybe it's a new trend for him...

Instead of doing "Beatles-mention", he'll no have one "Liverpool" related track per album, going in decreasing (quality wise) order from one CD to the next... LOL

... never mind buying him buying Pete Best a beer, better off WE buying Pete's last CD (Keymans Green)... it's much better than this one...

With any chance, he'll release a new one this year, I can see it now...

"2012: The year that Pete Best outdid Ringo Starr"

Originally Posted by Fluxus

Ringo should've called this album Y Try?

Hahaha, good one... and in 10 years (or based, on passed experience with him, in six weeks), a double CD release...

"Y not/Y try" !

Originally Posted by Fluxus

Ringo should've called this album Y Try?

Nope, had 24 hours to think about this

Considering how bad this album is, instead of calling it "Y Try ?", we should use Ringo's own line in "Magical Mystery Tour" (my favorite in that whole movie) and call this album "Y ?"...

... period (!)...

... as in my all-time favorite movie "Welcome to blood city", I could see Keir Dullea asking Ringo, instead of Jack Palance: "Why ? ... for god's sakes, why ?"

Originally Posted by Legs

Paul's album is an standards album, not really sure how you can expect it to have all original songs on it.

... it's the fact that it IS a "standards" album...

Sorry, but I'm sure that 99% of Paul fans aren't so much into such music, at least not for a full album's worth, otherwise, they wouldn't have become Paul and/or Beatles fans to begin with... and artists should keep that in mind before getting started on suchs projects.

Don't get me wrong, he can release "Paul McCartney sings 20 polka greats on a kazoo" for his next album if he wants to... but, "back in the day" (1950's), we can well imagine what Paul (and John) would have said when finding out that Elvis's latest LP was entirely made-up of japanese acapella versions of children's nursery rhymes... or of "standards" *

* If anything, both John and George are on record, making not so good comments about his later, and less drastic, change of styles, and presumably, Paul must have thought just about likewise... but that works both ways.

... think anyone related to Ringo, even very indirectly, comes to this or other similar sites ?

I hope so, so that someone may relate to him our, lets be polite, "disapointment" in his last album... if only to get him thinking to do better when he gets to work on the next one...