Ringo Starr - Ringo

One of Ringo's best solo albums new and improved with faithful reproduction of the original graphics

PLEASE NOTE: THIS REVIEW IS WRITTEN ABOUT THE JAPANESE REISSUE IN THE VINYL REPLICA SLEEVE. AS USUAL SOME IDIOT AT AMAZON.COM HAS COMBINED THE REVIEWS FOR THIS ALBUM WITHOUT REGARD TO THE EDITION.


Man this sounds good! Nice dynamic range, not compressed it appears that they reissued this using what appears to be the master from 1991 released in Japan and Europe.

This re-release of one of Ringo Starr's best solo albums has been repackaged in a faithful replica of the original vinyl release. GIve the Japanese credit they are sticklers for accuracy if nothing else when it comes to re-releases even if they re-release limited collectables all the time. "Ringo" comes in a replica of the original gatefold sleeve with the booklet in the middle even using paper that has the same texture as the original vinyl release. The CD has a graphic on it that faithfully replicates (as much as it can mind you)the original label for the album as well.

This edition sounds a bit brighter than the previous edition and on first impression it doesn't appear to have the No Noise that was applied ONLY to the U.S. CD edition of the album. The best version is still Steve Hoffman's crisp, beautiful sounding DCC gold disc of this album but this latest edition is a close 2nd or 3rd (depending on how you feel about the Japanese first edition from 1991). Add in the colorful replica of the original graphics and you've got a winner on your hands.

This sounds like it is a digital clone of the original 1991 Japanese release so it doesn't sound compressed nor does it sound LOUD. As a result, the CD sounds very, very close to the best version I've heard of this album on CD or vinyl.

As with the 1991 edition this version features the top 10 hit single "It Don't Come Easy", it's b-side "Early 1970" saluting his ex bandmates and the b-side to his #1 hit single "Photograph", "Down and Out" which has a nice R&B feel to it(although on this CD "Down and Out" is strangely placed after "Photograph" (although it makes sense in a stange sort of way--since it WAS the b-side of the song as a single which DOES disrupt the flow of the album--it's a minor quibble and can easily be fixed just burn the CD in the proper order or rearrange it as a playlist on your mp3 player or ipod). August 4, 2008

Ringo's classic rock. It still rocks !

I've been amazed by this album for... let me see... I bought the vinyl in 1976.. with the drawings by Klaus Voorman. But the true richness of this album was really the music. I always thought that Ringo having received help from all other ex-Beatles was that made this guy so special that he could manage to get along so well with the others that they came to play with Ringo.
"I'm the greatest" is a song I have in my mind all the time, then comes "have you seen my baby" that is the guy longing to see his gone girl again.
Next comes "Photograph": a classic. Then "down and out".
"Sunshine life for me (sail away Raymond)" just makes you want to be sailing away to a tropical island, very relaxing.
"you're sixteen" . One's gotta love this song. Like I do.
"Oh my my" - sorta ingenuous but enough to make it a hit when came out
"Step Lightly" - One of my favorites :-) .. sorry, I just like this one
"six o' clock", "Devil Woman" - could never really understand this song while I was growing up, but it rocked !
"You and me babe" - was the last song on the original vinyl record. Liked it very much but also made me sad because it tells you the end of the album is near .
The next two tracks do not belong to the original recording, but hey ! It's Ringo !
I rank this album as one of my top five favorites.



February 24, 2008

This album is a gem for Beatle Fans

Ringo had a little help from his friends. Lennon, McCartney and Harrison all contribute to parts of the album. On some of the songs you will get the feeling your listening to the Beatle's. December 2, 2007

Ringo's best

Great record. It's a shame that Ringo slid so suddendly in the remaining years of the decade (70's), due no doubt to his substance abuse issues that he later cleaned up. It's no small significance that he started making decent, if not very good, music once he cleaned up.

My only gripe about this album is that Jim Keltner played drums on some of the tracks with Ringo. I have no idea why. Ringo's playing on the balance of the tracks is outstanding. November 20, 2007

One of the Best Beatle Solo Albums ever

Not only was this the last album to feature contributions from all four ex-Beatles, it also contains some of the best post-Fab songs ever produced, like "It Don't Come Easy" and "Photograph." In fact, the album yielded four Top-10 hit singles, so it was quite successful. Definitely required listening for any Beatle-fan. October 3, 2007

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