|
• All MCN Music Reviews
Ringo Starr - Look Up
With the latest wave of popular musicians throwing their hat into the country music marketplace - it made complete sense for Beatle legend Ringo Starr to do the same. For him it was literally old hat. Ringo's January 2025 offering in the genre titled Look Up is his second official foray into the field since recording his sophomore solo record Beaucoups of Blues in Nashville in 1970.
For those who doubt that Ringo has beaucoups of bonafides to claim a piece of the country music pie all one needs to do is turn the clock back to 1965 when Ringo sang lead on a cover of the country song "Act Naturally" that helped Buck Owens and his Bakersfield Sound become one of the most successful country stars of the decade.
In fact, Ringo's bandmate Paul McCartney confirmed on the March 10 airing of "Ringo & Friends at the Ryman" on CBS that, "Ringo was the first guy in the Beatles to really turn us on to country music. We were kind of very much into rock 'n' roll. But, he was heavy into country. He had a lot of records we didn't have and he was a big admirer of some of the country stars of the time. He goes way back in country music."
That television special featured many of the guest artists who appear on Look Up including Jack White, Billy Strings, Sheryl Crow, Molly Tuttle and many more in a two-hour documentary that was lovingly produced to serve as a true celebration of Ringo Starr and his famous band more than six decades after Beatle-mania was the new style of music that was sweeping across the nation and the world.
Look Up was produced and co-written by T Bone Burnett who gave Ringo the spark of the idea that would grow into his first country album in more than 50 years and his first full-length album since 2019.
Look Up opens with the breathtaking "Breathless" that is powered by the fancy fretwork of the jamband world's Billy Strings who shines bright - especially on the psychedelic coda that recalls the era from where Starr really made his name. The title track features Nashville's own Molly Tuttle on backing vocals to bolster an anthem that is positive, optimistic and even surprisingly spiritual ("Look up, Roll away the stone, Look up, When you're all alone"). The groovy guitar undercurrent continues here as making the opening two numbers especially appealing to the fans of the Beatles' mid to late 60's output.
Look Up is a grower especially the tracks that contain the authentic country underpinnings provided by the on-point pedal steel guitar playing of Paul Franklin and country music fans seem to agree
The album has garnered critical acclaim and earned Starr his first top 10 on Billboard's all-genre Top Album Sales chart at No. 7 in January. It has since reached the top of multiple other charts including No.1 Current Country Album sales, No. 1 Current Rock Album sales and No. 1 Americana/Folk Album sales. The album also hit top 10 on Current Digital Album sales (No. 4), Overall Digital Album sales (No. 6), Internet Album sales (No. 2) and Indie Store Album Sales (No. 2). Billboard charting includes Billboard Rock Albums (No. 23), Billboard Americana/Folk Albums (No. 12), Billboard Country Albums (a career-best No. 27) and Billboard Rock & Alternative Albums (No. 30). On the overall Billboard 200, the album debuted at No. 147, marking Starr's 20th entry. Internationally Ringo earned No. 1 on the Official UK Country Artists Chart, No. 79 on the UK/OCC all genre Official Albums Chart Top 100, and No.1 in Denmark.
Ringo's patented catch phrase of "Peace and Love" makes an appearance on the album's closer "Thankful" that is the only offering on Look Up that has a Richard Starkey writing credit. There's no doubt that Starr has gratitude for his long career that began with a meteoric rise with his fifteen minutes of fame lasting more than 60 years now. The Beatles' drummer has forged a multi decade solo statement that comes around more frequently than Halley's Comet and he's done it again with Look Up.
Now that Ringo has effectively and convincingly stamped his brand on the Nashville scene - including a debut performance at the Grand Ole Opry earlier in the year - we expect to see him back in these parts on a more regular basis. That will give us all a chance to get back on the Yellow Submarine to journey back to the Octopus's Garden a few more times as we ride the crest of Ringo-mania into unchartered waters. Right On - Peace and Love!
Related Links:
For more information on THIS REVIEW please visit the following links -
Review by Rockin' Rich Lynch |
Ringo Starr |
Ringo Starr Adds Palpable Star Power to the Musicians Hall of Fame in Nashville
|
