Ringo’s “Look Up”: Close, but no cheroot

I really wanted to like Ringo Starr’s new album, Look Up (released yesterday). Well, it’s probably more accurate to say that I wanted to really like the album, because I do find it pleasant and inoffensive. But that’s hardly a rousing recommendation, is it?

Ringo — I think he’ll forgive the informal reference; in my mind, he’s always been the “fun” Beatle, the one that would be the most likely to enjoy sharing a beer in a dive bar — has had a lengthy connection with country music, as evidenced by his vocals on the Beatles’ 1965 recording of Buck Owens’s Act Naturally. This wasn’t necessarily out of character for the band, as individual members were influenced by the genre early on (as were Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones, for that matter). Ringo recorded a somewhat forgettable solo country album in 1970 called Beaucoups of Blues (the title doesn’t exactly shout “C&W”). Given this history, I was hopeful that the now 84-year-old musician would provide a more mature and inventive offering in the genre.

I’m not interested in debating whether some music or some performers are “real country”; you can make that decision for yourself. For me, it’s one of those “I’ll know it when I hear it” issues and Look Up qualifies in that regard, even if it occasionally skews toward the pop end of musical spectrum. But I feel pretty confident in saying that we won’t be two-stepping to any of the songs at Luckenbach or Albert or Twin Sisters dance halls. There’s simply a lack of…well, fun…and overall it’s a low energy effort. In addition, Ringo, bless his heart, doesn’t have a classic country voice, but then, what Liverpudlian does? One can sing about acting naturally, but that doesn’t mean the twang will also appear that way.

What Ringo does do well is pick some great collaborators: Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle, Larkin Poe, Alison Krauss, Lucius, Joe Walsh. Unfortunately, he doesn’t give any of them a front-and-center presence. Instead, they’re relegated to a distant supporting cast. (The significant exception is in Rosetta, where Walsh is given an all-too-brief cameo on slide guitar.) I expected more from a T Bone Burnett production.

Here’s the “official” music video for the album, featuring Molly Tuttle, one of the most accomplished and creative bluegrass guitarists on the planet but used here only for harmony vocals. Let me know what you think.

In the end, Look Up is a placid, lyrically formulaic compilation. I’m going to give it some repeat listenings to see if I’ve missed anything, which I often do with new music. I’m already warming up to his rendition of Billy Swan‘s You Want Some, a lazy swing number that’s terrifically enhanced by the piano playing of Mike Rojas and the pedal steel guitar of Paul Franklin.

Postscript

I posted something on Christmas Eve that included a powerful version of the song, Mary Did You Know? performed by Mark Lowry, the songwriter, and accompanied by an a cappella group called Voctave. If you missed it, here’s the video:

I mention this simply for the benefit of those living within easy traveling distance of San Antonio, as the group will perform a concert at the Tobin Center — which is located on the Riverwalk — on March 22nd. Ticket information is found here.