CD Review: Ringo Starr, "Y Not"

I know that I have a tendency to dwell on the past, but it seems somehow sad to me that the release of a new album by a member of the Beatles no longer gets much attention, especially when its something new from Ringo. I suppose people still look forward to a new album from Paul McCartney. The hope dies hard that he will be able to recapture the magic, maybe because on occasion he has. But its been more than 30 years since a Ringo solo album created any ripples in the musical pond.

Ringo carries on playing the drums and making records because its what he does. Its obviously not something that he has to do. And so this new album, Y Not (Universal). It is an enormous advantage for a musician to be able to choose virtually any musician to work with, and Ringo, producing himself for the first time, has made some very good choices here. His co-writers on the album include such stalwarts as Joe Walsh, Gary Wright, Dave Stewart, Van Dyke Parks, Richard Marx, Glen Ballard, and Joss Stone. Walsh and Stewart also play on several tracks, as do Benmont Tench, Billy Squier, Edgar Winter, Don Was, and one Paul McCartney, who plays bass on Peace Track, and sings with Ringo on the albums most moving song, a tribute to the lasting power of friendship, Walk With You.