Ringo Starr - And His All Starr Band
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Free Music Notes for And His All Starr Band
Free Music Review: What's my Name? RINGO!!
Hit: 4 Stars
This 3 CD set does an admirable job capturing the spirit of Ringo's live sets with his various All Star bands over past summers. I've seen a lot of concerts in my life and one of the most special was singing along with Ringo and the entire audience to Yellow Submarine. The live version of that song reflects the love Ringo's audience has for the man and his effervescent personality. My only criticism of the CD is in the mixing. Transitions from song to song are rough. I suppose the reason is that the material spans lots of concerts over several years yet technology has advanced to the point where that could have been done seamlessly. Still, I love to put the CD in the changer and sing along with all the rock stars that play with Ringo. He has aged gracefully and has lots of fun with his fans. This CD shows just how much fun!Free Music Review: US Edition
Hit: 4 Stars
I have both the import and US versions of the CD set. I like the song selection, but it would have been great if the set could have included more unreleased material. The only difference between the import and US edition (besides the cover) is the inclusion of "Some Kind of Wonderful" by Mark Farner on the US issue. There also seems to be a bit of distortion on the introduction to "Shine Silently" on disc 1 (US only). Otherwise, it sounds awesome!Free Music Review: Some All Star Performances Some Lacking
Hit: 3 Stars
Ringo Starr became a smart business man during the mid eighties. He was putting out numerous sub par records and his star certainly wasn't what it was during the Fab Four era or even during the early part of his career. He toured with numerous big names since 1988 and has somewhat revitalized his career.Over the course of this three CD Anthology set there are many highlights but certainly some trying moments. The first disc is probably the strongest featuring a charming arrangment of the No No Song with excellent saxaphone and keyboard solos. Dr John's Iko Iko is another gem as is Clarence Cleamons Quarter To Three. Probably the glaring misfire is Joe Walsh's atrocious vocals on Life In The Fast Lane and Desperado. Gosh it sounds like old Joe had a little too much to drink before stepping up to the microphone on those numbers. All he does is shout the lyrics. Well at least his guitar solos are still crisp.
The second CD is kind of a hit and miss affair. Like I'm The Greatest and Timothy B Schmidt's pretty I Can't Tell You Why. Felix Cavaliere's two songs are done fabulously. Maybe the best performance on the entire set. Randy Bachman's Takin' Care of Business works well as the band members all solo delightfully. Awesome keyboard playing and riveting bass. However Bachman's other tune You Aint Seen Nothing Yet has always strayed on my last nerve. The sound is way too redundant and the live setting does not improve the impression. Also Joe Walsh absolutely ruins In The City with his howling. Gosh he would have gotten booed out of a Karaoke Bar with that performance. Same with Todd Rungren's two songs. Nothing but annoying screams and yelps. Here Fido go fetch the bone.
Disc Three rates better than two but a little short of one. Good performance by Simon Kirke on Shooting Star especially since it was Paul Rodgers who did the singing for prime time Bad Co. Gary Brooker gives stunning performances as well on Whiter Shade of Pale and Salty Dog. Sunshine Of Your Love is pretty good as well although Jack Bruce's voice is not as powerful as during his Cream days. Eric Carmen's songs lag behind the others. Also, Baby I Love You're Way is a little rushed and lacks the touching keyboard presence on Frampton's Live CD. With A Little Help From My Friends has a few cute touches here and there but what can I say? It still pales in comaprison to Joe Cocker's cover.
Plenty of highlights abound on this Box Set. However three CD's certainly may be a bit much to most fans. But reading through these old chesnuts will certainly make one grow nostalgic.
Free Music Review: Mostly Tolerable, with Splendid Moments
Hit: 3 Stars
First - it is hard to listen to Ringo's songs, many of which are ratcheted down several steps so that he can reach the higher notes. And - the background vocalists are hard to take on the Beatles songs. Sometimes they are Americans that you can tell are trying to sound like Liverpudlians John and Paul.
The highlights on this are the non-Ringo songs. Yes - Felix Cavaliere pretty much carries the entire set. Raining in my Heart is another pinnacle. Timothy B. Schmit sounds great. Peter Frampton is pretty good. Iko Iko rocks.
But I agree with other reviewers. Good golly, Joe Walsh - what the heck are you doing singing Henley songs? Please . . . no, no, nooo!
And Todd Rundgren - no, it is never time to get "stupid". Give it a break!
But you can hear the band having a blast throughout, and you really want to be there live, hearing these legends playing on stage together.
When you listen to this entire 3 CD set, and place the first CD in, you're thinking, "Oh brother, here we go - for the next two and a half hours I gotta listen to this." But as you go through it you find yourself paying attention and . . . enjoying it. By the time the last track on the 3rd CD plays out, you actually start to miss it a little.
I know - no one's forcing you to listen to the entire thing, but in my case I try to get to this one at least once a year, and I always listen for something different.
All in all - thank you Ringo, for bringing us your music in this novel form. It is not as well-produced and crisp as the VH-1 Storytellers (which is done with more respect and love for the Beatles) - and for Beatles covers, this album always falls short. But the covers of most of your guest artists are a real treat, in most cases.
But there are WAY better live albums out there for Beatles fans: the 5 stars: Concert for George, Tripping the Live Fantastic; and 4 Stars: VH-1 Storytellers, Paul McCartney Unplugged, Wings over America, George Harrison Live in Japan, and Paul is Live - - - that the Ringo Anthology simply does not rise to those other stellar levels.
I will relegate it to a 3-star, with John Lennon's Live in New York City and Live Jam.
I would only recommend this CD set to fans of the Fabs, whose favorite Beatle was Ringo. The rest of you are taking a chance.
Free Music Review: Less Than The Sum Of Its Parts
Hit: 2 Stars
To find a stellar cast such as this assembled on one recording, one would expect stellar performances. Well, you better sit down...
I wanted to like this CD, but I find it difficult to endure to the end. There are some truly wince-inducing moments to be had here. I mean, every musician has a bad night or three, but surely to gawd, over the course of a tour, there had to be some better versions of these songs than those presented. In fact, I can't believe some of these artists allowed these performances to be released.
Joe Walsh singing Desperado? Simon Kirke singing Paul Rodgers tunes? Come on. I suppose I should just be glad that Ringo didn't attempt to sing The Long and Winding Road.
To be fair there are some decent (even good) performances on this CD.
You just need to be prepared for some major league sorting.
Good luck.