ALBUM REVIEW: Ringo Starr - Beaucoups of Blues

    Ringo Starr had spent his entire life loving country; during his stint in The Beatles, he had dabbled in the genre for a handful of songs, such as the Buck Owens cover "Act Naturally", the rockabilly leaning "What Goes On", and his own penned "Don't Pass Me By". Starkey's love for the genre continued up to the Beatles' final days, where he even considered a country album as his solo debut before the idea of Sentimental Journey solidified in late 1969. Still, Ringo was passionate about the idea, and his chance finally came in May of 1970 when he met steel guitarist Pete Drake during sessions for George Harrison's solo outing (which you can read about sometime in the future) - Starr inquired about pairing up with him for a country album, to which Drake agreed. Sessions were done in just 3 days in the heart of Nashville, and the result was 14 finish tracks and one jam session that was cut down to a 12 song album. Beaucoups of Blues is, luckily, a more than solid follow-up to the pop based Sentimental Journey, and in many ways more exciting and suited for Ringo. His passion for country irradiates on this tightly performed album, and it's still steeped in the omnipresent charm of Mr. Starkey.

    One thing you certainly can't say about Beaucoups of Blues is that is a lazy or rough sounding album, even at the pace it was recorded in. Backed with some of the most notable session players in the biz (including "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" writer Charlie Daniels, guitar man Jerry Reed, and Elvis Presley drummer D.J. Fontana) and confidently produced by Pete Drake throughout, the resulting album is as close to Nashville perfection as a Beatle could possibly get. Ringo himself, much like Sentimental Journey, relegated mostly to vocals, although he does play acoustic guitar on this album, and his voice is incredibly well suited to the country sound on this release. While he was more than capable on his debut, there was no denying that his limited vocal range didn't make for the best melding of the classic tunes, even if they were boosted by the palpable charisma of his overall demeanor and delivery. On Beaucoups, Ringo sounds much more assured of himself in his performances, and not to mention moments like the title track or the fast picking of "$15 Draw" showcase some of Ringo's best early solo performances.

    That brings us to the quality of the album, and what we get is a far less uneven batch than Sentimental Journey - all of the songs on the album were written specifically for Ringo in mind, which probably helps with the overall down to earth feel and consistency of the record. Starr's versatility with the genre is more than displayed, from the upbeat "I'd Be Talking All The Time" to the sadness of "Love Don't Last Long" to the practically hit ready country rock of "Loser's Lounge", the album is able to carry plenty of emotions and ideas in its short 32-minute runtime across 12 songs. The aforementioned "$15 Draw" is probably the album's best moment with its great sliding and entertaining story-driven lyrics, although the title track and the sweet duet of "I Wouldn't Have You Any Other Way" certainly come close to taking home the prize. I also want to give a quick honorable mention to the non-album, Starkey-penned "Coochy Coochy", both an excellent B-side and a killer rocker in its own right (frankly, I would've loved to have this on the album as a side opener or something). Even with all these great numbers and more ("Silent Homecoming" is a somber but effective closer), there is a few weak points in the record - see the iffy "Wine, Women and Loud Happy Songs" or the generic "Without Her", the former of which feels too cheesy and the latter feels like a leftover Mike Nesmith songs that not even The Monkees would take.

    Unfortunately, Beaucoups of Blues wasn't exactly a success, and Ringo wouldn't make a proper studio album for another three years. It's a damn shame because, if this album is any indication, Ringo was more than capable of making a solid record without The Beatles, even if what we're hearing is a bit distinctly un-Beatlesque. It's that quality, though, that has Beaucoups in such a unique place this early into the solo releases. In the immediate years after, hits such as "It Don't Come Easy" and "Back Off Boogaloo" scored Ringo some Top 10 success and validation as a solo act, but it wouldn't be until 1973 that he released a full studio project again. Still, Beaucoups of Blues is a good photograph of the solo Starr, filled with heart and a passion for the music he's presenting to the listener.

RATING: ✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯

Listen to Beaucoups of Blues.