Ringo Starr - Y Not (2010)

On Y Not, Ringo tries to present a lot of things we’ve heard before as if they’re actually still meaningful. That’s harsh, but also part of the reason he has the reputation he does. This is not to say I hate this album, because I don’t. I wouldn’t even call it bad. I think he’s still stuck in a time when pop music really sold. These days, I’d say it’s more accurate to say it’s borrowed. People latch on and then forget about it. In five years, who’s going to remember Lady Gaga, or Miley Cirus, or any American Idol (other than Kelly Clarkson)? This is not really what people want to hear, and unless it has any special meaning or importance to its author, it serves little purpose. Ringo needs to write a bunch of songs that actually speak to people and that feel relevant. This might have been received well 30 years ago, but not today. One instance: He actually refers to a “Peace Dream” as if it’s a real thing. The song is a giant cliché, and it isn’t one that has anything pleasurable about it. “Time” begins with the lyrics “Time waits for nobody, and nobody waits for time,” which shows the problem that plagues Ringo’s work. The last track, “Who’s Your Daddy” features Joss Stone (a young R&B singer) and is just a big pile of crap. Some songs are fine though. “The Other Side of Liverpool” isn’t bad. “Walk With You” features Paul McCartney singing in the chorus, which is nice, and “Everyone Wins” would be pretty good with a better singer. I think Ringo was less of an artist than the other three Beatles, and so his work doesn’t seem to have a real strong personality. It just sort of borrows from those he surrounded himself with during his career. I think Ringo genuinely likes making music, and is genuinely having a good time, and so the greatest pleasure I got from Y Not was the idea that he probably had a good time making the album.

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