Liverpool 8 : Ringo Starr : Review : Rolling Stone

For some of us Beatlemaniacs, one of the most significant events of 2007 was the long-awaited DVD rerelease of Help! It's not merely the fabbest and funniest Beatle film but Ringo Starr's proudest cinematic moment, and that includes Caveman. Ringo's been on a roll lately, with his recent solo best-of, Photograph, showcasing buried gems like "Beaucoups of Blues" and "Early 1970." Liverpool 8 is a celebration of everything Ringo — his musical wit, his cheer, his commitment to the Sixties ideals of peace and love. The title refers to the neighborhood where he grew up, and there's an elegiac tinge to "Gone Are the Days," waving goodbye to the strawberry fields of the past. The music, co-produced by Dave Stewart, plays up his jolly charm. Yet the twelve songs (all co-written by Ringo) show the reflective side of the Beatle who paradoxically grew up to be one of rock & roll's sanest adults, not to mention one of the most beloved. They also show the romantic side of a rock star whose marriage just passed the twenty-six-year mark. Now go rent Help! and watch Ringo attack those bongos in "You're Going to Lose That Girl." Brilliance.