Customer Reviews

Choose Love

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've been a Ringo Starr fan for as long as I have been a Beatles fan. I've loved all of his albums, even those that weren't popular with critics. However, I must say that in his past four albums, since hooking up with Mark Hudson and the rest of the Roundheads, Ringo has really started define a "Ringo" sound, and the songs just keep getting better and better. His constant message of peace and love is refreshing. Go Ringo!

I can't add much to the string of positive reviews below, but I can add my opinion of where this falls in comparison to his other releases of his revitalized late 90's and 2000's releases: This is the best so far! While all of his albums have had some strong songs and make me happy that he's still out there doing the "peace and love" thing, this album is strong from start to finish, all 12 tracks. I listened to it at work and had a big smile on my face the whole time. My coworkers were wondering why I was looking so happy! If you're a Ringo fan, or a Beatles fan (and if you aren't you probably aren't reading this), then trust me you will really enjoy this. To quote a Beatles song (as Ringo loves to do), you're "getting better all the time."

This is a terrific Ringo CD. "Give Me Back The Beat" is my favorite, but all of the songs are excellent. Mark Hudson's (and Ringo's) production is solid, filling the tracks with the trademarked sound that we've come to expect - and love.

Even the booklet is a joy, with very nice collages and a Ray Charles quote that will make your day.

Ringo's never sounded better, and Choose Love brings a smile to my face every time I listen. Bravo, Ringo!

I have been buying Ringo's recent studio albums since Vertical Man and this is the best of the bunch. The three first songs are great. I highly recommend it. I'm looking forward to seeing his concert from last month on the PBS show "Soundstage" later this year.

I never thought I'd be saying this in 2005, but Ringo Starr has delivered his best album ever. I love much of his early '70s work ("Ringo" and "Goodnight Vienna" in particular), but this one really does take the cake. The songs are all short, catchy, energetic, contain a few artsy touches of unpredictability while entirely maintaining focus, and have a great early Beatles feel to them. Ringo is in fantastic voice, his drumming is excellent, and his backing band is topnotch. The album's production also has a very classic feel, and it all sounds fresh even after multiple listenings. No filler on the CD either; every song is truly a standout. (Although if I had to name some favorites, they'd be "Fading In Fading Out", "Give Me Back The Beat" and "Free Drinks.") Hope he brings this stuff out on tour!

This is the first review that I have ever written, but I had to say how much I enjoyed "Choose Love", Ringo Starr's new CD. Every one of the 12 songs is a winner; well done, fun to listen to and leaving the listener feeling upbeat. All songs are original, written by Ringo and his studio band. It's nice to hear new songs with the flavor of the Classic Oldies. I liked to read the page in the CD booklet that gave credit to all the people on the album. This is studio music, tracked, so that for some of the songs one person played more than one musical instrument. Ringo does all the drums and percussion and also plays organ on some tracks. The album is well done, great instrumental background and Ringo in great voice; he hits every note perfectly and you can understand every word that he is singing. You can also hear the sincerity in Ringo's voice.
Even though every track is a winner, I must say that my favorites are the most upbeat "Give Me Back the Beat", the inspiring "Fading In, Fading Out" and the most inspiring "Oh My Lord". If I have one suggested improvement in the album I would like to hear a remix of "Oh My Lord" with the lead guitar less volume and the Rose Stone Choir more volume; this is more a choir song than a lead guitar song.
My conclusion: "Choose Love" - It is worth listening to again and again; great album!

"Choose Love," the title track, is by far the best cut on the album, and could've very easily been a White Album standout. "Give Me Back the Beat" and "Fading In Fading Out" are also exceptional, straight-ahead rock songs.

Overall, the album is a bit over-produced. The surf-guitar on "Free Drinks" seems out of place, and Ringo's duet with Chrissie Hynde, "Don't Hang Up," is disappointing. Fortunately it's offset by the likes of "Satisfied."

Although "Oh My Lord" features Billy Preston, it's essentially a lesser version of "My Sweet Lord." Still, "Me and You" is a great ballad.

"Some People" sounds an awful lot like "Don't Know a Thing About Love," from "Time Takes Time." Similarly, "Hard to Be True" is reminiscent of "I Will Follow Him" by Peggy March.

All things considered, it's a very good album. I'm glad to see that Ringo's still inspired to make music, and look forward to his next release.

"Ringo was a star before we were anything" John Lennon once said. On the basis of this album, he's still got it. We've always known that of course, but with a solid band and tunes to dig, this has some hidden gems. "Oh my lord" is sensational , it's up there with the best of them. Check out "Hard to be true" as well. Definitely fab. And as for Mr Starr himself; always slick, always cool and in good voice. Choose love definitely.

Ringo Starr seems to be making a comback with albums like this and 2003's 'Ringo Rama',a welcomed break from the repetitive 'all starr band' live albums that hept coming out in the 1990's.Wheras 'Ringo-Rama' was more psychedelic in nature 'Choose Love' leans more towards country pop and classic rock n' roll-very basic,simple music not dissimilar in sound to (I HATE to do this) some early Beatle stuff.The songwriting of course doesn't come close (how could it) but 'Choose Love' is certainly heads above alot what is coming out these days!
As with most Ringo albums there are not many standout songs here-evrything works as more of a piece.As with alot of Ringo albums that come out this one was fairly unexpected.But anyone who enjoys the Beatles either together or as solo entities will certainly enjoy the albums when they come out.And now that there are only two left it's probably important to keep the cycle going as long as they can,meaning Ringo here AND McCartney.Yes George and John are always missed but all things must pass,we have the memories and albums like this are certainly a lifesaver in that department.

'Chose Love' is another winner of a Ringo album that started with the streak of 'Time Takes Time', then continued with 'Veritcal Man' and 'Ringo Rama' (all the while his All-Starr band albums coming out, all of which were good live performances of his Beatles hits and many many by his friends of course). For years being a Ringo Starr fan pretty much meant the one-two punch of the 'Ringo' and 'Goodnight Vienna' albums (plus the great singles of "It Don't Come Easy" and "Back Off Boogaloo"), those albums and singles setting standards for him that he never returned to during the years of albums like 'Ringo's Rotogravure', 'Ringo the 4th', 'Bad Boy' and whatever else before his returning to form in the early 90's. Indeed, there are several obvious Beatles references on 'Choose Love' -- the title track alone cites "The Long and Winding Road", "Tomorrow Never Knows" and "What Goes On", plus whose bass line sounds errily like that from "Taxman". There's the quasi-psychedlic lilt of "Don't Hang Up" (a duet with Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders). But all that's OK -- after all, it's Ringo Starr, and the emphasis is on good musical fun, and lots of love. And considering the love the world has for the Beatles, why shouldn't Ringo himself show his? Not only is his drumming rock solid and steady as always, but his songwriting and singing are in good form (true, he still relies on co-writers, but even with that, he's recently put out tracks as worthy as much of his ex-Beatle mates' solo efforts, particular that of Paul McCartney). That he was in a group with among the best songwriters of pop music ever, he's managed to have some of that rub off on him. If you liked the 'Ringo' and 'Goodnight Vienna' albums, moreso the more recent 'Vertical Man' and 'Ringo Rama', then choose 'Choose Love' as your next album purchase. Especially if you're a die-hard Beatles fan (and aren't you?)