Search - Ringo Starr :: Vertical Man

Oustanding!! This is the best he's done since the Beatles!

07/23/1998

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I think this is one of the best post-Beatles albums from any of the 3 surviving members yet." What in the World" is a great song and it's so good to hear Paul's vocals on backgrounds. I love "King of Broken Hearts" and "Without Understanding" is not the kind of song you would normally hear from Ringo. I have to say that I love just about every song. "Drift Away" is a little dry; Alanis sounds good but isn't doing anything out of the ordinary and Tom Petty sounds the same as always. (Personally I think they could have done without that song) "La De Da" is such a feel good song and talk about an all-star crew on backgrounds. I think Mark Hudson did a fabulous job of producing and really adds that extra little edge to the finished product. Overall it's a great accomplishment and it'll bring great listening enjoyment."

'Vertical Man' is an unexpected and stunning achievement.

06/30/1998

(4 out of 5 stars)

"``Life is life . . . this was just a record,'' advises Ringo Starr, mindful of fans' high hopes, often disappointed, on the release of new music by a Beatle. But who expected ``Vertical Man'' to be so much fun?Starr's first studio album in six years fairly brims with the kind of exuberant, soulful power pop he helped invent all those years ago. And while the album boasts the usual All-Starr lineup -- Paul McCartney, George Harrison, George Martin, Brian Wilson, Tom Petty, Steve Tyler, Alanis Morissette and others -- it's Ringo himself who shines as never before with his best drumming since the Beatles, and his finest singing ever.The subject, as always, is peace, love and understanding, from the hello (the charmingly Beatlesesque ``What in the . . . World,'' with the McCartney-Starr ryhthm section intact and in mid- 1960s form) to the goodbye (a breezy read of Dobie Gray's ``Drift Away,'' with standout vocals by Morisette, Petty, Tyler and Starr) and everything in between (the music-hall singalong ``La De Da,'' a worthy successor to ``With a Little Help From my Friends'').But the centerpiece is the astonishing ``Vertical Man,'' an epic romp through the Beatles and everything after that twists and turns and climbs as Starr makes his essential boast: He's still standing."

He is on FIRE!

David Freis | Florida | 05/27/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"TIME TAKES TIME was a fantastic CD and VERTICAL MAN is another fantastic CD. I must say that the problem with Ringo's sales are because of the fact that when he plays out live he only plays one or two songs from the new CD's. When I saw him on tour for VERTICAL MAN the only song he played was LOVE ME DO! I could not believe that was it! When you go see a band do a tour you expect to see the artist do about six or so songs from the new album. NOT ONE! Back up even further. When I went to see Ringo on the TIME TAKES TIME tour he played only two songs. WEIGHT OF THE WORLD and DON'T GO WHERE THE ROAD DON'T GO. That CD like VERTICAL MAN is chock full of some incredible and I mean INCREDIBLE songs. He certainly in my mind has given Mssrs. McCartney and Harrison (new CD soon please, PLEASE!) something to be reckoned with. My advice to Ringo is to dump the All-Starrs and get some people together and play all of Ringo's stuff. Wouldn't it be nice (sounds like a good song title!) to hear Goodnight Vienna, A Dose of Rock 'n Roll, Six 'o Clock, Down and Out, Early 1970, Don't Know A Thing About Love, Wrack My Brain, etc. etc. etc. LIVE! Come on Ringo, shine a little light on your fans and play only your own songs. You do not hear Paul playing everyone else's songs live! Have confidence Ringo! We want to hear your songs, enough of the All Starrs. We want to hear your new stuff and old stuff. The songs on VERTICAL MAN should be played live, everyone last one of them!"