Ringorama

1	Eye to Eye 3:19
2	Missouri Loves Company 3:32
3	Instant Amnesia / David Gilmour 5:12
4	Memphis in Your Mind 3:13
5	Never Without You / Eric Clapton's Rainbow Concert Band 5:24
6	Imagine Me There / Charlie Haden 3:55
7	I Think Therefore I Rock 'N' Roll 3:25
8	Trippin' on My Own Tears 3:31
9	Write One for Me 3:14
10	What Love Wants to Be 3:03
11	Love First, Ask Questions Later 4:44
12	Elizabeth Reigns 3:57
13	English Garden 3:17

Barnes & Noble

Like Old Man River, Ringo Starr just keeps rolling along, spreading sunny vibes and keeping the wry spirit of Merseymania alive and well on this side of the millennial wall. He makes no bones about his past, kicking things into gear on "Eye to Eye" by querying, "Remember when I said, 'It don't come easy'?" and lifting a snippet of "Yesterday" for "Write One for Me." Although it's not technically an All-Starr Band project, Ringorama does have its share of guest stars. The aforementioned "Write One for Me" features vocals from Willie Nelson; Pink Floyd's David Gilmour tosses off some surprisingly kinetic guitar work on "I Think, Therefore I Rock 'n' Roll"; and Shawn Colvin provides sweet counterpoint on "Trippin' on My Own Tears." The most moving cameo, however, comes courtesy of Eric Clapton, who lends a poignant solo to "Never Without You," a tribute to the late George Harrison. The album is not without its missteps -- the Van Dyke Parks collaboration "Elizabeth Reigns" is a bit too rarefied for Starr's persona -- but when he keeps it loose and lively, as on the just-corny-enough "Missouri Loves Company," Ringo is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. David Sprague

All Music Guide

It's hard to judge Ringo Rama, Ringo Starr's twelfth proper studio album, by most standard critical criteria. Even comparing the record to his previous solo work doesn't quite work, since so many of his albums are so driven by his persona - a combination of his actual personality and what his team of collaborators (always including a bevy of guest stars, of course) perceive his persona to be. Apart from 1973's towering Ringo and its good followup Goodnight Vienna, Starr was never consistent, partially because of his decadence in the '70s, but also because he never relaxed - he was always shooting for the charts, shifting his collaborators seemingly haphazardly. It wasn't until the '90s, after he settled into his regular All-Starr summer tours and after he had made a well-received comeback with 1992's Time Makes Time, that he relaxed with a regular band and set of collaborators, led by producer Mark Hudson, who all return for 2003's Ringo Rama. Prior to the record's release, Hudson stated that he wanted the record to have a harder edge than its predecessor Vertical Man, which it often does, at least in that it has very bright, rock-oriented productions, given a hard surface sheen via Pro Tools. Not exactly the intended edge, but it does mean that it's brassier than recent Ringo efforts, which isn't necessarily a plus. What is a plus is that it's likeable, particularly because everybody concerned - from Ringo's regular band the Roundheads, to such guests as Eric Clapton, David Gilmour, Timothy B. Schmit and Willie Nelson - seems to be having a good time. In another set of hands, such songs as "I Think Therefore I Rock N Roll" would be too silly, but here, it's easy to accept, as are his frequent dips into self-references, since it's just Ringo being Ringo. Which brings us back to the point that his albums are sold as much on who Ringo Starr is and what his mood is. Though there is more care, consideration on Ringo Rama than on Ringo the 4th, the lynchpin in the whole affair is his persona, and whether he has a comfortable, suitable platform that or not - and, even if he does, it's likely not to play outside of those that really, really love Ringo. Fortunately, he's relaxed enough now not to care about the wider audience, so he's now making records that are fun and relaxed, even if the production doesn't quite work or if the songs are a little silly. So, Ringo Rama winds up as a good, enjoyable Ringo Starr album - not as warm or rich as Time Takes Time, a little more uneven than Vertical Man, but still good, which means this is first string of three good records in a row since the early '70s. And that does count for something. Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Rolling Stone

Hard-core Beatles fans will no doubt be verklempt over this goody bag. Parke Puterbaugh