// 2008 Ringo Starr - Liverpool 8

// massmirror
// password: spaceisland.blogspot.com

Liverpool 8 is the fourteenth studio album by Ringo Starr. It was released worldwide on January 14, 2008 (January 15, 2008 in the United States) and marks Starr's return to EMI for the first time since leaving the label in 1975, following the end of The Beatles' recording contract with the company.^[1] Although technically Starr did make a brief re-appearance on EMI in the mid-1990s, as when his 1981 album Stop and Smell the Roses and his 1983 album Old Wave (both originally released on Boardwalk Records) were issued on CD, they appeared on Capitol's The Right Stuff label. Liverpool 8 was released by EMI Music worldwide, Capitol Records in the United States, and Parlophone in the United Kingdom.

The album was originally slated for a June 2007 release, and began as another production by the collaborative team of Mark Hudson and Starr (the two had previously co-produced Vertical Man, I Wanna Be Santa Claus, VH1 Storytellers, Ringo Rama, and Choose Love). However, the release date was pushed back to the beginning of 2008 when Hudson was replaced by Dave Stewart after a falling out with Starr. The album's production credits read, "Produced by Ringo Starr and Mark Hudson; Re-Produced by Ringo Starr and David Stewart." All of the songs but one were written with the Roundheads, although Stewart also has several co-writing credits. Starr's attorney Bruce Grakal told journalist Peter Palmiere that the partnership between Hudson and Starr was over and they would never work together again. This happened after Hudson dropped out of Starr's 2006 tour as musical director to do the TV show The One: Making A Music Star. According to Palmiere, Hudson now claims that the split was over Starr's insistence on using synthesized sounds, for which Stewart is known, whereas Hudson wanted real guitars, pianos, strings etc.[1] However, about the parting with Hudson, Starr said (in response to Palmiere's report), "The separation between Mark Hudson and myself was a question of trust and friendship and had nothing to do with synthesizers."

The album was released on CD, MP3, and USB Wristband. It was available as a free audio stream at www.vh1classic.com before its release date. "Liverpool 8" was released on CD and digital download as the first single from the album on January 7, 2008. Liverpool 8 entered the UK Album Chart at #91, and reached a peak of #94 on the Billboard 200.

The album has a 61 percent "generally favorable" rating from Metacritic.^[2] Billboard gave a positive review, calling it "full of nostalgia for the good ol' days".^[3] All Music Guide stated that "it's nothing too flashy and it has no one tune that calls attention to itself".^[4] The Times gave a particluarly critical review, stating that "it’s hard not to boggle at Liverpool’s susceptibility to flattery" and "Just because it was fun to make, it doesn’t follow that you might enjoy listening to it."

All songs by Richard Starkey/Mark Hudson/Gary Burr/Steve Dudas, except where noted.

1. "Liverpool 8" (Richard Starkey/Dave Stewart) - 4:49
2. "Think About You" - 3:40
3. "For Love" (Richard Starkey/Mark Hudson) - 3:49
4. "Now That She's Gone Away" (Richard Starkey/Mark Hudson/Gary Burr) - 3:02
5. "Gone Are the Days" (Richard Starkey/Mark Hudson/Dave Stewart) - 2:49
6. "Give It a Try" (Richard Starkey/Mark Hudson/Steve Dudas) - 3:26
7. "Tuff Love" - 4:33
8. "Harry's Song" - 4:00
9. "Pasodobles" (Richard Starkey/Mark Hudson/Gary Burr/Steve Dudas/Dean Grakal) - 4:17
10. "If It's Love That You Want" - 3:06
11. "Love Is" - 3:52
12. "R U Ready?" - 3:59