Liverpool dreams

Backwards lyrics, sitars, strings overdubs. No, this isn't the Beatles' 1967 masterpiece Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, but rather the newest album from former Beatle drummer Ringo Starr.\nLiverpool 8 marks Ringo's first album with EMI since 1975 and his first album since summer 2005.\nThis album -- similar to Sgt. Pepper -- takes the listener on a journey through the several styles of music that Ringo played as a Beatle. The trip includes psychedelia ("Gone Are The Days"), rock ("Love Is") and country ("R U Ready").\nPart of the trip on this album includes Ringo's past in "Liverpool 8," ("Went to Hamburg, the red lights were on / With George and Paul, and my friend John / We rocked all night, we all looked tough / We didn't have much, but we had enough") the single and arguably the best track on the album. \nOverall, this is a great album. Although it was originally produced by Mark Hudson then later "re-produced" by David Stewart, it still sounds polished. Add to that the fact that the backing instruments sounds just like The Beatles, with fuzzed guitars and guitar riffs eerily similar to George Harrison's style.\nAnother plus for post-production is all the overdubs. It includes string orchestras, backward vocals and backward guitar solos. The beginning of "Gone Are The Days" sounds like it came off Sgt. Pepper.\nThe only downside to this album is that the songwriting is a bit simplistic, ("In the USA, when we played Shea / We were number one, and it was fun / When I look back, it sure was cool"), but lyrics were never Ringo's strong point. \nNothing is better than hearing a former Beatle make a new album, especially when it's an album as great as this one.\nLiverpool 8 is a must-buy for any Beatle fanatic, since it sounds like a Beatles album.