Starsailor

[Josh]

Is anyone familiar with the band Starsailor?

I ask because I'll be reviewing their new album for the January issue of Relevant. I have no idea what they sound like, though.

[bloop]

They're this band that was one of the ones touted as "the new Radiohead".  They are not, but I have their first album, "Love is Here", and it's pretty good (I bought it for about $5 at the Virgin Megastore in NYC).  The vocals are similar to Jeff Buckley's and they are generally pretty melodramatic, but I'm not saying that is a bad thing.  I could see you liking them - I don't have their new album, though, so I don't know.

[Josh]

Well, their new album doesn't come out until January 27th, so I'd be surprised if you DID have it...

[MattK]

I think bloop is referring to their last album that came out last year called Love Is Here.....I'm not a fan of theirs.  They are just one of many seemingly endless brit pop acts.  Plus the lyric "Don't you know you've got your daddy's eyes your daddy was an alcoholic"......ugh

[MattK]

Oops I read bloops message wrong....scratch that last post

[Iris]

they have a few good songs.  I like the idea of their style..  but I dont think I like them.  

.. does that make sense?


anyway, their best song is still the single, "good souls" .  "Fever" is alright as well.

[Josh]

I'm supposed to get their new CD tomorrow. And Relevant wants a review by Friday.

Geez...

[Josh]

I like this one much more than I thought I would. Coldplay could take notes from these guys; unlike Christ Martin and Co., Starsailor's songs don't all sound like potential radio hits. The use of strings here is more potent and intoxicating than on any album I've heard outside of Beck's Sea Change, and some of the songs have a dense wall of sound that almost reminds me of The Cure.

Pretty good.

[MattK]

hmmm.....the pitchfork review has me skeptical (although I'm not much of a pitchfork fan) lyrics like "I was sure she would be my girl" I mean he will never be mistaken for a good songwriter but come on.......sure the music is probably better than most of whats on  popular rock radio but the whole "she screwed me over thing" played over and over again doesnt sit well with me.  I'm too picky      

[bloop]

I am a pitchfork fan personally, but I don't always buy it if they give a negative review.  It's a perspective on the album, and sometimes a very tangential one (that obviously only really reviews one aspect).

[Josh]

hmmm.....the pitchfork review has me skeptical (although I'm not much of a pitchfork fan) lyrics like "I was sure she would be my girl" I mean he will never be mistaken for a good songwriter but come on.......sure the music is probably better than most of whats on  popular rock radio but the whole "she screwed me over thing" played over and over again doesnt sit well with me.  I'm too picky    

You're right, Matt-- these guys are not great songwriters. But I don't think it's quite as bad as you make it out to be; very few (like, maybe one or two, tops) of these songs are about lost love. They touch on some less familiar themes, and some of it comes off pretty well.

[Josh]