Search - Starsailor :: On the Outside (Chi)

I Hear Them Screaming on the Radio

Scooter McGavin | Ohio | 08/26/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Starsailor broke out in England and had massive success earlier this decade right around the same time as another melodic band from that country, Coldplay. But unlike Chris Martin and the boys, Starsailor's debut single stateside, Good Souls, failed to get as much play as Yellow and their follow up Silence Is Easy wise widely ignored here two years ago as another similar band Keane gain notoriety with Somewhere Only We Know. Now Starsailor is back to see if the third time is truly the charm with the release of On the Outside.



On the new album the band takes a decided harder sound, but instead of the crunching guitars or piano that Coldplay in known for, Starsailor instead assaults you with a wall of noise. Not coincidentally the inventor of the Wall of Sound, Phil Spector helmed their previous two albums, but wasn't around for this one. Instead the disk was produced by Rob Schnaph who has worked with the like of Beck and Elliot Smith. The one-two punch of In the Crossfire and Counterfeit Life come out you full force while lead singer James Welsh is found screaming at times which only builds the effect even more and isn't afraid to reach for notes throughout the album. The emotion in the music and the singing never lets down on the whole album which could be attributed to the record being record live in the studio.



But it's not all a melodic wall of noise, I Don't Know is a straight ahead rocker filtered through American blues that is reminiscent to mid-eighties U2. Get out While You Can goes from a haunting acoustic guitar and piano verse to a more melodic chorus and back again. Jeremiah is a slow moving acoustic song with a lyric, "And every time I see the sun go down I think of you," that can easily get stick in your head and is a great way to cap off the album (bonus track excluded). Speaking of the bonus track, Empty Streets, it is the closest song on the album that has the same melodic feel as previous works such as Good Souls.



There is anger in the lyrics that coincide with the harder sound whether it's love, "See that poor girl with the glint in her eye, she could turn you that way" (I Don't Know), political, "I don't see myself when I look at the flag. Thank God for that" (In the Crossfire), globalization, "A war for corporate glory re-told as a fairy story" (Counterfeit Life), and life itself, "Tired of living in this modern land, too many ideals to meet with its demands" (Faith Love Hope). On the Outside may be a step backwards in trying to get commercial success stateside, but it is a step in making better music."

An Album Worthy of a Great Live Artist

T. Birk | Bellevue, NE United States | 07/05/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Starsailor is first and foremost a band best experienced live. Audiences are drawn to the raw energy of the band, especially lead vocalist James Walsh. With their first two albums, it seemed difficult for the band to replicate the potency of their live performances. "Good Souls" from Starsailor's debut album Love is Here is a good example. This song, which ends each live performance is well-written and well-rendered on the album, but lacks the energy cum edginess immediately apparent when heard live.



On the Outside on the other hand, comes much closer to proffering the listener a sense of the live Starsailor. It has a raw, immediate feel to it, yet it does not forgo a tightness and flow that also marks their live appearances. Until Starsailor releases a live concert album, On the Outside is an excellent effort. Starsailor fans will see it as yet another step in their maturation as artists, and newcomers will receive a great introduction to the band.



Note: If you are unfamiliar with Starsailor, you might recognize the first track of On the Outside, "In the Crossfire." It has been getting airplay on alternative stations in the States, they performed it for their Tonight Show appearance last summer, and it was featured on the CBS television network promoting its Sunday night fall lineup. After their own tour in the States and Canada, Starsailor also supported James Blunt during a portion of his U.S. concert tour late in 2006. Just recently they opened for the Stones in Europe."