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Rating:
"The Starsailor drink a couple of Red Bulls before grabbing their instruments and offering a dignified and energetic follow-up to Love Is Here"
...Nothing blatantly chaotic, mind you: there's not a single song that makes you shake your head frenetically and scream YYYYYOOOOAAAAAA (any reference...), but there has been a small change and you can feel it.
The sound of the British band is much more aggressive, the ballads give way to songs structured in a more complex way, and finally the bass plays more intricate phrases beyond the usual four chords in succession.
New sounds are introduced: ethnic percussion alternates with very interesting drum loops; suddenly everything gives way to an orchestra of violins led by a perfect melody carried forward by an electric piano (Four To The Floor).
There are also almost gospel-like choirs that give a nice "solemnity" effect to the group's music, without ever spilling over into the ridiculous (Born Again). Strangely, the weakest song seems to be "White Dove", one of the two produced by Phil Spector before venturing into the trial where he was charged with murder.
On the other hand, it can be said that the single "Silence Is Easy", which follows the musical structure of "Good Souls" (a kind of crescendo march led by the bass), effectively conveys the overall sound of the album.
Somewhere I read that James Walsh's voice in this album always retains its very particular timbre, abandoning that whining and sometimes annoying tone that was perhaps too present in Love Is Here.
Absolutely true, the proof lies in the opening track of the album "Music Was Saved," the fastest and most upbeat composition the band has written so far, which very closely resembles the Beatles in their more "Angry" melodic songs.
The drums and percussion are the instruments that stand out the most in the work, for the energy transmitted and for the variety of rhythms and different sounds presented to the listener.
Those who liked Love Is Here will not be disappointed at all with its follow-up, which is much more engaging.
Gentle rock: not refined like that of Coldplay, not whispered like that of Travis, maybe a bit rough, but certainly, in this episode, varied and beautiful in its entirety.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Music Was Saved (03:01)
If life is a carnival
Can I stay here a while?
And I feel I'm about to go down
About to down
If love is a Ferris wheel
Can I see how I feel?
She's taking me up
But she don't even care to go down
Care to go down
Oh my friends, we landed in December
It is something for you to remember
Rushes were made and music was saved
One, two, three, she's riding up to heaven
Four, five, six, and right up to eleven
Rushes were made, and music was saved
Back on the ground again
Excuses are wearing thin
They came with the band
But they're out with the winter for now
Losing it now
Remember when I was young
Trying to be someone
Boy on his heels
I was never the toast of the town
Look at me now.
02 Fidelity (02:24)
You take me 'cause your neighbour does not see.
That would seem like lunacy to me.
This is my head, you're in my world.
And there's no one but you girl.
This is my head, you're in my world.
And there's no one but you girl.
Tie your lover down while you are free.
That would seem like pure hipocracy.
(2x)
This is my head, you're in my world.
And there's no one but you girl.
This is my head, you're in my world.
And there's no one but you girl.
04 Silence Is Easy (03:42)
Silence Is Easy
Everybody says that they're looking for a shelter
Got a lot to give
But I don't know how to help her
I should just let it go
'Til they learn how to grow
And how to liberate
Everybody says that she's looking for a shelter
Got a lot to give
But I don't know how I felt her
They should just let it go
Till these cities learn to grow
And how to liberate
Silence is easy
It just becomes me
You don't even know me
You all lie about me
Everybody says that I'm looking for a home now
Looking for a boy or I'm looking for a girl now
But I can still let it go
I can still learn to grow
Into a child again
Silence is easy
It just becomes me
You don't even know me
But why lie about me?
Silence is easy
It just becomes me
You don't even know me
Why do you hate me?
Silence is easy
It just becomes me
You don't even know me
You all lie about me
Silence is easy
It just becomes me
You don't even know me
You all lie about me
06 Shark Food (03:37)
Sunshine in the glory skies
When the broken men open up their eyes
Sunshine in the glory skies
When the day is long, the clouds are high
Sunshine in the glory skies
When the broken men open up their eyes
Sunshine in the glory skies
When the day is long, the clouds are high
We're stepping through the door
We're shooting from the heart
But if we get it wrong
They'll feed us to the sharks
We're stepping through the door
We're shooting from the heart
But if we get it wrong
They'll feed us to the sharks.
09 Four to the Floor (04:15)
With hand on heart your right from the start,
you taught me to take my part.
No cross to bear, no reason to care, my life was all up in air,
Four to the floor, I was sure, never seeing clear,
I could have it all, whenever you are near.
The iron hand did not understand the plight of the common man.
Four to the floor I was sure, never seeing clear,
I could have it all whenever you are near.
Four to the floor I was sure, that you would be my girl,
we'd rent a little world, have a little girl.
Four to the floor I was sure, never seeing clear,
I could have it all if only you were here.
Four to the floor I was sure that you would be my girl,
we'd rent a little world, have a little girl.
Four to the floor I was sure never seeing clear,
I could have it all whenever you are near.
10 Born Again (06:05)
But for the grace of God she'd cry herself to sleep
Because the grace of God is something she can keep
Ohhh it won't be long until their hold is broken
Ohhh it won't be long until we've found our home
It's for the good of you I sing sweet melody
They'll cast the first stone when the last one's out of reach
Ohhh it won't be long until their hold is broken
Ohhh it won't be long until we've found our home
Forget where to begin
Brother I have not sinned
I have not sinned
But for the grace of God she'd cry herself to sleep
But now the grace of God is the reason that she weeps
Ohhh it won't be long until their hold is broken
Ohhh it won't be long until we've found our home
When summer comes - light my life - snow will melt away
When summer comes - light my life - snow will melt away
I was born again I was born again
Not into the world they put me in
She was born again she was born again
Not into the world they put her in
I was born again I was born again
Not into the world they put me in
She was born again, she was born again
Not into the world they put her in
11 Restless Heart (02:01)
She stayed till the morning
Left with her soul intact
Something was forming
I asked her if she'd come back
My restless heart beats like a wantan drum
Tear me apart, say I'm your only one
She stayed till the morning
Left with her soul intact
Something was forming
I asked her if she'd come back
My restless heart beats like a wantan drum
Take this to heart, say I'm your only one
Say I'm your only one
Say I'm your only one
Say I'm your only one
Say I'm your heart.
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Other reviews
By marcmat
An album teeming with interesting tracks, rich in melody and interpreted with "strength" by James Walsh’s seductive vocals.
You fall in love with them and then pretend nothing happened shyly. Hide away, they’re only yours, exclusively yours, at least for today.
By Brahms
With this album, Starsailor have demonstrated their full command of musical writing combined with a sense of interiority uncommon in other bands.
"Born Again" is a truly spectacular piece that speaks of rebirth and redemption.
