Album Review

Starsailor – All The Plans

• 10th Mar 2009

Some people say that it is better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all, and it appears that Starsailor would well and truly agree. On this their fourth full-length studio album, tales of heartbreak and political disillusionment transport us to the land of the stars and stripes, the whisky-soaked desert highway bar and, unfortunately for Starsailor, the land of the rolling tumbleweed…

Opener ‘Tell Me It’s Not Over’ is a promising start to an album which fails to live up to the sum of its many parts. A solid, piano-laden hook and James Walsh’s trademark soulful vocals just about keep it on the right side of mediocrity, but what could have been a heartfelt ballad suffers from clumsy production, making any emotion seem contrived and drowning what melody there is in a swathe of cymbals and unnecessary reverb.

‘Boy in Waiting’, however, is a much more stripped-down affair, and for all its subtleties is one of the strongest tracks on the album. A short and sweet tale of Hollywood romance, made all the more charming by layers of playful acoustic guitars, gospel choir and sleigh bells.

Starsailor’s venture into political commentary on ‘Stars and Stripes’ provides the only other real contender for sparking an interest in the passing listener. With Walsh’s hushed, almost conspiratorial tone creating an unusually sinister edge, he warns “the stars and stripes won’t keep you warm at night.” A bold message indeed, which is no doubt well-meant, but appears somewhat misplaced, especially as the nation in question seems to have so publicly changed for the better in recent times.

From here on in though, Starsailor revert back to their original formula of overstating the obvious, plumping for the overblown and refusing to acknowledge that the quieter, mellow moments are often where they shine. What could be delicate touches to highlight the blues influence running throughout are emphasised to the point of near self-parody (the Spaghetti Western guitar of ‘The Thames’ being a key example).

Overall, ‘All the Plans’ is a frustrating listen, it presents us with glimpses of the band they could become, before quickly shrouding them in bland, unimaginative arrangements and clunky production, almost as if they want to ride off into the sunset, unnoticed by the record buying public.