In the crossfire is the big anthemic opening track, typical Starsailor. Counterfeit Life has a very mid-career Steriophonics sound to it spiked as it is with heavier guitars than is their usual trade-mark. In my blood has a nice rolling drum loop and not much more making it an essentially forgettable album track. Faith Hope Love is trying for a harder, rockier sound that doesn't quite hit the mark. Don't Know is a bit of a non-entity of a track, in my opinion the 2nd forgettable album track. Way back home Instantly sounds interesting and makes you want to listen with a Muse type moment halfway in, which actually works quite well. This is a big and noisy track, something that Starsailor seem to be pulling off increasingly well. Keep us Together is a song I first heard at V festival 2004 and it's a truly great live track. The bass line does sound uncannily similar to The Stereophonic's - Roll Up and Shine, albeit a slightly softer version. I'm starting to see a bit of a pattern here - are Starsailor morphing into a pre-2000 Steriophonics? Get out while you can - is their 3rd dull and forgettable track. This Time Is an up tempo track but disappointingly, the verses sound better than the chorus which is a little weak and needs something stronger. White Light is an alright track, but nothing special. Jeremiah is the slow and melancholic acoustic closing track.
Taken as a whole, On The Outside, their third album sounds much more confident and James Walsh's vocals are strong and varied. Are Starsailor finally developing a rock n' roll attitude? Their overall sound remains essentially unchanged but there are small glimpses of a slightly bigger, rockier future sound to come.
The album in general has a few shining stars, but on the whole there is not much there to make you want to listen unless you are an established fan. Nothing is really that engaging, nothing sounds that different. The good tracks on the album really are very good (Way back home, Counterfeit Life, in the Crossfire) but I can't say more than that. The albums just not that brilliant, not outstanding in any way.
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Perhaps there's something just a little bit autobiographical to be deduced from the album ... more
title. Starsailors third albumOn The Outsidefinds yesterday's next-big-thing fighting a defiant rear guard action against fading fortunes and particularly the tep...
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Perhaps there's something just a little bit autobiographical to be deduced from the album ... more
title. Starsailors third album On The Outside finds yesterday's next-big-thing fighting a defiant rear guard action against fading fortunes and particularly the t...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Perhaps there's something just a little bit autobiographical to be deduced from the album ... more
title. Starsailors third albumOn The Outsidefinds yesterday's next-big-thing fighting a defiant rear guard action against fading fortunes and particularly the tep...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Perhaps there's something just a little bit autobiographical to be deduced from the album ... more
title. Starsailors third album On The Outside finds yesterday's next-big-thing fighting a defiant rear guard action against fading fortunes and particularly the t...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Advantages: A great return, A less depressing sound, still same passion. Disadvantages: Too short.
extinctmadcat 10.02.2006 (10.02.2006)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful
Review of On The Outside - Starsailor
Advantages: A great return, A less depressing sound, still same passion. Disadvantages: Too short.
extinctmadcat 10.02.2006 (10.02.2006)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful
Review of On The Outside - Starsailor
Oct 18th, 2005
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