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Track Listings
| 1. Music Was Saved |
| 2. Fidelity |
| 3. Some Of Us |
| 4. Silence Is Easy |
| 5. Telling Them |
| 6. Shark Food |
| 7. Bring My Love |
| 8. White Dove |
| 9. Four To The Floor |
| 10. Born Again |
| 11. Restless Heart |
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
But what about the tunes? The felicitous numbers mark a break from the past and consolidate on Starsailor's previous successes. "Bring Me Love" is all unfettered gaiety; not only is it delirious with strings of the pizzicato and soaring variety, it's also enlivened with happy chatter about ringing bells, moons and meadows and is only a couple of skipping milkmaids short of passing off as an old English folk song about courtship. Oddly, it really does sound like Echo and the Bunnymen on Prozac. "Four to the Floor", meanwhile, is the most celebratory thing Starsailor have ever put their name to. With its funky groove, Louis Clark-style disco string arrangements, bongos and lashings of mirror-ball cheese it even has the audacity to come out with a line as methodical as "I was sure she would be my girl" and get away with it. As has been highly publicised, reclusive production genius Phil Spector adds polish to two songs, while John Leckie and Danton Suppie oversee duties on the rest. While it seems Starsailor's development is going to be more incremental than hoped, Silence Is Easy is steady progress, a solid album that finds them moving forward without rocking the boat. --Kevin Maidment
Review
Silence Is Easy is captivating. From the opening track, "Music Was Saved", it's evident that this record is much livelier and more upbeat than its predecessor. The fresh approach must be partly attributed to a growing maturity.Now they're a successful band they seem happier. As front man James Walsh sings on current single and title track, "Silence is easy, it just becomes me." Simple lyrics maybe, but you sense that life wasn't always this straightforward for the band.
The group's new found confidence and experimental edge are evident throughout the album. "Fidelity", "Shark Food" and "Four To The Floor" all have more passion, more get up and go, than anything on Love Is Here. "Shark Food" uses the simple repetition of the synchronised guitar and chorus to draw the listener in. After a couple of plays I'm hooked. The lyrics remind us that they are still an emerging talent; "We are stepping through the door, we're shooting from the heart but if we get it wrong they'll feed us to the sharks."
The 'big sound' the band achieve on this record can be attributed to the polished production of legendary producers John Leckie (Stone Roses, Radiohead etc.) and Phil Spector (everyone from The Beatles to The Ramones). Spector produced the title track and "White Dove" before being inconveniently accused of murder.
Those wanting a second helping of "Love Is Here" will not be disappointed by "Some Of Us" and "Restless Heart" which remind me of The Verve's Urban Hymns. But Silence Is Easy has so much more to offer on many levels. If there is any expectation left to be met, it will be to wonder how Starsailor will manage to produce a third album to surpass this fantastic mix of tunes. --Louise Keeble
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Customer Reviews
Silence Is Easy feels 'tired' - like it took a lot of effort for the band to get through the tracks (and for me to listen to some of them). Singer James Walsh doesn't have much range to play with - which is not necessarily a problem - but when the musical arrangements wash him out, or make him sound like he's straining to keep up - something's definately not working (Music Was Saved, Four To The Floor did nothing for me). Redeeming tracks: Fidelity, Bring My Love, Silence is Easy and surprise, surprise, Shark Food.
I don't share some of the other folk's opinions about Starsailor's need to 'cheer up' or 'get pop'. I like them angsty, drifty, moody and a little dark. I truly hope they work with that - and don't develop into a 'happy little pop effort'.
If you want to spend wisely - my recommendation is go for their first CD, Love Is Here. If you do buy Silence Is Easy - give it a few tries before you relegate it to Mini-frisbee material ;)
The melodies are beautiful, some of the string arrangements are sensational and a shift from focusing on Jim's voice to emphasising the music itself not only makes for a fresher and more professional sound than on Love is Here but also hits back at those critics who thought Starsailor were just going to keep producing depressing and dark albums.
Uplifting, interesting and beautiful. Everything I like my music to be.
Certainly in places this album has significant highlights, on top of the lead single 'silence is easy' other tracks like 'born again', 'music was saved' and the disco-tinged 'four to the floor' are classic starsailor. However, in reference to becoming the band critics have tipped them to be it may not come from this album but this certainly shows promise for many good albums to come.
perhaps James needs a potential wedding to a hollywood superstar to make his band be heard across the world or maybe (and probably) he will let the music speak for itself. It took the Verve three albums i wouldnt bet against that being the case here.
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