January 2002
Clear sailing
Much-hyped Brits weather storms of praise, criticism
Starsailor's James Walsh has an axiom by which all rock's successes -- and failures -- could be judged. "Pet Sounds was a flop when it came out," the 21-year-old singer-guitarist for the much-hyped British band is saying over the phone from Vancouver. Starsailor are at the Kool Haus tomorrow, opening for The Charlatans.
"Not that we're anywhere near as good as Pet Sounds. But it's something to remember."
Philosophical pinches of salt like that have no doubt helped Starsailor weather the storm of praise and routine slagging that's swelled around them lo the past 300 days.
Hailing from the Northern English town of Wigan -- home of The Verve -- the four former music college students began 2001 as just another "band to watch." Not uncommon for a band with a demo-turned-hit in the Top 20 and a fresh deal with EMI in their back pocket. By spring, they were being trumpeted, in a manner that only Britain's hyperbole-prone music press could muster, as The Best New Band In Britain.
Of course, Starsailor's debut album Love Is Here -- released in Britain last fall and in North America last week -- hadn't hit the streets before things were in recoil and, even as the group's soft-rock explorations pulled in new fans, some critics and rival bands got the knives out. One paper went as far as describing their sound as having "no genitals."
"What's kind of gratifying about some of the criticism is that it's been so harsh that we must make people feel uncomfortble," the affable Walsh says. "I think that's a much stronger reaction and emotion in people than pure indifference. If you've got a voice that people either love or hate, it's much more powerful."
Walsh's stance toughens slightly when Starsailor's originality itself is questioned. The band's intricate, downbeat ballads have been widely lumped in with that of Brit neo-soft-rockers Coldplay, Travis, and David Gray -- the "this year's Coldplay" tag has been trotted out so often the two bands might as well be re-named Starplay and Coldsailor.
While those comparisons stand, Walsh's elastic falsetto and the group's layered songs evoke more of The Verve, Jeff Buckley, and The Waterboys at their most vast. They even plucked their name from an early '70s album by Jeff's dad, Tim Buckley.
"The Coldplay and Travis thing is frustrating because we're coming at it from such a different angle," Walsh says. "No disrespect to Coldplay, but the setup of the band is different. We were formed in a music college, and each member has been at their instrument since not long after they were walking. I think Coldplay are more based around a songwriter."
North American reviews for Love Is Here have been more on-the-fence: Walsh's croon takes some getting used to, and there's a prevailing notion that he's got some growing to do as a writer.
That said, the fact that Starsailor have made it onto radio over here with something as catchy and musically deep as current single Good Souls -- particularly in territory owned by "lunk-rock" -- shows they're fighting the good fight.
You get a clear sense that Walsh is geared for growth.
"We're already getting to that middle period where we have to stand our ground," he says. "Once something goes beyond the underground and normal people start to listen to it, the cool people kind of turn their back until further down the line and they realize that you survived.
"If you want to be original, there's no point in trying to sway people or alter the music."
