On the Outside

So it’s decided: loud is the new quiet. There’s no room for dispute when former purveyors of indie’s finest whine Starsailor start churning out mountain-sized rawk anthems like they’re on a right royal mission to put U2 out of jobs. When they began in 2001, they were considered to be the sleepy person’s version of Coldplay – and for that you’d have to be comatose – but now they're back with a new improved ‘go get em’ attitude and a theme of hope and optimism: they’ve even helpfully called a song ‘Faith Hope Love’. It comes as no surprise, then, that the album was recorded in America’s sunny LA (their view of it? “Los Angeles is good, but not as good as Manchester. Rodeo Drive is like a poor man’s King’s St.”).
Lead single ‘In The Crossfire’ is also the album’s opener, and serves to highlight what’s different about the band’s third term. Essentially, there’s more edge – especially in James Walsh’s vocals – they’ve discovered the useful musical effect known as a guitar riff, and though they were never short of a tune or two, every song included (bar closer ‘Jeremiah’, the only ballad) is worthy of looped radio play, such is the quality and consistency.
It’s probably not the most cerebrally challenging album in world history, but what they lack in slow-burning substance, they make up for in serotonin-inducing, anthemic treats that you crave when you should be on a strict diet of Bob Dylan and Arcade Fire. Refreshing stuff.