Starsailor: James Walsh, James Stelfox, Ben Bryne, Barry Westhead.

Despite their enormous success in their native England and their inroads into the US market, Starsailor defies expectations at every turn. While the group takes its name from one of Tim Buckley's most experimental albums, there's nothing remotely Buckley-like or experimental about their sound. And though the quartet is often lumped in with Britpoppers, they share neither the laddish anthems and Beatles obsessions of Oasis nor the friendly pop sensibilities of Travis and Coldplay. Instead, Starsailor offers a moody brand of folk-rock that brings late-period Cat Stevens to mind more than any of the band's contemporaries. With a chiming, organic mix of electric and acoustic guitars and '70s-sounding keyboards, LOVE IS HERE takes the listener through an often angst-ridden series of emotional extremes while never becoming too sonically taxing.

What the critics say...

Rolling Stone (1/17/02, p.53) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...[They] show a flair for melodramatic modern rock....decidedly British, balancing fey shoegazer misery and sunny acoustic-guitar strumming..."
Entertainment Weekly (12/20-27/02, p.126) - Ranked #3 on EW's list of 2002's "Albums of the Year" - "...The most beautifully intense of this year's nonstop parade of British guitar bands..."
Uncut (11/01, p.112) - 3 1/2 stars out of 5 - "...A stream of aching, acoustic-based songs of strife and suffering....It's that voice which ups the ante..."
Alternative Press (2/02, p.80) - 8 out of 10 - "...Taking its cues from straightforward rock'n'roll...there's nothing fancy or flashy about Starsailor, but LOVE IS HERE definitely does the trick."
NME (Magazine) (12/29/01, p.59) - Ranked #5 in NME's 50 "Albums Of the Year 2001"