Silence Is Easy

by Starsailor

Overview

Starsailor's sophomore effort, Silence Is Easy, was hotly anticipated largely upon the announcement that the melodic and earnest quartet from Chorley, England, would be working with legendary producer Phil Spector. It also didn't hurt that Starsailor's debut release, Love Is Here, was generally received upon its release as one of the best British rock albums of 2002. Built around the songwriting and lead vocals of James Walsh, the band fit nicely alongside similarly minded mellow Brits Doves and Coldplay. Mixing alternative rock aesthetics with a melodic pop sensibility, Silence Is Easy finds the band in pretty much the same place as before with slightly better songwriting, a more mature vocal performance by Walsh, and tastefully grandiose production. It's also clear from the cover art alone -- a pristinely epic photo of the band by water that veritably screams Heaven Up Here -- that Echo & the Bunnymen is, along with Spector, a main influence here. It makes sense: the Bunnymen's use of strings, horns, and chugging beats always seemed like a direct outgrowth of Spector's Brill Building "Wall of Sound" aesthetic. The bookend-like influence on Starsailor feels serendipitous. Even Walsh's delivery, which bordered on the relentlessly nasal on Love Is Here, here reveals the flush of Ian McCulloch's bluesy baritone. The 11 tracks here, including the two Spector-produced numbers, are heartfelt, melodic rockers with some string backgrounds that fit well into the overall aesthetic of cinematic pop romanticism. ~ Matt Collar

Product Details

Release Date:	11/17/2023
Label:	Parlophone / Plg
UPC:	5054197710711

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Starsailor   Primary Artist,Vocals
Emily Frith   Viola
Anna Giddey   Violin
Lucy Theo   Viola
Clare Raybould   Violin
Wendy DeSaint Paer   Violin
Emily Isaac   Cello,Viola
Alison Blunt   Violin
Brian Wright   Violin
Louise Peacock   Violin
Tim Myall   Violin
Anna Morris   Violin
Fiona Griffith   Viola
Ruth Gottlieb   Violin
Brian G. Wright   Violin
Sophie Sarota   Viola
Katherine Watmough   Violin
Sarah Willson   Cello
Vince Greene   Viola
James Walsh   Piano,Guitar,Vocals
Yvonne Laing   Vocals
Wendy De St Paer   Violin
Luis Jardin   Percussion
Andy Nice   Cello,Viola
Calina de la Mare   Violin
Luis Jardim   Percussion
Sara Wilson   Viola
Leo Abrahams   Director,Conductor
Sally Herbert   Violin
Gini Ball   Violin
Ben Byrne   Drums,Rubboard,Percussion
Barry Westhead   Organ,Piano,Synthesizer
Howard Gott   Violin
Sophie Sirota   Viola
Arnulf Lindner   Double Bass
Catherine Browning   Violin
Ian Burdge   Cello,Viola
James Stelfox   Bass,Guitar (Bass)
Gillon Cameron   Violin
Vincent Greene   Viola
Louis Jardine   Percussion
Helen Thomas   Cello,Viola
Fiona Griffiths   Viola
Rob Spriggs   Viola

Technical Credits

Rick Guest   Photography
Miles Showell   Mastering,Mastering Engineer
Keith Wozencroft   A&R
Jeff Barrett   A&R
Chris Brown   Engineer
James Walsh   Composer,Producer,Group Member
Paul Hicks   Engineer
Starsailor   Composer,Producer
Greg Calbi   Mastering,Mastering Engineer
Leo Abrahams   String Arrangements
Soulsavers   Mixing
Michael Brauer   Mixing
John Dunne   Programming
Ben Byrne   Composer,Producer,Group Member
Nathaniel Chan   Assistant,Personal Assistant
Barry Westhead   Composer,Producer,Group Member
Danton Supple   Engineer,Producer
Britt Myers   Engineer
Chris Bolster   Assistant,Personal Assistant
Phil Spector   Producer
John Leckie   Engineer,Producer
James Stelfox   Composer,Producer,Group Member
Adam Noble   Assistant,Personal Assistant
Mark Aubrey   Engineer,Producer