Starsailor Message Board

[more matey]

NEW SINGLE VIDEO LINK HERE: http://de.video.yahoo.com/watch/4251556/11429793

Well I thought it was about time to have a thread discussing the new album. What it will be like, release date, tracks, etc. If you find any additional info please also add. I'll edit my post with updates. Here's what we know so far:

Title: "All The Plans".

Release Date: As of 20/03/08, the album is officially finished!***** . Album has been delayed due to massive upheavels in EMI at the moment and also I suspect a lot of manpower being used up by the new Coldplay album (which is crucial to EMI's future economic survival/prosperity).

The end result of this is that they are now with "Virgin Records" - here's Boo's (the MB moderator) explanation:

Virgin are a division of EMI and in a recent re-organisation, Starsailor were moved to that part of the company - so they're with the same label company as such, just a different department. EMI are split into different brands/labels and Virgin is one of them.

Album CONFIRMED for release on 2nd March 2009 preceded by "Tell Me It's Not Over" released as the first single in on the 23rd February 2009.


Producer: Steve Osborne ***(who of course produced Love Is Here - which makes sense given the albums "sound" - read below) and assisted by engineer Dan Austin*****.

The album has been a lengthy recording process taking in the following studios: Real World, The Doghouse, Sofa Sound and Eastcote. When you think that they started recording in January 2007 and finished in March 2008, 15 months is quite a long time for the band to record an album by their previous standards. As James said, "we have spent a lot longer writing and recording this one"*****. Both "Love Is Here" and "On The Outside" were recorded in 10 weeks! Of course the recording of "Silence Is Easy" was a completely different story.


Sound: Lyrically "married life and international politics are some of the key ingredients" and musically "lot of soul to the new album. We've tried to write classic songs" *.

However Im sure a lot of fans will be excited by the following "It's closer in spirit to the first album - it's got real soul to it. We've gone more for the emotional, tugging at the heartstrings approach. We went off on a bit of a rock tangent on the last album. It was good fun but it's time to get back to our roots.**

"There has been an emphasis on strong melodies and simple arrangements for this album.....we have spent a lot longer writing .....this one and the result is the perfect companion to 'Love Is Here.’*****

Click below to watch a very good interview with James where he discusses the new album (amongst other things):
http://www.tiscali.co.uk/broadband/vhub/index.html?bb=1&channel=&id=5223

Tracks: 25 tracks were demoed******* and "16 songs which have been recorded to date" * presumably include the below tracks which James has previously said have been considered for inclusion:

Rebel Blues
Miss You
Here's To The Man
Change My Mind
Tell Me It's Not Over- Listen here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5YmPH1JBQ8
Lyrics here - http://forums.starsailor.net/viewtopic.php?t=7791
Let Go
Do You Believe In Love?
Won't Stop Now
Boy In Waiting - A gorgeous song thats a real grower the more you listen, with piano, acoustic guitar, light drums and tambourine (live anyway). Should be great recorded. Maybe because of the "Boy" reference but reminds me of U2. See bottom of this post for lyrics.
Wrong Side of Life
Barriemoor Forest - surely named after Barriemore Barlow? ****
For more info see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barriemore_Barlow
All The Plans We Made - James played this live as a solo acoustic number on the Autumn tour (in 2007!). Just my personal opinion, its the song I like the least of the three new songs Ive listened to, although the recorded version could, of course, change that opinion. See bottom of this post for lyrics. Ronnie Wood provided slide guitar for the song. The full band (and presumably album) version has an almost Gram Parsons country feel to it. *******

In addition to the above on Monday 25th February 2008 James played an acoustic set at The Social in London. Whilst playing "Tell Me Its Not Over", "Boy In Waiting" and "All The Plans We Made", he also played 3 other new songs, which according to a message on the bands myspace are called:

Hurts Too Much - According to board member "Emma" this song was recorded that day on 25/02/08. As the new album is already well into the mixing stage at this point, that means this song was either a) just too good to be left of the record and had to be recorded post-mixing or b) they were recording future b-sides. James does have a history of playing b-sides live before they have been released - see "From A Whisper To A Scream" and "Always".

Since I wrote the above this song has, of course, been confirmed for release on the new album and a superb live recording from the mentioned social gig has been released on youtube by the bands new record label. Listen here to it - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=tHBmdAOUEPM

Keep The Blues Away (which may or may not be a re-titled "Rebel Blues")

Stars & Stripes - A song about America that James said at the gig was "not entirely positive".

Board member "Emma" described all 3 songs above as having "the emotional intensitity of Love Is Here". Which is absolutely consistent with what James has been saying for the last year or so.

POSSIBLE TRACKLISTING! On 20/03/08 James provided a huge update, explaining they have recorded 16 songs and that 12 have been deemed "contenders" for the album, which will be cut down to 11 tracks*******. Here is a list of the "contenders" (I think James has left one off the list):

Tell Me Its Not Over # (announced by the band for release as the lead single in late February 2009). There are tons of different live versions of this all over the Internet - I think absolute radio (formerly virgin radio) for instance has got a couple on their website. This is one my favourite recordings of it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5YmPH1JBQ8
Boy In Waiting #
All The Plans #
The Thames
Hurts Too Much - Listen here - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=tHBmdAOUEPM
You Never Get What You Deserve
Listen Up
Under A Neon Sky
Safe At Home
Change My Mind #
Stars and Stripes #

# - see post higher up for further details/info.

Looking at that potential tracklisting and James comments about wanting to write "classic songs", one thing that again strikes me, as noticed by others on the board, is the U2 feel - titles like "Boy In Waiting" and "Under A Neon Sky" could easily have come from "Unforgettable Fire" or "The Joshua Tree".

OFFICIAL TRACKLISTING

1. Tell Me It's Not Over
2. Boy In Waiting
3. The Thames
4. All The Plans
5. Neon Sky
6. You Never Get What You Deserve
7. Hurts Too Much
8. Stars and Stripes
9. Change My Mind
10. Listen Up
11. Safe At Home

Additonal Info: Its being recorded in Henley and Rich Warren is helping out in the studio! *** "According to James, the guitar playing of Richard Warren has definitely enhanced the sound" *****
"Boy In Waiting" and "All The Plans We Made" are James "personal favourites"**** Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones has also helped out with the album, working with the band for a week in the studio ******

* http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/entertainment/music/rock_and_pop/s/1017885_starsailor_steer_a_course_for_success
** http://living.scotsman.com/music.cfm?id=1554932007
*** http://forums.starsailor.net/viewtopic.php?t=7876
**** http://forums.starsailor.net/viewtopic.php?t=7985
***** http://forums.starsailor.net/viewtopic.php?t=8012
****** http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/bizarre/article1093565.ece
******* http://www.spin.com/articles/exclusive-new-starsailor-album-nearly-finished
********http://www.virginradio.co.uk/player/5856/backstage_interview_at_v2008.html:sd


Lyrics for "All The Plans We Made" - credit to board member "mojopin":

You were on the left
with anger in your heart
I was on the right
to paranoid to start
we are much to young
for anything to break
and all the plans we made

Lets get into the season
where we can find ourselves
no rhyme or any reason
to stay up on the shelves
we are much to young
for anything to break
and all the plans we made

I want you not to go on
cherishing your broken heart
so put that last drink down and
find a better place to start

I'm gunna win your heart

you were on the left
I was on the right
no way to recompense
what went down last night
we are much to young
for anything to break
and all the plans we made

I want you not to go on
cherishing your broken heart
so put that last drink down and
find a better place to start

I'm gunna win your heart
I'm gunna win your heart

Oooohhh


Lyrics for "Boy In Waiting" - credit to board member "mojopin":

Oh the firelight
will soon be right
will soon be right
oh your heart and mine
will soon be mine
will soon be mine

I wanna be your lover
(hollywood),I would?
I wanna write the one that
cuts just like it should
I wanna stand together
by your side

I'm the boy in waiting
and I'm still waiting

Oh the heights we climb
from time to time
from time to time
oh your heart and mine
will soon be mine
will soon be mine

I wanna be your lover
(Hollywood) I would?
I wanna write the one that
cuts just like it should
I wanna stand together
by your side

I'm the boy in waiting
and I'm still waiting

ooohhh's and woohhh's

[SSimay]

Yep...

I have been excited since "Beginning of next year" JW 21/05 "
_________________

...Come to Turkey...

[peeps]

James sounded excited about the producer and was looking for guesses as to who it would be.

Mines is Eminem

[dodovox]

[Emmi]

[Vayo73]

January I guess...

I just can't wait, I'm sure it's going to be brilliant!!
_________________
When I'm falling, I can rarely see the ground... Who will be around? You will be around...

[alvarosanab]

January please I hope it would be next january

[more matey]

I would suspect more likely February 2008, purely because January is such a "dead" month for the record industry - both in releases and in touring - because everyone is skint!

[dodovox]

I will be so long until february ...
_________________
Turn your head to face the sun
And love will keep you safe...

[alvarosanab]

[IAmKloot]

hope hope hope for beginnin of the year
_________________
A Libertine Is A Dissolute Person.
A Person Who Is Morally Restrained.
A Libertine is A FREETHINKER.

[more matey]

Not an update but more an opinion - "Tell Me Its Not Over" is an absolute beast of a song!! Just absolutely massive!!! Surely even at this early stage a candidate for first single?

[SSimay]

[apus]

oops sorry could you erase that please
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[apus]