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Starsailor

Meet the new Supertramp, far more trampy than super, and much more melodramatic than a dorm-full of starry-eyed, angst-ridden film students. British, too. Wee-yo. The media is pumped for these nimrods, what with Super Sensitive Guys like Cold-play and Travis sweepin' the nation with their gently weepin' guitars. Starsailor's the same way; just add loungey piano and whinier, more vibrato-obsessed vocals.

The devotion to U2 is obvious on Love Is Here (it's all you can't leave behind), but the execution is woefully botched -- not enough star power, not enough memorable hooks, not enough horse sense propping up those Super Sensitive Lyrics. Sunny pop tunes like "Lullaby" might get yer blood pumping (gee-tar solo!), but the words laid atop 'em range from silly ("Don't you know you got your daddy's eyes / your daddy was an alcoholic") to downright soul-destroying.

Hit the deck, kids: "Way to Fall," a ballad dripping in emotive goo before the vocals even kick in, contains the most absurdly whiny limey lyrics, ever. Morrissey, nothin'.

The chorus counsels thus:

"Oh!"

"I've got something in my throat!"

"I need to be alone!"

"While I suffer!"

Oh, my goodness. Whatever sun-kissed California classic rock vibe Starsailor can muster gets bitch- slapped by such cheeseball nonsense. The piano riffs on Love Is Here might sway old Supertramp devotees, but these boys take the long way home and get mugged by maudlin Britpop dwarves along the way.

We all indulge our inner angst- ridden film student. We all have our cross to bear. Don't you go carrying anyone else's. I don't care how cute he is.

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Rob Harvilla
Contact: Rob Harvilla