Albums of the week: Starsailor - All The Plans & The Annie Lennox Collection

Mar 12 2009

Entert@inment Music

Starsailor - All The Plans *****

DARLINGS of the music press back in 2001, the Starsailor of 2009 find themselves in a different position.

After their last misfiring album, All The Plans can be seen as something of a comeback. It's also a return to form, as, while the Chorley lads may have lost a little ground, they've not lost their way with emotional, melodic music. The title track, which boasts an appearance from Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood, could be Oasis at their most anthemic, while James Walsh's voice has rarely sounded better than it does on Hurts Too Much. The real stars of the show are the rootsy Stars And Stripes and the album's penultimate track Listen Up, which might be the best song the band ever wrote.

Annie Lennox

The Annie Lennox Collection

IT'S hard to feign surprise when looking at the track-listing of this album, it has exactly what you'd expect, the marvelous Why and No More I Love You's, alongside other hits such as Little Bird and A Thousand Beautiful Things. If you're a fan then you'll love this album. There is a surprise at the end of the album, you absolutely must listen to her version of the Ash song, Shining Light, it's both equally amazing and terrible.

*****

Vetiver

Tight Knit

SUB Pop is not are cord label known for its chilled-out folk, but here we have singer/songwriter Andy Cabic and his friends doing just that. Those familiar with the Jack Johnson-like gentle sounds of old will be pleased to find they haven't ripped up the form book too much here, although Sister trundlesa long with as lightly boppier beat, while the uplifting ethereal strains that weave in and out of Down From Above complement their sound brilliantly.

This is the type of music you could happily nod off to on a summer's day.

*****

Rod Stewart

Unplugged...And Remastered

THIS acoustic album, are mastered version of the 1993 LA show for MTV's Unplugged, will help you remember Rod as a fine musician. Rod revisits timeless classics like Hot Legs and Maggie May with former Faces band mate Ron Wood.

They even amaze with their spirited renditions of Curtis Mayfield's People Get Ready and Sam Cooke's Having A Party.

*****