Let’s take a walk down memory lane, 25 years ago – Starsailor’s debut album ‘Love Is Here’ was released and was one of the biggest albums of 2001. In fact, it went on to sell more than one million copies worldwide and has now amassed over 56 million streams on Spotify.
It’s hard to believe that 25 years have passed since its release; ‘Love Is Here’ feels as fresh and vital as ever, thanks to Starsailor’s timeless songwriting, led by James Walsh’s deeply personal lyrics and distinctive vocals.
Even through a 2026 lens, the album retains the emotional pull that first captured listeners, a testament to the enduring quality of its songs. To commemorate the milestone, Starsailor have released a remastered anniversary edition and hit the road once again for their ‘Starsailor With Strings: Love Is Here’ 25th Anniversary UK Tour, reimagining the album in a live setting with soaring orchestral arrangements under the direction of Joe Duddell.
Starsailor with strings – celebrating ‘Love Is Here’
Accompanied by the string ensemble – the Up North Session Orchestra, from the opening notes of ‘Alcoholic’ through to the encore of songs from subsequent albums, it was as if the audience was under a trance. James’ vocals are always beautiful, but the stripped back pairing of just his voice and the strings was atmospheric and really emotional – to the point I felt tears in my eyes.
Achingly beautiful, the arrangement drew out the fragile melancholy of the lyrics, creating a striking juxtaposition with James Walsh’s rich, expressive vocals and showcasing, once again, what an exceptional singer he is.
Throughout the set, the string arrangements brought a new depth and drama to the songs, giving the familiar melodies more room to breathe while drawing out the melancholy that has always been at the heart of ‘Love Is Here’.
No more so than on the eponymous title track, which has always been a personal favourite. Here, the orchestral flourishes heighten the song’s vulnerability and poignancy, with James’ emotive vocals set against sweeping strings that lend its hopeful sentiment a renewed sense of tenderness and depth.
From ‘Poor Misguided Fool’ to the gorgeous ‘Good Souls’, this was at times – cinematic, other worldly and felt utterly timeless. Rather than simply recreating the original recordings, the strings elevated these brilliant tracks, bringing new depth and dimension to the arrangements without ever losing sight of their emotional power.
The result was a fresh take on ‘Love Is Here’ that remained true to the spirit of the original, making for a deeply immersive and resonant experience.
Of course, whilst the focus was on ‘Love Is Here’, there was still time for a sublime cover of John Lennon’s ‘Jealous Guy’ and tracks like the always stirring ‘Silence Is Easy’ and ‘Four to the Floor’ which was transformed brilliantly too.
From the original into a more expansive version yet still held the groove-laden tour de force, that the track is synonymous with pivoted the pace, its infectious, driving beat cutting through the melancholy and injecting a fresh sense of momentum into the set.
The closing notes of ‘Good Souls’ brought the crowd to its feet, a euphoric finale to a night that felt as much like a celebration of the fans as it did of the band themselves. There was something genuinely moving about hearing these songs reimagined 25 years on, their emotional pull undiminished and their melodies still striking a chord.
‘Love Is Here’ has stood the test of time for a reason. Starsailor have always had a gift for capturing the complexities of life in songs that feel deeply personal yet universally relatable which is why they are such fantastic songwriters.
Under Joe Duddell’s direction, the strings brought a new depth to these familiar tracks, drawing out their underlying melancholy while allowing the melodies to soar without losing the intimacy and honesty at the heart of the original recordings. More than a nostalgic trip back to 2001, this was a reminder of just how powerfully these songs continue to resonate, their emotional weight undiminished by time.
Starsailor’s songs took on a different character in the intimate, acoustically rich setting. The strings brought new shades of melancholy to the familiar melodies, swelling around James Walsh’s distinctive vocals and lending the arrangements a cinematic quality without losing the fragility at the heart of the original recordings.
Rather than simply adding grandeur, Joe Duddell’s arrangements drew out the emotional nuances that have allowed Love Is Here to endure for 25 years, giving these well-worn songs room to breathe while retaining their understated power
Main and first photo. – Adam Docker
