Starsailor is usually regarded as one of the most difficult and unusual albums in all of rock. That assessment is certainly true – the record contains a host of songs that takes many listens to become accustomed to. The title track, with it’s eerie, unnerving opening, it emblematic of the whole album. Indeed, it certainly can be seen as an ambitious failure. “Star Sailor” is certainly atmospheric, but it’s convoluted, bizarre vocal is pretentious, and totally unrewarding. “Star Sailor” sounds like a slowed down record; what effect Buckley was trying to achieve here is hard to comprehend. Indeed, it’s probable that he was just being wilfully perverse. Nevertheless, “Star Sailor” sounds to modern ears to be a rather silly mistake from an artist whose ambitions for once got the better of him.
(by Thomas Ward, allmusic.com)