Over the last decade plus Scottish rock band Travis have carved out a pretty good career for themselves. They've had some big hits, like "Why Does It Always Rain On Me?", and consistently had decent album sales.Unfortunately, over the past few years the band has really been squeezed off of the radio in North America by similar (yet vastly inferior) acts like Coldplay and Keane.
On their sixth album, Ode To J. Smith, Travis makes a concerted effort to break new ground and distinguish themselves from the pack. It's a noble and wise effort, but one that falls a little short.
Ode To J. Smith sees the band moving away from its traditional bright, catchy, poppy songs in favour of a fuller sound. They seem to be aiming for a Spiritualized spaciness played with an Oasis attitude.
The guitars on songs like "Chinese Blues" and "Something Anything" very on classic rock riffage. The drums and bass are pulled forward in the mix, creating rumbling tracks like "Get Up".
Elements like the banjo on "Last Words" or eerie chant/singing on "J. Smith" are welcome additions to the mix. It's a shame that too often Travis seem to be so intent on branching out that they completely abandon the pop hooks which made them so good in the first place. The result is songs like "Quite Free" which sounds like a flat Coldplay outtake or "Before You Were Young" which could be a bland Keane piano ballad.
The result is an album that one can admire for the concept and attempt, but just doesn't cut it from a listening point of view.
Best tracks: "Something Anything", "Get Up"
Track listing for Ode To J. Smith:
- Chinese Blues
- J. Smith
- Something Anything
- Long Way Down
- Broken Mirror
- Last Words
- Quite Free
- Get Up
- Friends
- Song To Self
- Before You Were Young
5.0
2 praise/complaints:
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Travis, from my point of view,started out as a luke warm radiohead sound alike band but shortly after progressed into their own skin. This is an enjoyable album most of the way through and much rockier indeed.
I HYPED Travis on EverHYPE and scored it 91%, which I think is very accurate.
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