indiecater's Full Review: The Invisible Band by Travis
While it easy to take pot shots at indie bands that break into the mainstream (Stereophonics for example), there are examples of commercially successful bands that have remained true to their original gameplan. Radiohead are a prime example, Travis while probably lacking the gravitas of Radiohead are another.
'The Man Who..' struck a chord with those who had tired of the material being churned out by the countless manufactured pop bands. Here was a band that could seemingly write sweet guitar ditties at will. 'Why Does It Always Rain On Me' set the ball rolling while 'Coming Around' ensured their longevity in the public eye. This glare of attention meant that the pressure to come up with the goods again on their third album was immense.
Thankfully 'The Invisible Band' more or less succeeds. There are no radical departures from 'The Man Who..'. The chorus' are immediate, the guitar riffs are amazingly tuneful and the potential haul of future singles is close to innumerable. Well worth shelling out for then, you might say. Well, em yes I guess so. 'The Invisible Band' is never less than a pleasant listen but sometimes too much sweetness can lead to a decaying interest. Something a bit more robust or challenging could have made this record more memorable.
Taken on its own, the first single 'Sing' is fine but lining it up to its contemporary 'Writing To Reach You' it resembles a watery sequel. The banjo bit tends to grate after a few listens and could have been dispensed with entirely. On the plus side Fran Healy's warm vocals are there to distract us. The next track, 'Dear Diary' is much subtler. The gentle guitars skim the surface while the scenic keyboards create a intimate atmosphere. A lot more powerful than you might think.
At times Travis flatter to deceive. Their tunes are consistently easy on the ear but on closer inspection are somewhat disappointedly short on depth. So when the initial excitement subsides you discover Healy is really working from an auto-cue. 'Side', 'Pipe Dreams' and 'Follow The Light' fall into this category. They are destined to be lost through the mists of time as album fodder but that's not to say that while the album is in focus they won't provide some straightforward gratification.
'The Invisible Band' is decorated by a lush carpet of jangling guitar parts that often rescue the tunes they belong to from obscurity. Just as you begin to lose interest a rich chord grabs your attention. On the few occasions ('The Cage') Travis resort to an acoustic avenue to deliver their message you can only stand back and appreciate Healy's accomplished vocal inflection.
When Travis can be bothered to stray from convention the results are uniformly wonderful. 'Flowers In The Windows' sounds like something that has travelled for hundreds of miles over bumpy terrain. It's nuts and bolts are loose and lacking any clear cohesion it flounders over the finishing line. But, and this is the beauty of it all, it is an awesome heartfelt junket that would have Stalin reduced to a pathetic crumpled heap. Fran Healy conjures a chorus straight from Paul McCarthy's notebook (hey he's even included the Seagulls!) and all we have to do is sit back and admire.
Other genuine highlights come about every third song. 'Safe' combines that aforementioned acoustism with Travis' natural persuasion to jangle sweetly into the sunset. The result of this fusion is a feisty beasty that could continue at infinitum without any complaints from me. 'Afterglow' is certain to be a future single because it's desirable shimmering frame is such that it will seduce all. Towards the end it loses the run of itself but you'll need a breather at this stage anyway to comedown from the high of the first 2 and a half minutes.
Sadly the 'The Invisible Band' is not without it's utterly disposable moments. 'Last Train' is a bloated number that lacks any saving features. As Healy searches in vain for some semblance of melody, the band seek solace through a tired attempt at jamming. While not as insufferably bad, 'Indefinitely' tries to play the slow anthem game without coming prepared with the requisite ammunition. It dribbles to a conclusion with a whimper.
At the end Travis somehow find an extra gear to display a deeper emotional side on 'The Humpty Dumpty Love Song'. For once the melodies aren't obvious and the musicianship is cohesive in a beautifully judged off-kilt(er) type of way. The giant synth backdrop is bolstered by a lavish drumbeat and Fran Healy pours his heart into the beautifully cast vocals. As affecting a piece of music as you're likely to hear.
For some cynics Travis will always inhabit a sub-Coldplay universe churning out songs to whistle to but hardly groudbreaking stuff. Considering Coldplay's universe hardly rocks the almighty's boat this is unfair criticism. This Scottish band deserve to have a hearing, it's up to you whether you turn a blind eye or not.
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