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On the The Man Who, Travis not only avoided the sophomore jinx, but also secured their place in Brit-pop's pantheon by releasing one of the last great albums of the 20th century; an album whose hidden track ("Blue Flashing Light") was as good as any found on the rest of the disc. And the disc contained a number of memorable songs ("Driftwood" and "Why Does It Always Rain on Me" to name two) that hit the top of the U.K. singles charts.
To expect the band to follow that masterpiece with a superior album is asking too much, even of someone with as soulfully melodic a voice as Fran Healy. Which is not to say that their new release, The Invisible Band isn't a worthy purchase - because it is. The first song (and the album's first single), "Sing," is an energetic opener, highlighted by the banjo being picked in the background. (That's right, I said banjo. It works. And no, I can't explain it either.) However, lest you think that this song sets the tone for the album, be assured that the second song, "Dear Diary," grinds the disc to a halt as Healy slows the tempo. Confused yet? You will be when you move on because "Side," the third track and likely next single (if I am allowed to venture a guess), is the album's likely hit, despite being rife with trite lyrics, such as those in the chorus ("The grass is always greener on the other side..." and "There is no wrong there is no right...") Still, as much as I want to dislike the song, I cannot because it is so damn catchy. As always, the band is not afraid to experiment (as much as Brit-pop allows one to experiment.) "Pipe Dreams" seems to say that ultimately, regardless of which religion you choose to follow, "it all boils down to the same old thing, whether you win or you lose isn't going to change a single thing" - an interesting conceit wrapped in the guise of a three-and-a-half minute pop song. Songs like "Flowers in the Window," "Afterglow," and "The Cage" grab the listener immediately (and -- if you're planning to see Travis on tour this summer -- sound terrific in a live setting), and "The Humpty Dumpty Love Song," based on the fairy tale, is a charming closing ditty. Though some of the songs on this album do not grab the listener as effortlessly as the ones on The Man Who did, there are no clunkers on The Invisible Band, and if, as some might argue, Fran's discovery of the joy of love dulls the underlying pain that made so many of the songs on the last album so mesmerizing, that is a trade off that I'm willing to accept, provided that a happy Fran Healy means that he and the band will continue making records for a long time to come. |
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The Invisible Band $14.49 CD |
 The Man Who $9.99 CD |
 Good Feeling $9.99 CD |
$6.89 CD |
