Just noticed the review formatting has returned, thank god for that
Just noticed the review formatting has returned, thank god for that
Member since:29.08.2002
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One of the best albums of 1999, if not the 90’s as a whole was the second album from Scottish band Travis. They followed up Good Feeling with one of the best albums I’d heard in a long time. It took a very mellow vibe but certainly made it work for Fran and Co. As a result The Man Who has become one of those albums that most people own. If you like Indie then I’d say it’s almost a certainty that there is a copy of this album in your CD collection.
This was back in the times where NME didn’t pick up on every new band proclaiming them the new this or that. In fact the first album from the Scottish 4 piece was released in 1997 and slipped through virtually unnoticed. This second album would really herald the announcement that Travis had arrived. It was produced by Nigel Godrich, who can now include both Travis and Radiohead as bands he has worked with in the past.
It is quite a musical progression from Good Feeling as Travis appear to have moved away from the raw, rock energy that engulfed that album. This album has a mellower vibe to it, which in turn makes its appeal last a lot longer. Not only are the singles excellent on the album, the rest of the tracks are superb as well. In fact you could go as far as to say that a lot of the album tracks are actually better than a few of the singles.
For me that’s a factor that can only work in Travis’s favour and makes the album on the whole much more enjoyable. A lot of albums can offer great singles, but fall down on the quality of the rest of the tracks. The album is very guitar driven as Fran really takes the lead role with both the vocals and acoustic guitars. That is the main selling point of The Man Who. The guitar driven sound gives it a slightly upbeat feel but at the same time maintains the mellow vibe that the album gives off from the first chord.
If the guitars give the album its drive and determination, it’s the bass and drum combination that really provides its backbone. While the lead guitars give the tracks a bit of feeling and compliment Fran’s vocals superbly, it’s the backing of the track that really makes it for me. Each track has a nice relaxing beat that seems to dictate the pace at times and gives the album its mellow, relaxed vibe. It is a solid album that at times shows glimpses of Radiohead in the early days.
I think the best aspect of the album though is the diversity of the market the album is aimed at as a whole. While tracks like “Why Does It Always Rain On Me” and “Driftwood” are obvious attempts to encourage a wider audience to listen to Travis. There are also a number of tracks on the album, which are aimed directly at the Indie market. “The Fear” is the perfect example of this as it plays of slightly darker undertones to the singles. It sounds a lot more like the old Travis material, but once the singles hook you the rest of the album seems to just drift by effortlessly.
There are of course a couple of tracks that really stick out for me on this album. The first being “The Fear”, which I think is a truly fantastic track. The simple acoustic guitar riffs and relaxed drumbeat make it a pleasure to listen to. Throughout the album Fran’s vocals sound amazing, hit both high and low notes and giving the band a unique sound. I really feel his voice makes my other favourite track “Driftwood”. There is an aspect about his vocals that really suits the style and manner of the song and makes it such a fantastic track.
Overall there are very few downsides to the album. For some it may be a bit too mellow, but I personally feel that they have found the right balance. It has a much wider appeal than a lot of albums and that certainly counts as a positive. They haven’t come close to making an album as good as this since and it remains to be seen whether they could better The Man Who. It is an excellent album that will certainly stand the test of time, containing a few songs that will stick with you forever.
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I enjoyed this album far more than Good Feeling and you're right about raising expectations for future albums.. the Invisible Band is good, but certainly nowhere near as addictive as The Man Who..an excellent album, and a great review!
Ryan74 06.04.2005 19:36
I've got this! I remember, back in the day, when Travis seemed to be everywhere and how they were the biggest band of the moment... how times change!
emmaewok 03.04.2005 22:41
Great Review. Travis are EVIL though (plus they threatened to beat my ex boyfriend up once). Still enjoyed reading your review, even if I won't be rushing out to buy it!
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