The Indie Pop band Travis came with “The Man Who” in 1999 as their second release. It found the Scottish band refining the sound of their music from more of a Rock sound to a much more mellow, mainstream-friendly Pop material (in comparison to their 1997 debut “Good Feeling” record). It features the same line-up who have gone on to produce a further four albums together with Francis Healey on lead vocals, Andrew Dunlop on the guitar, Douglas pain on bass and Neil Primrose on the drums.
1. “Writing To Reach You”
The album kicks off with what was the lead single to the album and one which stood as one of the most popular cuts from the album as it finds them laying down a smooth cut where they are able to ease listeners in and give them a chance to get into their style as they perform a rather mild song which doesn’t really do anything particularly eventful to make you feel either strongly in favour or against it.
**Two Stars**
2. “The Fear”
Off some rather lively and jazzy percussion, with this one you find that they bring in some clear alterative influences in their music in order to come up with a little more variety in it, but I can’t
say that it was really making enough progress (at this stage) to really bring me in all that much and so I could help but feel that it wasn’t for me and that they were going to keep it at this sort of base level throughout.
**Two Stars**
3. “As You Are”
This one appears to progress the album somewhat as it is seemed that the content of the lyrics appears to take on a form that is made to pull you in any get you interested, but once again I thought that the fact that they were seen to come with a track which maintains the same low tempo as what was heard on the first two songs meant that it wasn’t really taking anything anywhere and it just left it as an unappealing composition.
**Two Stars**
4. “Driftwood”
With this one there seems to be a bit more going on (finally) and so it means that you are finally able to get some real enjoyment out of the music as with this one they lift the mood with a much brighter song which has them performing in a manner so that you are able to feel the more up-lifting side in the music. However, just because the subject matter shifts doesn’t mean it’s really that good, and can’t say I actually really felt it that much and the contrast is the only reason why it felt a little better.
**Two Stars**
5. “The Last Laugh Of Laughter”
They once again return to the samey things which came at the start of the album as they perform an alternative composition which doesn’t really seem to go anywhere as they sing anyone cold song which takes from the slight lift which came of the track prior to it to lose all of this for a song which is written well (with a mix of English and French language running through it) but the lack of energy put me right off and held it back for me.
**Two Stars**
6. “Turn”
This was a big single form the album and I felt that as soon the percussion (which seemed to carry much more power than earlier) came into effect, it meant that you could really get into the music again and acknowledge the fact that they are going to lay down something which is bound to make much more of an impact her, and this seemed to come with this powerful recording which really does its job at taking you from a low.
**Four Stars**
7. “Why Does It Always Rain on Me?”
This was another massive single from the band and one which really got their name out there, but I can’t say that I really felt that towards it, when compared to what you get from the song which came before it and theirs which they produced, such as “Sing”. The format that you get from this one is largely the same as what is found in “Turn” and so it doesn’t really seem best placed here, but it is still one of the better ones.
**Three Stars**
8. “Luv”
The acoustic songs persist through this one and they are seen to have the sort of dampening feel that comes with pretty much al of the songs on the album, and when you consider that it follows on from two of their most significant singles then it seems to really pull down the listener and make them feel less of it as although they may do things well, the monotony of so many in this structure just puts you right off as they do a break-up song.
**Two Stars**
9. “She’s So Strange”
This one seems to stand out here and I felt that it was a track to pick things up a little as they dreary songs of the album are lifted for a show while with this song and they lay down one where they are able to do things in a manner which reflects the general feel of their style, but has them moving it on slightly with an emotive song which seems to grab your attention much more than they others on here.
**Three Stars**
10. “Slide Show”
The album comes to a close with a lengthy one as they lay down a recording which goes on for over ten minutes. It is a song which has them doing the typical things which was received through the rest of the album and so it is nothing special, but you do find tha they us the extra added time to experiment a little with the Rock side of the material to show that they haven’t completely abandoned it.
**Two Stars**
I can appreciate what is done on this record, but I can’t say that I really felt all that much from it as it is only really the singles which stick out in an album where almost everything sounds the same and they hardly make an effort to try something different.
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The ultimate slow-burner, Travis's second album infused its way into the psyche of ... more
post-Radiohead Britain with an endearingly humble grace. It's not quite certain how Travis went from being the happy-clappy Britpop also-rans of their debutGood Feelingt...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
The ultimate slow-burner, Travis's second album infused its way into the psyche of ... more
post-Radiohead Britain with an endearingly humble grace. It's not quite certain how Travis went from being the happy-clappy Britpop also-rans of their debut Good Feeling...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Advantages: Excellent album, that has a very wide appeal. Some excellent singles and superb album tracks Disadvantages: It's perhaps too good that they raised the expectation too high for the rest of their albums
Andy.mack 02.04.2005 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of ManWho, The - Travis
Sep 15th, 2009
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