Advantages: some good tracks Disadvantages: not the Travis some people would expect
Generally I'm an r & b girl when it comes to my choice of music (which may be obvious from the albums I generally choose to review). But I have always had a soft spot for Travis (who are quite patently NOT r & b, I think you will agree!), since they are effectively the local band around here. So I thought I'd take a break from my normal genre and review their album "12 Memories" instead.
Now, first of all, I have to point out that this album, their ... ...ones. Most people are used to Travis producing cheery, jaunty singalong type tunes, like "Sing" or "Why Does It Always Rain on Me?" But this album has a much darker side to it, as you probably could see from the first single release from the album "Re-Offender" and I would go as far as to say it can even be a bit depressing at times. So if you are expecting a happy Travis, you're going to be a little disappointed.
The fact of the matter is this ...
Pmshack99 11.02.2005
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of 12 Memories (Explicit Version) - Travis
Advantages: thought provoking lyrics, beautiful songs Disadvantages: some weak songs
...(not including their singles collection) 12 memories did not have the same success as their two previous albums the Man Who and The Invisible band. It is a shame as I quite like this album and would rate it higher than The Invisible Band and perhaps even the Man Who (I still think their first album Good Feeling is my favourite). I like the CD cover. The black and white photos within photos of the band members works really well and makes me want to ... ...11 tracks listed so why 12 Memories. There had to be a hidden track)
The CD starts off with Quicksand. I am not sure if this would be one I would have started with, as it is one of the weaker songs on the album. It's a mid tempo song that makes use of a cello to great effect. I am a lover of strings within pop music. On this album Travis have got up onto their soapboxes and written songs about "Issues". There are a number of songs that are serious ...
duskmaiden 16.09.2006
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of 12 Memories (Explicit Version) - Travis
Advantages: Pass Disadvantages: Unmemorable, not many stand-out tracks
For those of you who don’t know, the Saturday before Christmas I went to see Travis and the Kings of Leon in concert at the Alexandra Palace. It was an excellent concert, and by the time Christmas was over, I had gone and purchased the two most recent albums by Travis and the debut by Kings of Leon. Now I was going to review the Kings, but Andy.mack has already written a superb one, so it’s not really worth my while trying to top him! This meant ... ...(I already had one before my shopping spree) – “The Man Who” and “The Invisible Band” have both been covered numerous times, so my only option left was the album “12 Memories”, and here we are. This is my first music opinion, so please be gentle.
-=The Band=-
Fran Healy – Vocals, Guitar, Piano
Neil Primrose – Drums
Andy Dunlop - Guitar
Doug Payne - Bass
-=12 Memories=-
The first song on the album is “Quicksand”. Not be honest, this is not ...
Barbsie 22.01.2004
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of 12 Memories (Explicit Version) - Travis
Advantages: A reasonable enough record Disadvantages: Not up to their usual standard; protected from conversion to MP3
...have changed. Travis’s fourth record, 12 Memories, while still high on the acoustic guitars, is an altogether more melancholy affair. Think music from the bottom of the ocean: it’s dark, it’s heavy, it’s lumbering in places, and it’s certainly not easy to get to grips with.
Where once Fran Healy penned light, breezy tunes about Driftwood and catchy classics like Why Does It Always Rain On Me?, he’s now developed an angry side. It’s still raining ... ...– the angriest track on 12 Memories, and also the best – encompasses this rage into one big ball of anger and then explodes. It’s acoustic armageddon.
Single Re-Offender – that murky Travis tune that was omnipresent on the air waves in the run up to this album’s release – is equally as sinister, a solemn story of domestic violence. “You say your sorrys, and then you do it again,” Healy howls, reprising the general theme from Blue Flashing Light ...
BennyRialto 07.04.2005
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of 12 Memories (Explicit Version) - Travis
Advantages: Mature, interesting and far from dull Disadvantages: Not the Travis some may expect.
...mood and fascinating production made 12 Memories the band's least commercial album to date.
Of course, the tunes here at still beautiful pop songs at heart. Somewhere Else is as touching as the best of the band's ballads, although the raw, bluesy bridge adds a bitter twist to the otherwise sweet song. Third single Love Will Come Through is melancholy but lyrically optimistic, and the jangly guitars match those of the band's previous two albums. ... ...so dark, spiteful and adventurous as 12 Memories, and actually managed to pull it off well. Here's hoping they haven't taken the poor sales and chart positions of the album and its singles to heart and that they expand on some of the ideas explored here with the next record. ...
SecondThought 14.11.2005
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of 12 Memories (Explicit Version) - Travis
Advantages: Great Songs/production/lyrics Disadvantages: not the most original
Travis were treading water a little bit in my opinion with their previous release and with '12 Memories' they came back with a more mature sound and a more musical approach to the songs, rather than just reworking 'why does it always rain on me'. Originality might not be travis' strong point but when something works it works so why change from your style just to be 'original'. What theyve done with this record is produce a piece of work that gives ... ...they've achieved it, and they sound good for it too! From the track 're-offender to the melancholy sounds of 'Happy to hang around' the consistency really works and creats a great sounding record. The lyrics are maybe a bit depressing for some listeners but if your into a little less than happy words then this is for you, personally it is right up my street and i loved the album. Stand out tracks for me were 'Happy to hang around' and 'Walking down ...
rockstarol 07.07.2009
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of 12 Memories (Explicit Version) - Travis
Advantages: You know what your getting with Travis Disadvantages: Same old
Travis 12 memories is a typical travis album, not pushing the limits and staying well within there comfort zone. dispiste that it is very good, it has there classic feel to it and there melodic way of playing.
This is Travis fourth Studio album and i dont think it sthere best.
This Album shows the maturity in them now as they delve in too dangerous teritory with some of the topics they bring up in there songs the topics i am mentioning are the ... ...darker than some of there other albums but does provoke certain thoughts into ones head. A good fourth album form the scottish band, this album may have had some bad reviews BUT in my opinion its not bad at all, its worth the money
over all not a bad album ...
gvpav 17.05.2009
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of 12 Memories (Explicit Version) - Travis
Advantages: Great, easy listen with different and original tracks. Disadvantages: Not a huge fan of the dull cover, as it does not fully portray the music.
I would have great confidence in saing that this new album from Travis, a band which I have enjoyed for many years now, definately competes with some of their best work to date, maybe even to the likes of ' Driftwood ', but that is my opinion. Its an easy listen, with some fantastic original lyrics. For the type of genre it is aimed at, there isn't really much competing with Travis for this album.
I think they have come back into the limelight with ...
PbCRH 20.06.2009
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of 12 Memories (Explicit Version) - Travis
Advantages: Fran has proved he could do better. Disadvantages: Hard to do a good follow-up after you have had massive success
...am sorry, '12 memories' is not for you. If you are looking for an album seeing Travis exploring a more mature side, '12 memories' is definitely the choice to complete your CD collection. This album has 12 songs in different styles expressing different opinions that are worthwhile to think about. ...
chloegoodall 27.10.2003
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of 12 Memories (Explicit Version) - Travis
Advantages: Some fantastic songs and everyone loves a hidden track Disadvantages: Not quite back to their original selves
I don't really think Travis have made their mind up with where they stand in the music business, are they rock or easy listening? With starting out with a seemingly focussed goal on being a rock band album 2 and 3 (the man who and invisable band) turned out to be fairly easy listening but this album turns out another surprise, veering away slightly from easy listening and back towards rock. Whether a Travis fan or not everyone has their favourite ... ...found not many people have heard of). This is back in their early days when the songs were up beat feel good songs. Saying this I do love all of Travis' albums but was a bit worried that this album might be too much like the man who and invisable band, full of the loved up songs that us singletons can quite easily get sick of. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that, although this album isn't as up beat and rocky as good feeling, it is getting ...
angelof1983 14.12.2003 (16.12.2003)
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of 12 Memories (Explicit Version) - Travis
Originality
Lyrics
Quality and consistency...
How does it compare to ...
Value for Money
1-10 of 10 reviews
Compare prices for 12 Memories (Explicit Version) - Travis »
1 to 3 out of 3 offers for 12 Memories (Explicit Version) - Travis
Travis's self-produced fourth album,12 Memories, is lush and gorgeous, drenched with ... more
strings and piano, which add a lazy, dreamlike quality to songs such as first single "Re-Offender" and opening track "Quicksand", and even the occasional bit of experi...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Travis's self-produced fourth album, 12 Memories, is lush and gorgeous, drenched with ... more
strings and piano, which add a lazy, dreamlike quality to songs such as first single "Re-Offender" and opening track "Quicksand", and even the occasional bit of exper...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...