Album Review: Travis, L.A. Times

Travis frontman Fran Healy describes the Scottish quartet’s 12th album as their most personal since their breakthrough second release, 1999’s The Man Who. Now approaching 50, Healy is definitely in self-reflective mode here, as he proves himself once again a master of bittersweet acoustic pop.

The infectious ‘Gaslight’ is effortlessly catchy, augmented by an infectious brass section who make ut a hip-swaying, arm-flailing anthem. ‘Home’ is a toe-tapping single-in-waiting about fatherhood, a theme he revisits on the soaring and joyous ‘The River’, where he advises his progeny to never let go of their dreams.

The singalong ‘Raze The Bar’ sees Healy helped out on vocals by Chris Martin and Brandon Flowers, on a quietly anthemic see-saw song about an imaginary last night in a very real New York bar, which disappeared overnight during the pandemic after the landlord refused to negotiate on rent.

The countrified ‘Alive’ is dedicated to late video director Ringan Ledge, while the short, sharp shock of ‘I Hope That You Spontaneously Combust’ sees Travis go Super Furries for two minutes and 19 seconds of unashamed fun.

America – it’s been Healy’s home for over a decade – looms large. The simple, acoustic melancholy of ‘Naked In New York City’ is a song he began writing a quarter century ago in the Big Apple, while the closing, expletive-laden title track sees the frontman almost rapping in a rich Glasgow burr over a delicate acoustic backdrop, as he waxes angry about the widening gap between rich and poor in LA.

A most welcome return to form.

9/10