REVIEW: Travis, Good Feeling (Epic)
- Bob Gajarsky
Glasgow, Scotland based Travis may be pegged as the new Oasis from witty English scribes, but their debut full-length album, Good Feeling , showcases more influences than just those from the Gallagher brothers. Songwriter, guitarist and lead singer Fran Healy is especially proud of the swirling Radiohead meets U2 feel of "All I Wanna Do Is Rock".
"If you write a song from your head, it feels like you've written it," says Healy. "If you write from your heart, it doesn't. It feels like something special has taken over. The first song I felt I hadn't written was (this one)."
A self-financed EP featuring "All I Wanna Do Is Rock" was released in 1996 and drew interest from several labels. The band decided to sign on in England with Andy McDonald's (founder of Go! Discs) new label, Independiente. After the release of an additional EP on Independiente, Travis went to work with well-known producer Steve Lilywhite to complete their first proper album.
While recording the songs at New York's Bearsville Studios, Lilywhite was quickly able to alleviate any of Healy's fears. "I was worried Steve would try to change these songs we'd work so hard to perfect. But he didn't touch anything; he had confidence in our stuff. I don't know how he does it, but he gets you in the right frame of mind to do the song. He produces the performance and the vibe."
Travis are at their best on the faster tracks, such as the bouncy "Tied To The 90s" and a tale of the perils of sleeping with underage females on the sing-along "U16 Girls". And while the band may fulfill the label as the 'new Oasis' on "The Line Is Fine", the Pink Floyd-ish "Good Day To Die" and Replacements-like "Midsummer Nights Dreamin'" show that this Scottish band has the dedication and diversity to take the long, steady road to breaking in America.
"What we're about, our 'image'," Healy recounts, "doesn't have to do with clothes; it has to do with spirit. We smile when we play - we enjoy it. That's what it's about, at the end of the day. It's entertainment."
