TRAVIS L.A. Times | 10 albums and still the same
Travis’ new album, “L.A. Times” charts beautiful emotional maps across 10 songs that remind us why they are an iconic band.
Where does the title ‘L.A. Times‘ come from?
Travis singer and songwriter Fran Healy has been living in Los Angeles for more than 10 years, where he has composed and recorded Travis new album, telling the story of his experiences there, in what is his most personal album since his second and most successful album ‘The Man Who’ from 1999.
By the way, ‘L.A Times’ or ‘Los Angeles Times’ is also one of the most popular newspapers in the city.
Travis (Facebook image)
‘LA. Times’ is our most personal album since ‘The Man Who’. Back then there were so many important things to write about, the tectonic plates had shifted in my life. I was only 22 when I wrote those songs. They were my therapy. More than 20 years later, the plates have moved again. There’s a lot to talk about.
Travis
L.A. Times Review | Travis new album
The album begins with ‘Bus’, the Thrill of the Week, which combines a fantastic melody, the subtlety of Travis singer Fran Healy’s voice, and lyrics that tell of a desire to escape to a better place and time.
The second track, ‘Raze the Bar’ would equally deserve to be named best song on ‘L.A. Times’. The chorus that sings “We are, we are who we are, who we are” is a marvel that perfectly accompanies the tenderness of Fran’s voice.
‘Live it all Again’ is, in a word, ‘fragile’. It feels intimate and delicate, to the sound of an acoustic guitar and a falsetto voice. A love song dedicated to a son who has grown up and has adult problems.
The counterpoint is provided by ‘Gaslight’, a goodbye song that is destined to be a new Travis anthem. I can already imagine his fans chanting “la la la la...” at his concerts. It’s a great song.
Perhaps the track that sounds most like classic Travis is ‘Alive‘. The song reminds us that life is a gift and it’s not worth spending it with complaints or regrets. ‘Home’ is just the opposite, Travis’ newest sound. To be honest I’m not really sold on it, but I always applaud the courage it takes to take risks and try new things.
I don’t quite know how to categorize ‘I Hope That You Spontaneously Combust’, what is clear is that Fran doesn’t like the person the song is dedicated to very much 😊l
One of the most critically acclaimed tracks is ‘Naked in New York City’ which he calls “a prodigy of economy and masterful pulse”. We don’t like it as much, but it’s always a treat to hear Travis in acoustic mode.
The most Scottish sound of the Glaswegians is found in ‘The River’. Just over 2 minutes of pure optimism and good vibes.
The album ends with a song of the same title ‘L.A. Times’. Between helicopter sounds and almost rapped parts, Travis makes a bitter criticism of the perceived social differences in the world and especially in Los Angeles. A great epilogue.
The conclusion is simple, Travis’ new album is good news for the band, for the fans and for music, because they are good music.
Video | Travis Bus
Lyrics | TRAVIS Bus
Staring at the ocean from a window on the hillside
A million boats are floating in the high tide
I wanna be a million miles from here
I wanna know what everybody wants to know
Oh, won’t you tell me what everybody wants to know?
I thought it was just us
Waiting on this bus
Waiting on a gust of wind to blow us away
Away to better days, away to better days
Underneath a starry sky, tongue-tied for a while
It’s gonna be a bumpy ride
Don’t wanna bore you, I totally adore you
I wanna go where everybody wants to go
Please, will you tell me where everybody wants to go?
I thought it was just us
Waiting on this bus
Waiting on a gust of wind to blow us away
Away to better days, away to better days
Staring at the future from a window on my mind’s eye
Time moving faster than a bullet to the blue sky
Monday, Tuesday, suddenly it’s Sunday
I wanna know where everybody’s gonna go
Oh, won’t you tell me where everybody’s got to go?
I thought it was just us
Waiting on this bus
Darling, I have lost a little bit of trust
I thought it was just us
Waiting on this bus
Waiting on a gust of wind to blow us away
Away to better days, away to better days
Lyrics in Spanish | TRAVIS Bus
Mirando el océano desde una ventana en la ladera
Un millón de barcos flotan en la marea alta
Quiero estar a un millón de millas de aquí
Quiero saber lo que todo el mundo quiere saber
Oh, ¿no me dirás lo que todo el mundo quiere saber?
Pensé que éramos sólo nosotros
Esperando en este autobús
Esperando que una ráfaga de viento nos lleve lejos
Lejos de días mejores, lejos de días mejores
Bajo un cielo estrellado, con la lengua trabada por un rato
Va a ser un viaje lleno de baches
No quiero aburrirte, te adoro totalmente
Quiero ir donde todos quieren ir
Por favor, ¿me dirás dónde quiere ir todo el mundo?
Pensé que éramos sólo nosotros
Esperando en este autobús
Esperando que una ráfaga de viento nos lleve lejos
Lejos de días mejores, lejos de días mejores
Mirando al futuro desde una ventana en el ojo de mi mente
El tiempo se mueve más rápido que una bala hacia el cielo azul
Lunes, martes, de repente es domingo
Quiero saber a dónde va a ir todo el mundo
Oh, ¿no me dirás dónde tiene que ir todo el mundo?
Pensé que éramos sólo nosotros
Esperando en este autobús
Cariño, he perdido un poco la confianza
I thought it was just us
Esperando en este autobús
Esperando que una ráfaga de viento nos lleve lejos
Lejos de días mejores, lejos de días mejores
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