The album opens on a haunting note with "3 Times and You Lose," a rich tapestry of acoustic guitar, mandolin, with just a hint of banjo as Healey leads into the melancholy refrain, "... you're throwing it all away." From there, it's straight on to upbeat, Motown-tinged, "Selfish Jean," followed by the album's first single, "Closer." The latter will feel comfortingly familiar, straight from annals of classic Travis. Sweet, bordering on bittersweet, as the quiet opener verses build to the hopeful invitation to "lean on me now, lean on me now."
With "Big Chair," things take a darker turn, lead by a killer, driving bassline by Payne that steals the show, the perfect underscore to Healey's vocals. At first listen, this is my favourite from the album. They've done dark and edgy before, but "Big Chair" demonstrates a refinement that was heretofore unseen. After a brief, cheery respite in "Battleships," "Eyes Wide Open" is another darker track. It starts out sparse, then builds to a rich and bleak climax, reminiscent of Neil Young's "Revolution Blues."
Things take a dreamier turn with "My Eyes" (written for Healey's son, think "Little James," but, you know, good) and "One Night." The discordant vocals in the latter are stunning, a veritable showcase of Healey's skill and range (including some oddly Dylan-esque moments...). "Out in Space" plays almost like a lullaby, a quiet number that practically begs for a sing-a-long, lyrics nostalgic and rhythm light. "Colder" stays in this vein, melodic and complex, and another of my top tracks.
Closing at the 11th track is "New Amsterdam," instantly endeared to me by mentioning Francois Truffaut, something of a miracle in and of itself. I'm a sucker for a song about movies, and this one is no exception to that rule.
Overall, a strong album from start to finish, and a welcome, long-awaited followup to 2005's 12 Memories. It definitely has some of its roots in American traditions, but they strike a good balance in their experimentation with new styles, building upon the foundations Travis fans have grown to love over the years, rather than replacing them. The result is something simultaneously familiar and new. Old fans will find The Boy With No Name to be an instant treasure, while the new sound will attract newcomers as well. The album is released on May 8, 2007.
You make everything sound so enticing, more so this time around. So...how is it that you have the album already? *eyebrow*