Remember Travis? The Scottish band had a couple of hit songs in the late 90s/early 2000s and then just seemed to fade into the background like a lot of bands from that era. Except they didn’t completely disappear – they released a couple of albums that didn’t seem to get much traction and took a bit of a break. Now, five years since their last release, the band is trying to make a bit of a comeback
Where You Stand opens with ‘Mother’, a nice little pop number with a few little rock riffs and drums. It isn’t a mind blowing song, but it’s a nice opening tune for the album. The chorus is catchy and the piano gives it a nice touch.
The song quickly rolls into ‘Moving’, a song about things falling into place and moving on. It’s a classic pop song – verse, chorus, verse, repeat the chorus and the one line several times and add some little crescendos. It’s the kind of song you could imagine being played in the scene of a movie when a kid is leaving home for the first time to study in the big smoke. It’s a catchy little number, but Fran’s voice borders on annoying during the chorus.
Travis repeats the verse/chorus formula in ‘Reminder’, working the repetitive lyrical aspect to death. The single, ‘Where You Stand’, is one of the standout songs on the album. It’s an upbeat song about standing by someone. Fran Healy’s voice sounds sweet and falters into a falsetto that will make the ladies swoon. Although Travis latches onto repetitive lyrics again, the melody at least has some variation and a catchy piano run.
‘Different Room’ is also one of the better songs. But what lets the song down is the twee lyrics – they sound like a 10 year-old has discovered poetry and how to write cute couplets. “And hold me close, don’t leave so soon. Let all the flowers bloom and don’t let go.” Really Fran? Really?
Where You Stand is reminiscent of Semisonic, with some great little pop songs, but also some songs that probably should have been left on the cutting floor. Where You Stand works the pop formula to the bone. It’s not a completely atrocious album, but it’s not fantastic either. It sits in the middle of pop mediocrity – and repeats that x11. Oh Travis, I don’t think it’s raining on you any more.
6/10
Reviewer: Stephanie McDonald