Travis

Subject: Travis
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 06:59 AM

Anyone here like Travis?

Subject: RE: Travis
From: The_one_and_only_Dai
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 07:02 AM

Excellent songwriters, and consummate performers. Brilliant stuff and will become a classic act.

Happy with that?

Subject: RE: Travis
From: Skipjack K8
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 07:05 AM

Getting the banjo back into popular muzak, and good on 'em. Splendid stuff.

Subject: RE: Travis
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 07:07 AM

Yes :-)

I expected the first reply to ask whether I meant Merle Travis...

Subject: RE: Travis
From: Allan C.
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 07:14 AM

So, I guess you aren't discussing Bud and... either?

Subject: RE: Travis
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 07:19 AM

No, and not 'Dave Lee Travis' either

Subject: RE: Travis
From: Allan C.
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 07:23 AM

Rather than for us to try to guess about this particular Travis, is there a link or something you could supply? I'd like to know more about whoever this is.

Subject: RE: Travis
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 07:25 AM

www.travisonline.com

Subject: RE: Travis
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 07:31 AM

Not the easiest site to navigate. I do however like the way they supply guitar chords on the lyric pages:

These are the chord shapes, it's up to you to find the place for them, happy strumming.

Subject: RE: Travis
From: Allan C.
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 07:55 AM

Thanks for the link. I found my way to some soundbytes. While they don't produce the kind of music I prefer, I do appreciate their musicianship. They seem to be a bit apart (well, maybe a little) from much of what I have heard of late. Funny thing was that on at least a couple of cuts, I was reminded of the instrumentation of the Monkees. (I mean that in a good way.) I find their lyrics to be rather lacking, however. They don't go much beyond a simple statement or description which is repeated in various forms. Take a look at the lyrics of Crash Test Dummies to compare.

Subject: RE: Travis
From: Skipjack K8
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 08:43 AM

Allan, I heard recently that given an infinite time frame, monkeys using typewriters would eventually come up with "Hey Hey! We're the Monkees".

Skipjack

Subject: RE: Travis
From: GUEST,Firecat
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 09:15 AM

I do!!!! My favourite Travis song is Writing To Reach You, closely followed by Driftwood and Flowers In The Window!!

Subject: RE: Travis
From: SharonA
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 10:27 AM

Allan C says: "Take a look at the lyrics of Crash Test Dummies to compare." Don't you mean "contrast", Allan?

I'm a great fan of the Crash Test Dummies, precisely because their lyrics have layers of meaning and unique metaphor; they make one think. I read through the lyrics on the Travis webpage linked from here and found nothing stimulating, just the usual trite, mundane fluff. Based on those lyrics, I must totally disagree with Dai's assessment of their songwriting. "Excellent"? No way.

Didn't find the sound bytes, though; where are they?

(BTW, I opened this thread thinking it might be about Travis picking. I'd never heard of this band before.)

Subject: RE: Travis
From: 53
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 10:46 AM

travis tritt is a great performer, i guess that's who you are talking about. BOB

Subject: RE: Travis
From: 53
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 10:53 AM

and i forgot to mention randy travis, he's good also, and by the way he's just put out a brand new gospel album with some really good cuts on it, you should give it a listen if you like gospel music. BOB

Subject: RE: Travis
From: Allan C.
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 11:29 AM

Yes, Sharon, that word fits a lot better.

Subject: RE: Travis
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 01:12 PM

Sounded like a trit question . . .

Subject: RE: Travis
From: GUEST,Matt_R
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 01:13 PM

I LOVE Travis. Yeah, the lyrics may not be God's gift to the music world, but who says they have to be? They are a lot clearer than a good deal of the stuff out there. Their covers of "The Weight" and "The Urge for Going", as well as a hilarious acoustic version of "Hit Me Baby One More Time" have been excellent. I'd have to say my favorite Travis songs are: Safe, More Than Us, Turn, Flowers In The Window, Only The Faces Change, All I Wanna Do Is Rock, and Happy.

Great band...not the musical gods one would have to be to receive recognition on Mudcat, but they are excellent are forerunners in the British New Acoustic Movement that features the likes of other personal favorites of mine Badly Drawn Boy, Coldplay, Turin Brakes, and Doves.

Subject: RE: Travis
From: SharonA
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 04:43 PM

Matt R says, "The lyrics may not be God's gift to the music world, but who says they have to be?" Not I; I was simply disagreeing (wholeheartedly) with Dai's opinion of their songwriting, based on the lyrics I read on the website. Now, perhaps their tunes are another story, but I've never heard them. Please, someone, tell me where I can find the sound bytes of their songs on their website!

Subject: RE: Travis
From: Margaret V
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 04:54 PM

Yup, I like them. The lyrics are pretty simple, but they are heartfelt, and Fran Healy's voice is lovely; natural, but not lazy. I only have "The Man Who," so my knowledge is pretty limited, but one thing I really love about that album is its production. It is beautifully mixed, so that there is clarity and, somehow, space, between the layers (wish I could be more articulate about the nature of sound). I guess one might say it's "atmospheric" if one didn't mind sounding cheesey. Cheers. Margaret

Subject: RE: Travis
From: Margaret V
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 04:57 PM

Oh; Sharon, I don't know where you can find stuff on their web-site but there's always the 30-second bits on Amazon.com... Margaret

Subject: RE: Travis
From: Skipjack K8
Date: 03 Nov 01 - 06:35 AM

Heard "Why does it always rain on me?" on the wireless this morning. It is (IMO, not humble) a great song, a lovely meter, a pleasantly lazy vocal, and well constructed.

Skipjack

Subject: RE: Travis
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Nov 01 - 08:10 PM

"But life is both a major and a minor key"

Poor lyrics, my arse

Subject: RE: Travis
From: The_one_and_only_Dai
Date: 09 Nov 01 - 05:45 AM

Skipjack, that's exactly what I meant earlier; Great songwriters. Simple sentiments, eloquently expressed in few words, and exquisite musicianship.

Subject: RE: Travis
From: Lepus Rex
Date: 09 Nov 01 - 02:24 PM

Not a fan.

---Lepus Rex

Subject: RE: Travis
From: Paul from Hull
Date: 09 Nov 01 - 03:33 PM

Yep, me like 'em...& the Crash Test Dummies too

Subject: RE: Travis
From: GUEST,John in Kingston upon Hull
Date: 09 Nov 01 - 03:41 PM

I thought this thread was about the gaurd dog at The Kingston!