Travis’ Big Melodies Intact on ‘Where You Stand’ – Album Premiere
Click to listen to Travis‘ Where You Stand
After a five-year break, the beloved U.K. band Travis returns full-force with the new album Where You Stand. The album, to be released on August 20th by Travis’ relaunched label Red Telephone Box, precedes the band’s North American leg of their ongoing international tour, beginning in Philadelphia on September 19th.
From the sunny first track, “Mother,” to the slow, piano-filled ballad “The Big Screen,” the band’s balanced instrumentals and smooth harmonies sound both fresh and familiar. Frontman Fran Healy coos “Why did we wait so long?” on the opening track, which is a question one might ask of the quartet before hearing this reinvigorated album. But the merry melodies prove that the Scots’ latest album was worth waiting for.
“It’s a lovely life,” says bassist Dougie Payne, “but when you do it relentlessly, there’s a point when it snaps you. We decided to take a break to spend time with our families. You stay away as long as it takes so you feel that hunger and desire to get back to it same as you did at the start.”
A break, in this case, did not mean a breakup. “When you’re in a band, you’re in a band forever – it’s a life thing,” explains Healy. “For me, it’s family.” Where You Stand showcases how well the Travis “family” know one another’s strengths, and how they combine them in a moving, inspired way.