Travis- Good Feeling

If this was any other day
I'd turn and walk the other way
But today
I'll stay
Not walk away

   

 In honor of a new Travis record, I've decided to review all of their albums up to this point. Good Feeling is Travis' first record, but it wasn't until their second album that I became aware of them. This one, I probably didn't get around to listening to until, maybe, after their third record, because in the early 2000's I had to either find a physical copy of the CD or try my luck at a dial up modem. I eventually got a a T1 line and a CD burner and my record collection grew exponentially, in the process killing the record industry, or so I hear. 

      Travis quickly became my favourite Brit Pop band, and when I finally got my hands on a copy of Good Feeling, I loved how raw of record it was compared to The Invisible Band and The Man Who. This is, easily, the most rocking record in their catalog. Electric guitars, heavy distortion solos, pounding drums and, lead singer, Fran Healy's voice pushed to the brink of a weird mixture of a scream and a growl. It's all on display on the first track, appropriately titled, "All I Want to Do is Rock". This song and approach to the music really nestled them, nicely, into the already bustling Brit Pop scene that was being dominated by bands like Blur, Pulp, and Oasis (with whom Travis supported on their first major tour). The influence of Definitely Maybe and Park Life are evident in songs like "U16 Girls", "A Good Day to Die" or "Tied to the 90's" whereas things take a turn in the, almost, Beck's Sea Change like "I Love You Anyways".

      One thing I always enjoy discovering in revisiting a band's earlier albums is finding that song that feels like it was written late in the recording process and kind of shows you the direction that the band is going to take on future albums. "Street Spirit" on Radiohead's The Bends feels that way to me and on this album that song is "Falling Down" a much more nuanced song in a minor key. While I can appreciate heavier (weird word to use when describing a Travis song) This is the Travis sound I fell in love with. 

      I only discovered today that Steve Lillywhite produced this record, and that's quite a get on your first record, considering his pedigree. He produced some of my favourite albums for the likes of U2, Morrissey, and The Talking Heads. Good on you Steve, good on you Travis.

3.5/5

Favourite Track- All I Want To Do is Rock

James Taylor-Gorilla

He's got arms like legs, he's got hands on his feet.
He's got a nose like a doughnut, got a tendency to overeat.

I'm pretty sure I borrowed this CD from my Dad and never returned it, because James Taylor is straight dad music. There's nothing wrong with that, I got a lot of good music from my dad... also phillips head screw drivers for some reason. Lots of them.

I was always drawn to James Taylor music for some reason. It's light and breezy most of the time, his hits could fill any soft rock collection that Time Life tried to peddle on TV in the 90's, but I think I recognized the quality of it over a Captain or even a Tenille. When I started to play guitar, I really enjoyed watching his live stuff, I always appreciated his, pretty impressive, finger-picking.

Gorilla showcases this, but it's also a, kind of, weird white guy soul album, featuring the most over enunciating version of a Marvin Gaye song this side of an high school chorus kid's American Idol audition. Many of the songs have a groove based around acoustic folk picking, which doesn't always sound right, but I guess it didn't scare white people in the 70's so it sold pretty well. Of the singles that were released from this album, Mexico is the highlight for me and I didn't realize this until today but it features some guest vocals from Graham Nash and David Crosby, who do have the tendency to make things better... all things, not just music, just ask Melissa Ethridge. I have to imagine Jimmy Buffet being pissed that he didn't write that song. The real surprise on the record for me is "You Make it Easy". It's a delightfully smooth song about adultery that I don't imagine sat well with Carly Simon.

Overall, probably not the world's greatest James Taylor album, but certainly solid. Also, If you think you know James Taylor, and you've come to the conclusion that he's not a bad-ass, I recommend you listen to his interview on Marc Maron's WTF podcast or watch Two Lane Blacktop. He's cooler than you think.

3/5

Favourite Track- You Make it Easy