10 Songs

by Travis

Overview

Kicking off their fourth decade as a band, Scottish indie rock stalwarts Travis get back to basics with album number nine, 10 Songs. With frontman Fran Healey back in primary songwriter mode, the record benefits from this singular vision, providing that familiar warmth and intimacy that has endeared them to fans since the turn of the 21st century. Heartfelt and unfettered, 10 Songs provides the full range of what Travis can deliver, from the passionately urgent to the bleedingly sensitive. On one extreme, the driving opener "Waving at the Window" sprinkles sparkling piano atop Dougie Payne's urgent bass, Andy Dunlop's meandering guitar, and Neil Primrose's persistent drumming, while the scuzzy glam rock "Valentine" resurrects the spirit of the band's breakthrough single, "All I Want to Do Is Rock," hitting like Coldplay's "Politik" and swaggering like Oasis at their cockiest. Meanwhile, the red-blooded "A Ghost" rollicks with a piano-guitar stomp that injects some much-needed vigor. Otherwise, 10 Songs soothes like a loving hug with midtempo cuts like the breezy soft rock gem "Butterflies" and the pastoral "All Fall Down," which could easily find itself on a Bon Iver or Fleet Foxes record. In addition to the trio of rocking standouts, the lush duet with the Bangles' Susanna Hoffs, "The Only Thing," is another highlight. Backed by swelling strings, twinkling piano, and country-kissed guitar strumming, the song sways with tenderness and longing as Healey and Hoffs intertwine their voices to magical effect. After 2016's robust but scattered Everything at Once, the focused 10 Songs is a welcome return to their early style and one of the strongest statements in their catalog. ~ Neil Z. Yeung

Product Details

Release Date:	10/09/2020
Label:	Bmg
UPC:	4050538615067
Rank:	97253

Tracks

1. Waving at the Window
2. The Only Thing
3. Valentine
4. Butterflies
5. A Million Hearts
6. A Ghost
7. All Fall Down
8. Kissing in the Wind
9. Nina's Song
10. No Love Lost

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Travis   Primary Artist
Everton Nelson   Violin
Susanna Hoffs   Vocals,Featured Artist
Greg Leisz   Pedal Steel
Sally Herbert   Violin
Jason Lytle   Synthesizer
Daniel Hart   Viola,Violin,Strings
Andy Dunlop   Piano,Guitar,Percussion,Synthesizer,Fender Rhodes,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Ian Burdge   Cello
Rachel Robson   Viola
Robin Baynton   Organ,Strings,Harmonium,Synthesizer,Guitar (Electric)
Greg Leiz   Pedal Steel
Dougie Payne   Bass,Percussion,Guitar (Bass),Vocals (Background)
Neil Primrose   Drums,Percussion
Sarah Willson   Cello
Fran Healy   Piano,Guitar,Vocals,Percussion,Synthesizer,Finger Cymbals,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Sarah Wilson   Cello

Technical Credits

Sally Herbert   Arranger,String Arrangements
Darrell Thorp   Mixing,Engineer
Emily Lazar   Engineer,Mastering
Robbie Nelson   Engineer
Robin Baynton   Mixing,Engineer,Producer,Programming
Robin Nelson   Mixing,Engineer
Duncan Fuller   Assistant,Recording
Fran Healy   Arranger,Composer,Engineer,Producer,String Arrangements
Jonny Breakwell   Mixing,Assistant,Mixing Assistant
Chris Allgood   Assistant,Mastering Assistant,Assistant Mastering Engineer
Dan Ewins   Assistant,Recording,Assistant Engineer
Emma Marks   Mixing,Assistant,Recording,Mixing Assistant,Assistant Engineer
Ryan Johnston   Band Photo