Recommended Listening: Travis

Generally when I write these sort of music posts it's about new music, or newly discovered by me. But I just listened to an interview with the Scottish band, Travis, on Philly's WXPN. I was suddenly reminded of one of my favorite bands from my young formative music years. Travis was one of the first bands that I "discovered" as a freshman in high school when I realized I wasn't obligated to listen to Top 40 Pop. The first song I ever heard was the single, Why Does it Always Rain on Me, something about the sweet melancholy and jangly banjo had me hooked.

I specifically remember buying their first album, Good Feeling, with bestie, Julia, from the secondhand shop we'd frequent in Ambler, Geeks and Gods (sadly no longer in business). I think there were two copies so we each got one. Ah, remember CD's? I'm such a tactile person, but I succumb to the ease in which I can devour music online. I sort of miss the ritual of buying CD's. I loved the booklet in the front with all the lyrics, like a musical cheatsheet. Surely I wasn't the only one that immediately set out to memorize each song right away?

And that brings me to 2014 listening at my office desk getting chills from a live performance of Sing. I wasn't aware they put out another album last August, Where You Stand. So, after the interview I gave it a listen from beginning to end. It's always a little scary when well loved bands grow up, have families, take years off from the studio and come out with something new. But this album assuredly fits in the evolution of their style and music.

For me, Travis reminds me of my teenage years, that whole coming of age scene, all those feelings and emotions. Good music has the power take you back to a very specific time in your life. Some of their songs just find their way right to my heart. So maybe this recommendation is more of a nostalgic rambling, a profession of love to, in my opinion, a very underrated band.

I made a collection of Travis on a playlist here, have a listen!