Where You Stand (Album) - Travis

The seventh album from the Scottish quartet has arrived, and after falling off many people’s radars the group have taken full advantage of online marketing to promote it (almost every video I have watched on YouTube lately has been preceded by adverts for the album). Will this bring the band back into the collective consciousnesses of the general public, enough to make people go out and buy the new album? 

‘Mother’ starts the proceedings with a frantic electronic sound, before an acoustic guitar and Fran Healy’s warm and familiar voice welcomes the listener in at a calm and sleepy pace. The track then bursts into life with waves of electric guitar, cymbals and piano, which rise and fall (and rise again), carrying the song along at an energetic tempo, which Fran described as “Don McLean-esque”. This track showcases a lot the subtle developments that the band underwent on “Ode To J. Smith” in a manner that feels completely natural, and it makes for an strong opener. The jumpy electronic pulse bookends the opening track, before transitioning straight into the second track (also the second single), ‘Moving’. Healy can no longer hit the high notes as easily as he used to, and so had to resort to swimming in the north sea (which was just outside the recording studio) in order to shock his body into releasing those high notes which can be heard in the chorus.

Situated in between the two singles lies the gentle ‘Reminder’, unfortunately it is one of the albums weaker moments. Contrastingly the title track – and lead single – is an absolute gem, a gorgeous piano and guitar-driven melody, sublime vocal hooks and great lyrics make ‘Where You Stand’ a song with real staying power (one that I’ve already listened to many times). ‘Warning Sign’ opens with a funky bass-line and a Mike Mills-style vocal wail, leading into a solid track which confidently strides along towards the middle of the album.

‘Another Guy’ is a track that I was not too keen on when it was pre-released, and it still hasn’t really grown on me. The dissonant tone makes the track seem dreary and lifeless, which is a shame because there are some nice simple-yet-effective lyrics, which have been a staple of many of the band’s most successful tunes in the past. Fortunately it leads into ‘A Different Room’ showcases the band sounding like a lot of their contemporaries (Coldplay, Keane, et al. – who they inspired) and boasts a glorious, soaring chorus.

Things then take an experimental turn on the quirky ‘New Shoes’, replete with electronic beeps and distortion, throughout the bouncing melody and twinkling chorus – it is certainly more of an acquired taste. ‘On My Wall’ wouldn’t have sounded out of pace on the band’s debut album “Good Feeling” which makes it a welcome change of pace, as well as a nice throwback for long-term fans. 

The pace slows down on the penultimate track ‘Boxes’, a soft, melancholy number with a genuine sweetness to the lyrics, which seem very nostalgia-driven – although the resultant chorus is not likely to set the world alight. The album then closes out with ‘The Big Screen’ in which all musical layers are stripped away, save for the piano and vocals. The parting mood is a sombre and reflective one, as Fran muses about how life doesn’t play out quite like it does in the movies.

“Where You Stand” is a solid album from a band who have never forgotten their roots, but have picked up plenty of new tricks along the way, subtly experimenting and expanding their sound throughout their career. Fans who have stuck around the whole time will not find anything too surprising, but those who tuned out after “The Man Who” (or at best “The Invisible Band”) may be pleasantly surprised by the boldness of tracks like ‘Mother’ or the lofty atmospherics of ‘Different Room’. There are a few weak tracks, but they are always followed (and indeed preceded) by much stronger ones, so the album never becomes dull. 

The album seems to encapsulate a little bit of everything that came before, Fran Healy described the mentality going into the recording process as "coming full circle" which seems an accurate statement. Though the album is not perfect, there is plenty to like about it, and the band remain as likeable as ever.