Travis

   
The Boy With No Name >> Ode To J Smith
Bellringer
Posts: 92
Bellringer Posted Tue 07 Oct, 2008 5:24 AM Quote
Just for thoughts from those who are yet to be as enchanted by Ode as they were enchanted by TBWNN.

I feel that on TBWNN, Travis perfected the Travis-sound so majestically, that you couldn't help but cry out for more songs in the same vein of Three Times And You Lose, Colder, My Eyes, Battleships.

Ode To J Smith owes more to Good Feeling than any of their other albums, and while Good Feeling was a fine album in it's own right, I doubt some of the songs from Ode To J Smith are going to be capable of the same timelessness and universality as the songs on The Boy With No Name.

This ain't necessarily a criticism of Ode To J Smith (still an immensely enjoyable album), just an observation that (for better or worse) maybe The Boy With No Name heralded a kind of a climax (temporary?) to Travis at their more deliberately majestic, and a return to the rawness of their early days.

Think I'm just raving and ranting here.....but Ode To J Smith for me is not in the same league as The Boy With No Name. It's a welcome change of musical direction, but just lacking something.
 
Re: The Boy With No Name >> Ode To J Smith
the boy with a cryptic name
Posts: 2310
the boy with a cryptic name Posted Tue 07 Oct, 2008 7:59 AM Quote
I think the exact opposite, to me, TBWNN sounds like Travis trying to be Travis whereas Ode sounds like Travis having fun and producing some great moments. I think Quite Free sounds like it's dropped straight out of TIB times :D
 
Re: The Boy With No Name >> Ode To J Smith
Tonie
Posts: 806
Tonie Posted Tue 07 Oct, 2008 10:19 AM Quote
http://www.travisonline.com/board/view.php?t=10082

You'll see from this link that you're not the first person to comment on it. Why not keep the conversation going in the existing thread rather than start a new one?

Not being unfriendly, it's just that we were having this very conversation only a few days ago. So just go on and bump the other thread and do please join in!

 
Re: The Boy With No Name >> Ode To J Smith
akanksha
Posts: 389
akanksha Posted Tue 07 Oct, 2008 10:23 AM Quote
I know what you mean and I agree!
Tonie said in the "I don't get Ode to J Smith" thread that generally, people who loved BWNN seem to be less enthralled by Ode. Though I have to say it's growing on me, heh.
 
Re: The Boy With No Name >> Ode To J Smith
BenFilbert
Posts: 3859
BenFilbert Posted Tue 07 Oct, 2008 10:46 AM Quote
I disagree. Already on this tour we've seen them drop songs from The Boy from the set list. Closer is a classic but I think it's the only one. There are more future classics on Ode. Song To Self, Before You Were Young the main 2 I think. I love The Boy but I think it lacked a bit of magic. The songs are great but Ode has something that The Boy didn't. :) Battleships, My Eyes, Selfish Jean etc are still great songs though.
 
Re: The Boy With No Name >> Ode To J Smith
deebee
Posts: 1892
deebee Posted Tue 07 Oct, 2008 10:54 AM Quote
the boy with a cryptic name wrote:
I think the exact opposite, to me, TBWNN sounds like Travis trying to be Travis whereas Ode sounds like Travis having fun and producing some great moments. I think Quite Free sounds like it's dropped straight out of TIB times :D


SNAP - this is EXACTLY how I feel about these two albums. I was actually slightly disappointed with TBWNN after waiting so long.
 
Re: The Boy With No Name >> Ode To J Smith
Light
Posts: 43
Light Posted Wed 08 Oct, 2008 8:43 AM Quote
I´m not liking comparisons between albums as is a wee bit unfitting to say this one is better or worser, I guess it is just a matter of taste, it depends on individual. Repeating the same discusions here and there I find useless at all since we all have different taste of music style that we like. But yes, the difference among TBWNN and Ode is quite huge.


But, personally, TBWNN grew on me faster than Ode. A first shot, I began to loving TBWNN right away especially because my feeling went parallel to it. Ode is more experimental, it needs to be listened over and over, maybe it is because I always try to find myself in the song, its not just a short ear giving and thats it. There is not a single track on TBWNN that I do not like, frankly. And from Ode grew on me Last words, Quiet free, Song to self, Broken mirror, Before you were young and my favourit is Friends. Something anything and J.Smith, hm, no, too poppish for my taste.
 
Re: The Boy With No Name >> Ode To J Smith
Tonie
Posts: 806
Tonie Posted Wed 08 Oct, 2008 11:04 AM Quote
Light wrote:
I´m not liking comparisons between albums as is a wee bit unfitting to say this one is better or worser, I guess it is just a matter of taste, it depends on individual. Repeating the same discusions here and there I find useless at all since we all have different taste of music style that we like. But yes, the difference among TBWNN and Ode is quite huge.


But, personally, TBWNN grew on me faster than Ode. A first shot, I began to loving TBWNN right away especially because my feeling went parallel to it. Ode is more experimental, it needs to be listened over and over, maybe it is because I always try to find myself in the song, its not just a short ear giving and thats it. There is not a single track on TBWNN that I do not like, frankly. And from Ode grew on me Last words, Quiet free, Song to self, Broken mirror, Before you were young and my favourit is Friends. Something anything and J.Smith, hm, no, too poppish for my taste.


Yes to everything you said in para 1. Could not agree more!

Also, I agree that some tracks on ode are growers rather than instant grabbers. But I think you appreciate a song more if it grows on you after several listens. Worth the effort and all that.....Hence one of the reasons for my overall preference for Ode over The Boy.

J Smith poppish???? No no no!!!!! To me it is one of the least poppish songs Travis has ever done, let alone released as a single! Bold and unconventional more like.
 
Re: The Boy With No Name >> Ode To J Smith
milos
Posts: 243
milos Posted Wed 08 Oct, 2008 3:25 PM Quote
Bellringer wrote:
Ode To J Smith owes more to Good Feeling than any of their other albums, and while Good Feeling was a fine album in it's own right, I doubt some of the songs from Ode To J Smith are going to be capable of the same timelessness and universality as the songs on The Boy With No Name.


I don't think Ode To J Smith owes a lot to Good Feeling. There are some similarities.. Yes, they are both "rocky" but in a completely different way, i think. After all, the band has grown a lot in these 11 years. They have more experience now and they are better songwriters. In my opinion, Ode has more in common with 12 Memories.

TBWNN and OTJS are so different that i don't think i could really compare them. I guess OTJS works better as an album, but TBWNN is also a great collection of songs.
 
Re: The Boy With No Name >> Ode To J Smith
thehitcher
Posts: 292
thehitcher Posted Wed 08 Oct, 2008 10:38 PM Quote
I think Ode has the same kind of feel as Good Feeling and 12 Memories mixed together. I loved The Boy With No Name and I also love the new direction they are heading in on this new album aswell. The Boy With No Name was an amazing album with great production where as Ode is an amazing album which is abit rougher around the edges.
 
Re: The Boy With No Name >> Ode To J Smith
OHMEATPIES
Posts: 125
OHMEATPIES Posted Thu 09 Oct, 2008 12:11 AM Quote
I really like OTJS, and thought TBWNN was maybe a little too... similar. Good songs, but it wasn't incredible.
My friend, though, was in love with TBWNN and seems a little disappointed by the new album.
I think that if you liked Good Feeling and 12 Memories, you'll enjoy Ode to J. Smith. It's a fight between being calm or rockier. Your choice.
 
Re: The Boy With No Name >> Ode To J Smith
Fran
Posts: 215
Fran Posted Thu 09 Oct, 2008 3:20 AM Quote
Travis are an organic band. These records decide for themselves what they will be. They come to us out of the blue. We will always endeavor to make timeless music. My message is either get on the bus or get off because this bus is moving. Where? We don't know... But that's the best part.
All I know is that stating your taste says more about you than about us. I'm glad you enjoyed one of our records. Cherish it.
However if you can hear some difference in albums and songs then you are not listening closely enough... Since the very first song we recorded together till the last one, if you listen close enough you will hear our hearts pounding with every note played. That is what a hard core fan hears. I am happy to state this is what I am. I don't hear music any more. I hear heart and soul. I hear blood rushing.
I am the number 1 Travis fan.
Challenge me if you dare :)
 
Re: The Boy With No Name >> Ode To J Smith
BenFilbert
Posts: 3859
BenFilbert Posted Thu 09 Oct, 2008 3:42 AM Quote
Can I be the number 2 Travis fan? Hehe. That's great. Travis was the first band I listened to. I'll be honest, at 12 I was a Steps fan and I enjoyed a little S Club 7 too. Then I bought The Invisible Band. Probably why it's the most special album I own. Thanks for your gorgeous music Fran. I'm proud to be the number 2 Travis fan! ;)
 
Re: The Boy With No Name >> Ode To J Smith
jesusaremus
Posts: 1382
jesusaremus Posted Thu 09 Oct, 2008 3:52 AM Quote
Fran wrote:
Travis are an organic band. These records decide for themselves what they will be. They come to us out of the blue. We will always endeavor to make timeless music. My message is either get on the bus or get off because this bus is moving. Where? We don't know... But that's the best part.
All I know is that stating your taste says more about you than about us. I'm glad you enjoyed one of our records. Cherish it.
However if you can hear some difference in albums and songs then you are not listening closely enough... Since the very first song we recorded together till the last one, if you listen close enough you will hear our hearts pounding with every note played. That is what a hard core fan hears. I am happy to state this is what I am. I don't hear music any more. I hear heart and soul. I hear blood rushing.
I am the number 1 Travis fan.
Challenge me if you dare :)

wow!! you couldn't say it better than that!!
That's kind of what i said when you create something. When you create something is what you are, what you want, and if people like it, important, if not, you can't change what you are. If people like it, is that they are looking, hearing, and reading you. And that's amazing!.
So, i've been reading critics, people love the album (i do), people like the album, people don't like the album, but if you love it (not us. The band, or/and you) and you feel satisfied by it, it's the most important, because as you said, that's you, you are the fan number one and you can change who you are, and you're on the bus moving forward.
What funny is, is that we complaint about changes, but we complaint about doing the same. I like changes, life is everything, and you must create, and tell everything too. So, i love Ode to J Smith, and want to congratulate you, because of the amazing jog you did on it!. The best album of the year for me :)
 
Re: The Boy With No Name >> Ode To J Smith
I Came in Through the Bathroom Window
Posts: 7556
I Came in Through the Bathroom Window Posted Thu 09 Oct, 2008 4:18 AM Quote
Fran wrote:
Travis are an organic band. These records decide for themselves what they will be. They come to us out of the blue. We will always endeavor to make timeless music. My message is either get on the bus or get off because this bus is moving. Where? We don't know... But that's the best part.
All I know is that stating your taste says more about you than about us. I'm glad you enjoyed one of our records. Cherish it.
However if you can hear some difference in albums and songs then you are not listening closely enough... Since the very first song we recorded together till the last one, if you listen close enough you will hear our hearts pounding with every note played. That is what a hard core fan hears. I am happy to state this is what I am. I don't hear music any more. I hear heart and soul. I hear blood rushing.
I am the number 1 Travis fan.
Challenge me if you dare :)


Lovely post. Really :o)

Passion, that's the best thing about Travis. You can feel it everywhere in their music.

As for the debate going on here, I really can't say if I'll like Ode more than TBWNN. My favourite Travis' albums change according to my own personal situation. All of them have been on top at some point for me.
All I know is I loved the four songs I've heard of this new record, and my current favourite Travis album is 12 Memories. But I love TBWNN, I've been listening to it a lot lately. I'm not sure there's a connection between liking TBWNN and not liking Ode and vice versa.
 
Pages [1] 2 3 4 Next All Times UTC Current Time 4:23 PM
Post Reply