Reviews (page 6 of 9)
This album made me feel uneasy a few times, being kind of cringy and bad. I've listened to worst in my life, but my brother in Christ, how can you consider this an essential listen?
3.3 1x catchup 11/14/24
1. reach you - 1 2. the fear - 1 3. you are - 2 4. driftuuood - 1 5. laughter - 1.5 6. turn - 1.5 7. uuhy - 1.5 8. luv - 1 9. ztrange - 1.5 10. zhouu - 2
Would have preferred more Oasis and less Radiohead in their sound.
Melancholic music with beautiful melodies.
This gives me a warm nostalgic glow, because all the very cute girls that were into indie music absolutely ADORED this album. And not just them, it felt like it was absolutely everywhere. On the other hand, I thought it was pretty dull at the time, and neither age nor heavy rotation on Absolute Radio every single day since, has changed my opinion. Inoffensive - sure? Very popular - naturally? Should be on this list - NO SIR.
it comes as absolutely no surprise to me that the cadre of whiny dadrockers at the top of the reviews didn't like this one. sorry that music can occasionally just be simple and beautiful???? it's wild how so many stagnant, stuck-up rock fans consider this kind of music's existence a personal affront and get so upset that they start spluttering and stammering and spitting out the same weirdly homophobic arguments that have been levelled at any genre remotely soft or emotional, from emo to alt rock to electronica. i don't know how to tell you this, but sometimes men have nice voices and sing pretty songs. IT'S GOING TO BE OKAY!!!! that being said - is this worthy of 1001 albums? debatable. but did i personally like it a whole lot? yes ❤️ yes i did!
going into this i had only heard writing to reach you, but I considered it a good, enjoyable song. well, if you like that song, you'll love the entire album of songs that sound just like it. nothing here stands out in a notable way to me, though I guess why does it always rain on me is really the "big hit". good sad boy music throughout, and the last track (minus the silence) was actually really interesting. favorites: writing to reach you, driftwood, turn, why does it always rain on me, slide show
I had never heard of this band but really enjoyed the album more than I expected to. It's pretty mellow but just flows along pleasantly. Why Does It Always Rain on Me? sounds so familiar.
Very obvious parallels to Oasis and Radiohead. In some song they even reference Wonderwall, although I would associate this album closer to mid-late Radiohead. That being said, it just feels like a cheap knockoff. 2.5/5
radiohead in a different dimension. has highlights but mostly forgettable
I was expecting to hate it but I didn't. A few songs are good, most are a bit too bland.
Okay album carried by 3 exceptional songs
I had to wash out my ears after listening to this album - offensively mediocre.
seems like the whole album is one song, but the vocals are nice
Something in between Oasis and Radiohead. No special alarm. Why on the 1001?
dogsshit kuva. viivat aivan sekaisin, huono editti, paska poseeraus.... why always rain on me... MIKS AINA MINÄ??????????....................... MIKS AINA MINÄ?????????? miks vitussa meikäläiselle tapahtuu enemmän tapahtumia kun kenellekkään muulle huoh.........huoh.........huoh.........huoh.........huoh.........huoh.........huoh.........huoh.........huoh.........huoh.........huoh.........huoh.........huoh.........huoh.........huoh.........huoh.........huoh......... writing to reach you
I had never heard of the band or the CD but this is amazing. It's exactly the sort of trebly, jangly power-pop I love, and released when I was actually paying attention to new music - total oversight on my part. They are just a full bag of delightfully melancholy melodies, kitchen-sink harmonies and endless fun tricks. Their singer isn't the best, but he gets everything he can out of his voice, and they just have a huge sound behind him. The chorus on "Trying To Reach You" has high-delay guitar, backing vocals, acoustic guitar, organ, backmasked guitar, and enough reverb on the lead vocals to choke a horse. They forgot cello, but make up for it on "Why Does It Always Rain on Me". Their sense of timing is impeccable too - witness the way he stretches his voice just a touch on the pre-chorus to "Why..". This is just short of a 5. But it's gotten me to listen to the entire rest of their discography.
"Mom, can we listen to Radiohead?" "No, honey. We have Radiohead at home."
Really liked it. Hadn't heard of this band before but i definitely wanna check it out more now.
Best Song: Why Does It Always Rain On Me? A decent, sing-songy, melancholy track. Worst Song: As You Are. For reasons that I can't articulate, this song felt like fake angst. Something about his pained "scream" felt forced and theatrical. Overall: Very whiny early alt-rock. The kind of music that pads the radio between the good stuff.
tá fixe mas não tá assim tão fixe... os anos 90 eram uma altura muito diferente. vale pela nostalgia. mas prefiro outras bandas.. mais uma vez, se fossem portugueses ninguém queria saber deles para nada, são uma banda que jogou sempre entre a segunda e a terceira divisão da music industry, mas como são ingleses cá estamos nós a ouvir os gajos...
Radiohead as some cool and stuff but they're totally to blame for brit pop emo bullshit of the late 90's. They all sound the same and they all sound like a car commercial or something. Fuck Radiohead, it was not worth it.
2.5
The man who what? What kind of title is that? Who is this Travis fellow anyways? This has a real "for people that think Coldplay are too edgy" vibe!
Imagine talking shit on Wonderwall and Oasis for your entire album despite basically copying them and then you lose best British album of the past 30 years to the Wonderwall album. Fucking hilarious also the music was completely uninteresting except maybe the first song.
2-3
I really like this genre of music. This is definitely a product of its time and it does sound slightly dated, but barely enough for me to notice or care. I was only familiar with their song "Flowers in the Window" which I love, so I was a bit disappointed none of these songs were as good. I did like the song "Turn," though.
2,5
Didn't mind this. Didn't love it. Unlikely to come this way again.
Hm.
This is a late-90s British alt-rock album, and you can clearly hear the departure from the Britpop sound to something that's starting to feel distinctly "early 2000s". On one hand, they probably were a bit ahead of their time on this. Coldplay's Parachutes would come out a year later, and then you get a whole list of artists shortly after that kind of have a similar sound (OneRepublic, Keane, Snow Patrol, etc.). On the other hand, this just consistently fell a bit flat to me. It just feels a little tame and uninspired overall. There's a few really good songs on here for sure. "Writing To Reach You" is a strong start, and "Why Does It Always Rain On Me?" is really the song that put them on the map, but on the whole the mid-tempo melodic slightly sad songs blend into one another a bit. This feels like something I should like a lot, but something about it is just a bit lacking to me. Perfectly solid, but that's it. Favorite song: Writing To Reach You Other: As You Are, Driftwood, Why Does It Always Rain On Me? 7/2/24
3.75, better than I remembered
Not much to say about this one. It was ok but I don’t get why it’s on here.
This is like the most generic thing ever
I thought was lazy song writing. I saw a global review that said this is what people listen to who don’t have opinions on music and i wholeheartedly agree
Absolutely not.
Jeepers, haven't listened to this for over 20 years. There is probably a reason for that. I think, on reflection, that this was actually very good album in the 90s. It has a merit, in a morose, over-romantic sort of way. Maybe it's because I loved it as a teenager, and am slightly reminiscent of being youthful and less cynical, but I didn't dislike it as much as I thought I was going to. I'd even go as far as to say that some of it was actually pretty good to listen to! Ultimately it was an incredibly influential album, not in a particularly good way in that it very much paved the way for utterly abysmal artists and bands that took the morose feeling of this but mixed it up with the self-important grandiosity that Fran Healy displayed in real life, but not particularly in his music. I'm talking about the Interpols and the Elbows. The true horrors of early-2000s shitpop. That's really not a good thing.
The only interesting thing on this record happened in the secret song. And by interesting I only mean that it wasn't as white bread as the rest of this record. This isn't bad. It's just the most bland record I've heard in years.
I found this dull. No edge to it
That opening track is like a Wonderwall jumpscare. Overall I don't think this a genre that lines up well with me. However, I appreciate the presence of a hidden track
some incredible duds on here. 🌼🌧🪔🚲🥏 highlights: the sitar on the last laugh of the laughter. see also: poses (rufus wainwright, 2001); starshaped (matthew longfellow, 1993); wonderwall.
Definitely of its time. Some cracking tunes but probably miss the boat on this one.
Enjoyed this one. Soft melancholy rock. Reminded me a little of early Coldplay kinda sound. Maybe a little Script sound too? Though i think these guys did it first. Travis is a dumb name for a band though.
Wonderful! New to me.
Sometimes music needs to be fun. This is it: fun music. And I loved the album, even if it's not the most complicated thing in the world (and maybe a little too sad in the sense of lyrics)
It's good background music, but this isn't something I'd want to sit down and listen to on it's own again.
You'll never convince me that this isn't a generative AI's response after being prompted to create an album in the style of 90's Radiohead but make it as dull & uninteresting as possible.
Music like this is so depressing, almost an aide to suicide.
Yet another group and album I had not heard of prior to it showing up on my project home page. A very uneven album. I added a couple of songs to my playlist but other songs not memorable. The lead singer repetitive at times. Good songs included "Driftwood", "Turn" and "Why Does it Always Rain on Me". Hidden song not worth the wait...
Coldplay is a little too hardcore for me. This is nice.
Extraordinarily ordinary.
The blandness of this doesn't upset me like some here, but it doesn't move me either. I caught myself spacing out while listening to this a lot. This is just sort of there music. Which I guess is better than awful music.
A really pleasant late 90's collection. Hidden gem to me
A blast from the (recent) past with a really nice hit, but otherwise an average album to round this off. Okay vocal, okay music, but nothing that I will remember in a day or two.
A bit derivative, with a bit of Coldplay, a dollop of Oasis, and a massive bucket of Radiohead. Then we get Why Does It Always Rain On Me? That doesn't sound like anyone else, it just sounds memorable. I read a few negative reviews and was expecting something repetitive. Nuh uh! The atmosphere is sad lad, but it's quite intriguing.
seems like this was produced to have no edges, no teeth. underlying music is okay; I'll bet they're pretty good live. oh, these guys sing "why does it always rain on me" . . . it was quite popular at the turn of the century.
Very nice album! Almost every track is a hit! I never listen it before. As for, it is even better than Oasis.
Good stuff. Never listened to them before, glad to have more stuff to look forward to
Lyrics are ham-fisted in many places ("The Fear"), milquetoast in others ("Driftwood"). Serviceable music with some fun and unexpected turns ("Writing To Reach You," "The Last Laugh Of The Laughter"). They came about around the same time, but listening to "As You Are," it's literally like listening to Matt Bellamy's mewling whine over superficially sophisticated chord progressions. It happens again at "Why Does It Always Rain On Me?" It's perhaps telling that the secret track stashed hidden at the end of "Slide Show" is far and away the best-written; for a record so adored by the British press, The Man Who is frustratingly vanilla for a lot of its runtime. This record would mean more to me if I'd discovered it before my friends at age 20, and I'd have told all of them about it.
Not terrible, but just typical late '90s formulaic alternative rock. In the late '90s, I would've given it an angry zero stars. But it's fair for what it is.
Singer reminded me a little bit of Dave Grohl? A nice little alt album
I didn't think I had ever heard of Travis, but it turns out I know -- and like -- one of the songs on this album. The whole thing has a very Oasis vibe, but I prefer Travis because they're quieter. Tim summed it up as "Someone has been studying their Oasis studying their Beatles."
It's alright, I'd give it 3.5. There's nothing bad about it but nothing memorable either.
Did not like
The bends but bland
Kinda boring, thought 'turn' and 'why does it always rain on me' was good.
It doesn't evoke any emotion. It sound s dated. It's just too bland to give it 1 star so 2 it is. Also so edgy and cool to put a hidden track after 3 minutes of silence
01) Writing To Reach You - 9,0 02) The Fear - 8,5 03) As You Are - 8,0 04) Driftwood - 8,0 05) The Last Laugh of the Laughter - 7,5 06) Turn - 9,0 07) Why Does It Always Rain on Me? - 10,0 08) Luv - 7,5 09) She's So Strange - 7,5 10) Slide Show - 7,5 11) Blue Flashing Light - 8,5 TOTAL: 8,27 (83/100) Current ranking: 58/190 The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat. You're welcome. This was popular when I was young, maybe that's why I get sentimental every time "Why Does It Always Rain On Me?" starts. They had a couple of decent songs, several successful albums, including this one. Nothing revolutionary, but pleasant to listen to.
Oh look another crappy 90s Brit pop record. This felt like it was smack dab in the shit between Oasis and Coldplay.
Timeless
You know, assumed I wouldn't like this too much due to the year of release, but I vibed with it pretty good. Gave me Radiohead energy but without the annoying parts of Radiohead that I don't like (yeah it's Yorke's voice sorry not sorry)
2.2 Like if you asked AI to recreate the Bends. fave songs: writing to reach you
The Man Who is really hit and miss; the singles are all pleasant and largely memorable, Turn in particular is a bit of a classic, and then As You Are is quite good too. The rest is a bit dreary and Fran Healy's voice grates the higher it goes; he's a more effective and interesting listen when he's in a lower register, otherwise it becomes a little warbly and pitchy and lost. The strength of the highs outweighs the annoyance of the lows, it's a high 3 I think.
Fond memories of this from my childhood - this is towards the end of the era (that started with Pulp and Oasis) when my dad got back into new music and had this on in the car a lot. Haven't listened to it in ages, definitely over a decade and probably a fair bit longer than that. Listening back to it now, there are some songs that stand up on their own, some that stand up with the benefit of nostalgia, and some that don't stand up at all really. Writing To Reach You, As You Are, and Why Does It Always Rain On Me are really quite good, I like Driftwood as well, and the rest is pretty ropey. 3/5.
7/10. Thought it was a slow start but ended up being very good. Put 4 songs on the playlist.
Unexpectedly brilliant album.
I’m pretty sure anyone who died without hearing The Man Who will be just fine with that. It was everywhere for a few minutes in 1999 partly because of the dirge that is Why Does It Always Rain On Me? But even that doesn’t really justify the hype. I’m giving it an extra star for Turn which I always liked, but it’s just not a great album.
A bit ahead of its time in a way. Sounded like mid-2000s indie. I enjoyed it, it’s my jam.
Nice
Bad band name, solid album
Listened to part of it. Never heard of this group. Interesting.
This whole album sounds like the part of an early 2000’s Rom-Com when the falling out happens. So they show a montage of them living separate lives. That’s where I’m currently at in life so this shit hit me directly 😂
me re copó je 8/10
Sing is one of my all-time favorite songs, but it's not in this one. As you are sounds a ton like Thom Yorke. This is ok, kind of meh. Enjoyable enough, but to me is proto-other-albums-I-like. Not sure why it deserved to be on this list. I want to give it a 2.5, since it's the kind of sound I enjoy but not that good. There's a secret track at the end, which feels like something form a bygone era. Highlights: turn
Mellow. Understated. Reminds me of early 2000's ...like Radiohead or something, or a long lost descendant of U2. It all sounds really samey. Singer sounds like he's singing the same song the whole album. He tone is almost a whisper sing and it verges on getting under my skin the whole time. Even with all these drawbacks this album isn't too bad. These guys are better than Coldplay. 3/5
Strong performance and atmosphere.
A bit of a poor man's radiohead. Not my favourite. Easy to listen to though and some catchy tunes.
Sounds like a bad rip-off of 90s Radiohead. Also music to fall asleep to. Real snoozefest.
Commits the eternal sin of reminding you of far better albums you could be listening to
If beige was audible
It feels like so many things went right and so many went wrong. Lovely voice, a band that can play well. The songs themselves are more often than not just too dreary and dull. Why Does It Always Rain On Me? is a classic though.
Finally answering the question “what if Radiohead were far less musically talented with unimaginative songwriting”
Mediocre 90s rock. Inoffensive and bland. Really lame lyrics. Technically fine, composed well. But unmemorable. I think I get it though? A precursor to some Brit pop/rock that came a little later. Some are saying he’s ripping off Radiohead but I only hear Coldplay. I’m not sure if that timeline makes sense.
3/5. Feels like a poor man's Radiohead or Coldplay.
Lacking substance imo bland
Did not listen
"Why does it always rain on me?" "Because you live in bloody Scotland, mate!" That was my joke about Travis back in the nineties that no one really thought was funny. And it wasn't really that funny. But it should be, shouldn't it? Like, someone Scottish is singing about it always raining on them as a metaphor for... depression? bad luck? Self-sabotage? And they are opening it up to the notion that it's because they are guilt ridden, "is it because I lied when I was seventeen?" and inviting the listener to imagine the potential scenario in their heads, which is all very poetic... But! There is a much more cutting and practical answer which is that they are manifestly Scottish and it always rains in Scotland, which is where they are. My subsequent visits to Edinburgh have proven this joke to be rooted in fact. I still don't think the joke is that funny though, even though the mechanics of it make sense. Maybe it is too mean? Maybe it's the delivery? Maybe it's because I lied when I was seventeen? Anyway, this album is pish. I thought I might have grown fond of it through old age, nostalgia and sentimentality. But, no, it's still incredibly boring, bland, middle of the road, tedious fucking nonsense - The Lighthouse family for people that are feeling a bit maudlin. What "classic" album is next? The Stereophonics? Shed Seven? Mr Blobby? Jesus wept. UPDATE: I think this has been the worst experience of 1001 albums yet. It’s surprising. They seem so inoffensive. But by the end of listening to this album I felt like liquid boredom had seeped into my bones. I felt like a hyperactive child who had been dragged round a stuffy old museum for six hours. I had to make a playlist of the fastest tracks that came to mind to try and get rid of the feeling of ick.
Really did not like.
Fear the drear(y)
Exactly as I remember it. Boring Brit pop. Writing to reach you is a great song and it saves it from being rated as a 1.
Like radio head, but not as good.
Generic
Not very cool Britpop. One hit and that’s it.
Thoughts before listening: I remember these guys being a big deal with music writers back in the day, especially the British press. In my mind they were a big deal in the post-Radiohead, pre-Coldplay British alt rock world, with a sound that hits on all of the anthemic pop rock elements of Radiohead circa The Bends. Similar to a band like Keane. Review: Meh. This isn’t very good. This sounds like what you’d get if you took “Karma Police” or “High and Dry” and removed all the cool interesting parts. It’s just vanilla pop rock with anthemic choruses. I remember the songs “Turn” and “Why Does it Always Rain On Me” which are the 2 best songs here. 2-stars.
The Man Who is mostly endearing if a little boring. Their biggest single “Why Does It Always Rain on Me?” doesn’t appeal to me much, but there are some other solid melancholic ballads on the album.
Not bad but I've heard it all so many times for so many years it's hard to love it.
Jesus. Really testing my resolve to give every single album this app generates for me a fair listen. What in the ever living fuck is this record doing here. Never mind Travis, this is a travesty
I liked it alright but I don't see myself remembering this a month from now. Woulda missed the last tune if I wasn't lazy.
Hm. It's always fun to get a band and album that I've never heard of, but I'm not sure there's a lot to this one, at least for me. The band sounds a lot like a whole lot of other alt/indie bands from the later 1990s, and while there's nothing wrong with that, it's a bit hard to know why this album (and band) made the cut to be in this project. (I also made the mistake of trying to watch the video of the first song, "Writing to Reach You," and was both baffled at whatever storyline the video was trying to tell, and which didn't seem to relate to the lyrics. Kind of annoying. "Turn" and "Why does it always rain on me" weren't much better.) I almost wonder if we should have gotten their debut album instead (ironic given the project's tendency to over-favor debut albums)? I feel a bit badly giving this only 2 stars, but it just feels like such a bland and forgettable album, with almost no sort of backstory or drama to make it more interesting.
I'd never heard of them before. Like a proto-coldplay. I kept hoping they would break into a really good song--they always seemed on the verge but then never quite there.
One of those albums where u go in not expecting much but are pleasantly surprised
Radiohead and Coldplay had a baby and that baby was annoying.
If you thought Keane was too 'out-there', if Coldplay gets you too excited, if you love listening to people whinge about the weather, if you can't get enough of that OK Computer thing where Radiohead combined acoustic guitars and ethereal electric ones and electronic textures but for some reason don't have access to the real thing, if you'd like to hear a band beside Oasis explore the idea of a wonderwall, if you wish the Verve had more harmonica, or if you're running a hospice experimenting with new techniques for lulling people to a soft lovely boredom-induced death, then boy, is this is the album for you. Otherwise, stay well clear. Awful.
ok dimenticabile
Okay background music I guess but all and all pretty boring. The most exciting thing was the hidden track but its not even worth all the blank noise to get to it.
Very nice album
There are moments I clicked with, but found myself being pretty disappointed by a watered down version of Radiohead / Oasis / Keane. 2.5/5
pretty simple but effective late 90s, radiohead/coldplay esque guitar rock
The charms of these nice Scottish lads grew on me as I got farther into the album. However, the notion that these nice Scottish lads also write some of the most pedestrian lyrics on either side of the pond.
Very solid album. Can't even make the wonderwall joke bc they did twice. But I think I liked them more. Like thought it would just be sad boi music but there were some bangers. Fan songs turn, the last laugh of laughter, driftwood. Slideshow is a mood tho
A little too saccharine for me. It rarely gets out of first or second gear. Nice voice…..for about two songs, then it just gets a tad cloying. Needed more variety in the overall sound. It lulled me into a dull state of mind by the fourth or fifth song.
Despite that the first half of this album is significantly more interesting than the second half, overall I really enjoyed this a good amount. I just wish the whole album kept up that initial level of quality - the first portion was so good that it unfortunately made the second leg of the album feel sort of drab and uninteresting by comparison
Great Value Radiohead
This feels a little watered down to me. Plus not a fan of his voice. 1st listen 2/5
It was fine, but nothing that stood out. 2.5
I mean, I wanted to hate it, but it's actually, in hindsight, a bunch of really well put together sad songs. Very trad, no innovation, but the songs are tight and they are pretty great.
Painful. I tried. I just couldn’t.
I was all set to give this a 4 as an album i loved as a teenager. Unfortunately, I dont think it holds up well enough now.
They sounds exactly like Radiohead, I don’t know why this album is relevant, they seem like a rip off. The music sounds ok but I don’t understand the relevance.
Kind of mellow Radiohead Oasis vibes for me. Its ok.Thanks for introducing me to them!
Interesting album - vaguely conjures some Radiohead, a consistently dreary tone to the album. Given how I like the sound and production overall, my reaction to this album is pretty muted. I didn't notice the initial chord progression of the first song Writing to Reach You is the same as Wonderwall until a second listen, and he even references Wonderwall in the lyrics (!) I do like the melodic composition, but I'll have to chalk it to songwriting; but this album might grow on me over time. My favorite ended up being the hidden track, Flashing Blue Light.
Better than I thought it would be
I really loved this album idk why it got bad reviews??? The first song is so good 😭
This and radiohead can coexist!! Musicbros stay mad
So it's like Coldplay/stereophonics/Keane/snow patrol. It was a 3 because I guess I kinda get why people like it even if I find it bland...then why does it always rain on me started playing and I was like nope it's a 2
Really stands up well. Thank you Zane Lowe (discovered this via M2 on MTV in mid 1999 - Driftwood, then Why Does It Always Rain on me.)
Not For Me™️
Great listen
This kind of sounds like what Muse would have done before amping up their sound. Another middle of the road one, pleasant enough for a Sunday.
Great Value Radiohead. Favorite tracks: The Last Laugh of Laughter, Writing to Reach You. Album art: Reminds me of that Bloc Party album cover from a few years later, just some guys outstanding in their field. Which one is Travis? 3/5
Could not listen to this
Very Nice. I'm can't be sure I've not heard it before, or were there just a lot of singles? I used to love Driftwood & Fran Healy actually. Go on then, a 4.
This is the kind of album you put on at a party when you want your friends to leave. I really wish to never hear that album again. 47 minutes of my life wasted and no one's giving them back to me.
Not particularly bad, but quite dull. Nothing more to offer than melancholy. A little like Oasis without balls. Could be the soundtrack to Grey's Anatomy or something like that.
Blind album and artist. I liked the slower indie rock more than I thought for sure. I do understand the radiohead vibes.
Meh. Not a lot of variety between songs.
Did not like - disappointment!
Meh.
Radiohead if Radiohead sucked.
the very presence of a secret song saves this from a 1 because it made me laugh. Dreadful
Middle of the road at best. Not something that I will listen to again any time soon
2-3
I'm surprised to see this one on the list. I would never have thought about this band since I haven't heard about them since "Why Does It Always Rain On Me?" came out. I like the album, but this one is another head scratcher as to why it's on the list.
This is what radiohead sounds like to me.
A bit too long and melancholy for me but I didnt hate it
I can see why younger me liked this. Not so much these days; listenable but not particularly interesting
I’ve never listened to this as a whole album but have likely listened to most of this just over time as singles and at peoples houses/in cars/radios etc. Overall it’s a bit too soft but I find turn to be an all time great track.
I downloaded them from Napster and used to play along badly on my dad's old guitar. First gig as well at the SECC. Doves supporting.
Aggressively average. Rating: 2.5
It was like a hipster Neil Young - without the fun of hipsters...or Neil Young Pretty trite in my opinion
I loke this album, especially "Why Does It Always Rain on Me?"
Soft rock elevator music. It's fine... I didn't skip any songs or anything, but nothing hit me as great. 3/5
This was fine but so generic as to have me wondering how much I've heard before.
Pretty forgettable but not disagreeable. Because I listened to this the other day and then got 3 songs into it before realizing I’d already listened to it
Honestly, I really enjoyed this one! I was worried that it was going to be a Mumford & Sons style folky album, based on the album cover and name of the album, so I was pleasantly surprised when it was a lot more rock/pop. I'd listen again!
Incredible how much this 1999 album sounds like 2006. Maybe people were using "Writing to Reach You" in their AMVs. Immoral therapists are playing this album in their waiting rooms to retain depressed patients. The secret song was actually pretty compelling.
britpop is not britbad, but gosh it's britaverage and i'm left bewildered why there are so much britpop on here. because of the britpop fatigue i've chronically endured as part of this listening project, i'm bored. the man who by travis (who has a lot of audacity going by his first name when i don't know him) is very average. his voice brings nothing special to the table--not to mention his voice doesn't sound good on those more emotional songs. musically, the instruments are definitely good. i found myself impressed. there wasn't any aspect i could call terrible because it was a pleasant background or active listen. but where was the creativity? it wasn't enough to get a better rating than a 2.
I found it funny that this is classified as "post-britpop". I read that genre as "okay, all the britpop wind has been knocked out of our sails, and this is what we are left with". And the funny thing is that this album essentially listens exactly like that. It's pretty bland and beige, all around. The perpetual softness of the album is fine, but when mixed with all the blandness and beigeness, it's just so...dull. This is certainly listenable, but it's also very unremarkable. Sidenote: Britpop and britpop-adjacent albums are probably some of the most represented on this project while simultaneously being among the least deserving of so much representation. So many of these albums could have been excluded in favor of so many other music legends that aren't included at all.
Run of mill mopey guitar. It was just okay.
Quite meh really. Completely inoffensive, but middle of the road. I could have it on in the background and not really notice that I've listened to it. Definitely didn't hate it, but quite generic.
Ehhhhh, whiny boy music
Not a bad indie sound for this Scottish rock band from the late 90s. I give this 3 stars.
Fuck it, reallygood
Always upvote Travis
This album isn’t as bad as I expected. Quite milquetoast, but has some kinda interesting harmonic stuff and the singer’s voice isn’t unpleasant. There’s a delicacy to some of the arrangements that’s actually quite nice and would have been totally lost on me as a kid. Some tracks are awful cheesefests though. Some really inane lyrics and song titles too. “The Last Laugh of the Laughter”? Gimme a break. Just found out this Travis album was produced by Nigel Godrich which explains most of what I like about it! There’s def elements of it reminiscent (ahem, derivative) of Radiohead.
3,5 Sterne Brit Pop Album. Insgesamt nicht genug Hits für mehr. Etwas zu eintönig. 1 mal gehört.
Sounds like rain in Britain but you are walking around forlornly in your rain jacket watching couples having dinner inside restaurants. This list seems to love British bands. Not sure if you need to hear it before you die as it’s quite derivative. Better to listen to Radiohead’s The Bends. In saying that I did enjoy it though.
I was weirdly un-nostalgic about this. I expected to be taken back to the late 90s, but then I realised that by 1999 I was already looking down my nose at the likes of Travis a bit. Ultimately, this is insipid, boring and pastiche-y. There's something about Healy's (very nice) voice that makes the misery not quite ring true. I really don't get the Radiohead comparison, given the level of invention that they'd showed on OK Computer compared to this. It's closer to David Gray than it is to Thom Yorke. Driftwood is good though. Little Fran Healy nugget by the way, when Sgt Pepper turned 40 (2007) the Beeb did a really good programme where contemporary artists covered each song. Fran did Lovely Rita, and his vocals were absolutely tremendous on a song he could easily have murdered. So well done for that, if not really for this.
This album was kind to my ears. Relaxing and enjoyable.
Really good album.
flacid pop rock. who cares? albums like this are going to be the reason if i eventually stop doing this list Significant 36/114 Liked 17/114 Added 4/114 NNN
There were some good songs but also some that were a bore
This was the humdrum of the dole-drums. I thought there may be a spark of some weird alt 90s feelings but I was left with was a sour third eye blind taste written for a hearing impaired historian.
I can understand why anyone who wasn't in the UK around this time would completely not *get* this album.
bastante bien
You've got to remember that these are just sad UK people in the 90s. A not-overplayed Oasis. A Scottish version of Blur. Coldplay without the mainstream exposure. You know, garbage.
I feel like this just committed the cardinal sin of being boring. I found nothing outstanding or special about this album. It wasn't specifically bad or miserable, it just wasn't interesting or neat in any capacity. Fav tracks: N/A
Loved this!
Earworm for everytime it rains since 1999. Travis ist awesome for melancholic lightrock feelings.
Britpop, indie, male, mid, carefully arranged with strings, sometimes too much, but classic poprock album, with tendencies to Radioheadesk parts. Puts a wide smile on my face, listened to this one very often 25y ago, borrowed it from a girl i liked, burned it on a ROM, but threw it away some moves possibly. Remembered many arrangements and lyrics. Back in the days, liked the shy songs more than the big ones- still the same :)
Very good. Easy to get into the musical world this artist is creating. Coll effects, interesting musical direction and his voice keeps you in awe. Would listen again.
I didn’t have much a chance to listen to it since I was celebrating my birthday. Overall I thought what I listened to was pretty ok I’ll need to give it a listen. I’ll give it 3 starts
Not sure I can write a review because this album made me so sleepy
It was ok. Pretty melancholy
Decent
Melodic background music, wallflower voices
Vähän Radioheadmaista. Kivaa kevyttä rockia. Parhaat: As You Are, Why Does It Always Rain on Me?
It was pretty good. It kind of sounded like Oasis. The last song was pretty weird because there was like five minutes of just pure silence.
Vá. Þetta var alveg gleymt band. Ég hlustaði fullt á Travis og þar með talið þessa plötu í gamle gamle dage. Eldist þokkalega vel og nostalgían alveg í botni á meðan tónlistin leikur um eyrun og eitthvað meira gleðiblabla.
the man who what?
People rlly slamming this one but it’s fairly solid imo, good one lads
One Tree Hill core. Idk it was fine
Too mello and depressing. A couple okay tracks.
Previous Familiarity: Very High! One of my favorite albums! With their second album, Travis narrowed their scope from jangly Britpop to a full album of melancholy, but hopeful, breakup music. As the somber snow-field cover conveys, this is the perfect winter album to chill around the house with. Maybe read a book, cuddle with a pet, or just chill on the couch and think about how much you enjoy doing nothing at all. The simple yet poetic lyrics find their way on gorgeous melodies and yearning delivery. The arrangements are keenly sparse with great Britpop guitar flourishes when the mood strikes. It's an even keel of comfort for a wistful afternoon of romantic reflection. The only knock that I have on the album, other than it's lack of new ideas (though still, very well done) is it's closing hidden track "Blue Flashing Light". This harsh sounding tale of domestic violence --though poignant and true-- is well out of place. Barreling in after the 3+ minutes of silence that followed a beautiful acoustic closing track it totally takes the mood and turns it on it's head, leaving a very bitter taste. Definitely should have been left off. Quick note: I worked a lot a record store when this album came out, and I was OBSESSED. I told all of my friends and customers about it and even gave out my employee distro anyone that I could convince to but it. Ultimately it got me fired, but I still think it was worth it. If even one of those buyers liked it as much as I did. I did my job.
Kind of annoying and wimpy also multiple songs that went on forever.
The whole album was in build up to 'Why Does It Always Rain On Me?' and the rest was short and unnoticeable. Also it does that one fucking thing with the silence and then music, just cut it out, adds nothing.
Not a huge fan but it was listenable enough. 3*
Didn't like this at all. Undoubtedly a bit harsh but Travis were very lucky that Coldplay became the butt of the jokes...
this was a nice little surprise. I actually enjoyed this album a fair amount. hits that sweet spot for a more melancholic side of rock.
Pleasant surprise! Love this era of rock
Sweet, sensitive, fin de siecle/aughty pop that's held up well, thanks to solid craftsmanship and prodcutio, plus-plus songwriting and excellent melodies. "As You Are," "Luv" and "She's So Strange" are one's fave cuts, with "Turn" and "Driftwood" also delivering charm a good bit above one's daily quota. This record meant alot back in the day and one's glad to be so pleasantly reunited with it.
Soft rock, ça doit être indépendant uk probablement. Bon son, bonne production mais riend de plus 3
Solid 3 nearly 4
Kinda bland
I mean it's music... it's just fine. I'd say so bland that I've already forgotten what it is and I'm listening to it right now. Completely forgettable. 2.5/5
The songs are pretty good, but they do sound quite similar
Alright… Radiohead ripoff.
Skimmed it. Lame. "Why Does It Always Rain On Me" is the hit
Como volváis a colocar otro coñazo me doy de baja de la lista.
sweet
It’s just so lethargic for the entire runtime. Every track ends up sounding the same. There’s a reality where I could see myself listening to this while relaxing knowing that there will be nothing interesting happening musically. Mostly I was bored while listening to this. There’s some talent on display but nothing that I’d want to return to. It didn’t help that my autoplay had a Keane track and then a Radiohead track after the album was finished. That feels like what they’re attempting but failing at. 2/5
Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Why does it always rain on me
A gentle, easy album with some lovely songs. There’s a reason some albums sell by the bucket load.
This is like gluten-free Radiohead. That's the review. I got nothing.
Forgot how good this was, and why I listened to it loads when it came out
Sounded to me like a kind of cross between The Eagles and grunge era Radiohead. Not exactly cheery on this grey, rainy pre-Christmas day. One of those albums where everything is competent, but also not very interesting.
Music for bed wetters.
Boring
If Coldplay met Radiohead and... yeah, not the greatest.
A bit repetitive, but a few of the tracks are real sad boy anthems.
Boring
This is objectively a good album, with good standout songs, strong melodies, choruses and all the rest. It's quite soft and melancholic, and I understand that it's not everyone's cup of tea, but reading the top reviews on here it just reads like complete snobbishness. I guess it's just somehow cool to hate on it? Who knows? Fuck the haters, I like it.
I was open to this at the beginning, I like the soft rock sound even if the lyrics aren't the most inspired. But this album gets progressively more whiny and woe-is-me as it goes and it's really just too much. I saved The Fear and Driftwood.
This was fine, but I’m not sure how it ended up in this list?
The first song use the same riff as Oasis's masterpiece wonderwall, and in general they are in the same kind of music as them: Britpop. And in addition it has been named the second best brittish albums of the last 30 years (in 2010). It's classical britpop, alternative rock and all, the songs slow, emotional and hovering, the voice of the lead singer show it all. The cover is pretty cool, with the snow and all i like it. The fear is at the image of the album, with the same qualities, its probably my favorite. Why does it always rain on me deserved a credit his very powerfull chorus and his beautifulness are very pleasant to ear. Not much more to say to be honnest, very good stuff here, but nothing really print his mark on me
3/5 close but no
Meh, sounds like the less-good parts of 90's alt rock, boring chord progressions and melodies
There is just way too much mediocre 90s britpop on this list.
Wow another sad boy band, so shocking. Nothing here felt new or interesting it felt like elevator music. I caught myself zoning out here on many different songs. Lots of filler also. Not memorable at all.
Not bad and the singer has a good voice, but it is quite boring.
Ok at the beginning, gradually becomes boring
It might not be bad.. but it's definetly not good.
Somebody has given this a 5* review and called it "nice mellow rock". Is that how we want our rock, nice and mellow? Hmmmmm Anyway, somebody bought me this album when it came out. I remember thinking at the time that apart from the stuff being played on the radio everything else on it was a bit boring. Now, I'm inclined to think that even the stuff they played on the radio was a bit boring.
1999 Britpop Standouts: Why Does It Always Rain on Me, As You Are, Turn. Others: Writing to Reach You, Driftwood, Luv, She's So Strange. 3.75
I found this to be a tad bit basic indie rock indie pop. Nothing really stood out, the vocals aren’t that engaging and the melodies aren’t that rememberable. However, I loved fear and driftwood is great too (kinda sounds like a the shins knockoff). Slide is decent as well. I don’t think there’s much here. It’s a strong 2 for me. Not sure what’s the importance of this album and why it’s a part of this list. Maybe it’ll grow on me.
Pretty good rock and roll. Singers voice was nice. I would neither restart or skip this song if it came up in some automatic playlist.
Was kind of interesting
A good album and my nostalgic heart wanted to give it a 4, but I can't say it is one that excites me so it will remain a 3.
Bleak and pessimistic, kitchen-sink Radiohead. There are the germs of some good tunes here ("Writing to Reach You" is interesting), but it becomes repetitive and ultimately just a spiral of devastation without any redeeming features. I swear "Driftwood" is the single most depressing song ever written.
Listened to this while building the Lego bug collection. I had a roommate in college who loooooved this album. I never was much of a fan. I curious to see how I felt about years later...it was even worse than I remembered. There is nothing really bad on this album at all (aside from some groan worthy lyrics)...nothing aurally offensive. But nothing at all inventive or unique. It reminds me of the period of time in which Radiohead was being hugely innovative, and there were all these Radiohead-lite knockoffs trying to bite off the sound. Listening to this reminded me of those bands (I'm looking at you, Elbow) mixed with U2. This album could be a 3...but today I'm feeling judgy, so it gets a 2.
Best lekkere rustige rock
Pretty relaxed rock vibes
Zzzzzzz
Another turn of the millenium britpop album! I will say that this one’s slightly better than average. Decently enjoyable, even if it is totally derivative.
The man who bored the world
This is an album that some people worked very hard on. I respect that but it is not really for me.
This is the sort of album that is likely to improve on repeated plays. On the first pass, however, it felt like a steady walk along even ground with few discernible landmark until late on elevation added some interest.
Perfect slice of indie pop
I feel like I just listened to 5 soundtracks from mediocre rom coms and a couple songs by a radiohead cover band... and I hate rom coms AND radiohead so there's that.
Not too bad.. a bunch of good songs with one or two great ones
I don’t want to be rude, but I’m getting a horrendous backlog of reviews to finish and I can’t afford to spend hours listening and writing up my innermost detailed thoughts on each one. “The Man Who”, released by Travis at the turn of the 21st century, seems to fit the bill as one I can get away with writing very little about. Why? Because it’s just fine. Not great, not dreadful, just fine. Most of the songs here are world-weary, self-pitying ballads, and they’re delivered capably if with a shrugging nonchalance. There are transparent homages to Radiohead (especially echoing Yorke’s vocals at the climax of “As You Are”) but at least they’re not transparent homages to Oasis. Can you imagine? In the end, it goes on much too long and the shtick wears a little thin, but there’s perfectly decent songwriting at work in “The Man Who”. Favourites: “Writing to Reach You”, “Driftwood”, “The Last Laugh of the Laughter”, “Why Does It Always Rain On Me”. Oh, and the only other thing to add is that because I am a man of a certain age, I spent many a car journey or afternoon at home hearing “Why Does It Always Rain On Me” being played on the radio: four, five, six years old. I misheard the song’s central lyric as “is it because I died when I was seventeen”, and stand by my conviction that it is a better lyric. It would have brought a bit of a dark, surreal edge to an overall fairly staid album. Think about it.
Decent tunes
Listened Before? No Album Art: 2/5 (could very well be a Christian rock cover) So far this album is pretty much as I expected. Soft alt-rock leaning in the indie direction. Lead vocalist has a nice and crisp voice, so I'll give him that. The music itself is fine, if at times a little boring. I enjoy As You Are. Very nice production with good vocal layering during the outro. I had this backgrounded while writing documents and doing other crap at work. I enjoyed the noise, but never really stopped and said "what was that?" I think overall, this is a pretty album with a melancholy feel to it. Production is clean as is the singer and instrumental. I feel like this is a high 3 / 5 for me, only because I don't think I could pick out a single song from here. Added to Library? No Songs Added to Playlists:
I think 15 year old Jackson would have liked this more. Not very exciting. Not bad.
Pretty good alternative album sounded very typical so nothing really stood out. Had some cool moments of guitar but other than that not too much. I really hated the last song that had the minutes long of silence in the middle and didn't end with anything spectacular.
Never heard of these guys but they got a bomb producer on this one! Halfway through and it's pretty bland britrock. There are some good moments but it's nothing I can see myself coming back to. Let's see how the second half is. I have definitely heard Why Does It Always Rain On Me? probably in some romcom. It's ok just familiar. Really liked She's So Strange. Still just alright britrock. I will say that Godrich did wonders with the production. Very crisp.
Although my streaming service directed me to Sam Cooke's The Man Who Invented Soul (which doesn't sound like a bad time to be had), Travis' The Man Who is a study on how to navigate a vacuum and fill the void. The end of the Britpop era returned its country to its usual drab gray and, as reflected on the album cover, Travis soundtracked the feeling of malaise that seeped through. While not as groundbreaking or as misanthropic, The Man Who gave listeners a peek into what Travis were capable of and what they could possibly be. Favorites: Writing to Reach You, The Fear, As You Are, Driftwood, Why Does It Always Rain on Me?, She's So Strange.
Very chill vibes. I did not listen to the lyrics. Good background music for working. +1 for not being an English band. -1 for singing in French.
Discount Radiohead is alright. They just feel a bit derivative (especially with the reference to Wonderwall in the first song on this album). I like it, it just doesn’t feel like this belongs on the list. Especially when Radiohead (and presumably Oasis, I haven’t looked) are on here too.
This album is neither the Beatles nor James. And oddly might be a DNF. Well I have two more songs to go. I think there are better albums from this time and in this genera. Ooooh a hidden track, that's fun in the digital age.
Man, I really hate this album for a multitude of reasons: first one being, Travis is not a good name. Second being this album wasnt even impressive enough for Spotify to list any lyrics for. Has me starting to wonder who even curated this list of 1001 albums.
sounds exactly like the music that plays during the weirdly emotional episodes of 2000s era sitcoms
Thought this was some side project of some Radiohead members. It's like Radiohead lite. Might as well listen to Radiohead instead.
C’est si MEH, c’est le pain blanc de la musique
awesome very chill & cool
A bit like early radiohead
Very Mello perfect for a quiet night in
Writing about bad music is so much more fun than writing about good - I guess that's what makes you a journalist. Me, I will just pass on that for our non-UK friends this album is one of a select few that cluster in the shelves of the charity shops of our fair country. Robbie Williams solo albums, Coldplay early stuff, b-grade britpop like Cast, rank boybands like Blue...The Man Who...is one of this select group. Because it's the album that your girlfriend bought you for your birthday that you chazza'd (technical term) as soon as you split up.
Sweet vocals
This only required a quick listen as I quickly tired of the fey, melancholic, Coldplayish tunes. I do quite like While does it always rian, but I don't want to listen to an entire albums worth of similar songs
a good one
I wanted to like it more but there was just something lacking that I can't put a name to.
2.5
Solid 4. Driftwood is now stuck in my head.
I liked this at the time, and it was definitely part of the zeitgeist, but it seems a bit bland in retrospect. It's let down by Fran Healy's slightly weak vocals. "Luv" is a bit of a dirge. But some of the songs are undeniably catchy. I actually think the hidden track at the end is probably the strongest on the album.
1 song added, good album
I really enjoyed everything about this album!
Another purely nostalgic listen for me which holds up pretty well even after putting aside all the associated feelings I have of the time when I first enjoyed this. The released singles Writing to Reach You, Turn and Driftwood remain the standout tunes with somewhat haunting melodies and strum along guitars. I always felt Why Does it Always Rain on me to be a little too twee and that feeling hasn't changed over the years, though I recognise this is the tune that hooked the masses and fuelled the album's overall popularity. Probably I just heard it too many times. The remainder of the album acts as support to these tracks and whilst solid enough, harbour no hidden gems either, apart from maybe the hidden track after Slideshow which is a more boisterous nod to Travis less ballady past.
I think unfairly maligned as dreary; I like Travis as a great indie guitar band. Turn in particular is upbeat, some of the songs are a bit out of place here but there are multiple good tunes. 3.5
Easy album to listen to Pretty decent Between a high 3 and scratching a 4
2- A little bit of a mixed bag for me, but overall an okay experience, albeit an unmemorable one. I kinda like the vocals. If only they were tied to more interesting music. I don't really know that this is an album you should listen to before you die, but maybe Travis is (or was) a bigger deal in the U.K. or something? I don't know. This album just doesn't seem that important to me.
The Man Who sucked. Nice enough music ruined by wispy-whiny vocals. Had to skip thru songs that would have otherwise enjoyed. The lyrics were a waste of everyone’s time. Makes me feel bad for how i rated Billy Joel
It's not a bad album by any means, it's just not my taste in music. I found it to be very generic sounding background noise.
Spennende
Situated firmly on the border between Blandly Inoffensive and Offensively Bland.
Super easy listening, either Oasis without the rock or Radiohead without the dread, but decent enough I guess. 6/10
The best songs here sound like watered down Radiohead to my ear.
The production on this album is incredible. The songwriting... less so. Which is kind of a shame, really. Godrich and Hedges are genius-level producers and I hate to see their talents wasted on such a bland and frankly boring album.
It's Eunuch Rock. Boring, sad and absolutely no balls.