On November 4th, 2008; Travis will release their sixth album Ode to J Smith on their own recently reignited label, Red Telephone Box which will be distributed by Fontana International in the United States.
Red Telephone Box was first created in 1996 when Travis frontman, Fran Healy borrowed £600 from his mum to pay for the recording of Travis’ debut single. That track, the rousingly self-descriptive ‘All I Wanna Do Is Rock,’ was released on the then spanking new, band-owned label with a sleeve designed by Healy.
Fast forward twelve years – during which time they have sold ten million albums, scored numerous accolades and headlined festivals all over the world – and Travis are back at the helm of Red Telephone Box for the release of Ode To J Smith.
Ode to J Smith is their first album to be written on electric guitar since Good Feeling and places lead guitarist Andy Dunlop firmly center stage, recalling those early recordings. In short it’s their loudest, edgiest and most arresting record since their debut. The album was written in 5 weeks and recorded in just 14 days at Rak Studios in London. Ode to J Smith was produced by Emery Dobyns (Antony & The Johnsons, Patti Smith, Battles) and mixed at Electric Lady Studios in New York. It’s the sound of a band re-born, re-inspired and re-energized.
As Healy explains, “Usually I write a bunch of songs over a year and then we record them and piece it together. But this album was born out of a rush of creative urgency; a need to make a record. Perhaps that’s why Ode To J Smith is the most cohesive thing we’ve ever done. When you move so quickly there is very little time to reflect. You have to be decisive.”
The first single, ‘Something Anything’ goes to U.S. radio on October 6. Landing someplace between the breakthrough stomp of ‘Good Feeling’ and garage band overdrive of ‘All I Wanna Do Is Rock,’ the tough beat led grooves and guitar licks of ‘Something Anything’ are indicative of Travis’ forthcoming album Ode To J Smith – the first to be written on electric guitar since their debut.
Teaming up once more with Michael Baldwin – who directed all the videos for The Boy With No Name – Travis take Andy Dunlop’s driving guitar riff as the centre piece for a video that sees a 10 foot tall Andy tearing into a solo that leaves the rest of the band suitably awestruck.
Travis recently released limited edition taster EP J Smith in the UK - which debuted at No 1 on the UK indie singles chart. The band will be giving U.S. fans a previously unreleased track ‘Sarah’ when they pre-order the album on Itunes beginning on September 30.
Track Listing
01) If There's a Rocket, Tie Me To It
02) Crack the Shutters
03) Take Back the City
04) Lifeboats
05) The Golden Floor
06) Please Just Take These Photos From My Hands
07) Set Down Your Glass
08) The Planets Bend Between Us
09) Engines
10) Disaster Button
11) The Lightening Strike:
- i) What if the Storm Ends?
- ii) Sunlight Through the Flags
- iii) Daybreak
‘They haven’t lost the capacity to surprise, Fran Healy’s mob haven’t let the guitars loose this much since their very earliest days.’ Q
‘Epic levels of masterful guitar and a Latin choir’ OBSERVER REVIEW
You can pre-order the album at I-Tunes
here:
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/M...143&s=14 3441
“Something Anything” WindowsMedia Stream:
Something Anything 
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Travis Barker and Paul Wall
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Travis - Ode To J. Smith
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