The Invisible Band

[Geraldine Ferraiz]

TheInvisible Band is the third studio album by the Scottish rock band Travis, produced by Nigel Godrich. It was released on 11 June 2001 in the United Kingdom by Independiente and a day later in the United States by Epic Records. The songwriter, Fran Healy, said the title referred to the band's status of having famous songs, but not being famous themselves.

The Invisible Band was recorded at Ocean Way Studios, Los Angeles. It was produced by Nigel Godrich, who also produced the previous Travis record, The Man Who (1999). According to the Travis songwriter, Fran Healy, Godrich arrived for the sessions in a bad mood. Healy said Godrich was frustrated after the gruelling recording sessions for Radiohead's albums Kid A and Amnesiac, and so "took it out on us because he couldn't take it out on Radiohead".[2]

Godrich was strict with Travis and rejected their initial work, which they found dispiriting.[2] Eventually, after a serious argument, the mood settled.[2] Healy felt it was good for Godrich to work with "melodic" bands such as Travis as well as more experimental acts such as Radiohead.[2] The group began to make progress after a session experimenting with unusual instruments such as a tanpura.[2]

At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, The Invisible Band received an average score of 71 based on 17 reviews, which indicates "generally favourable reviews".[3]

Q wrote: "While the wheel remains un-reinvented, The Invisible Band finds its mark with unerring accuracy".[10] While Launch also said of the album, "Songs like the stirring 'Side', the delicate 'Dear Diary', and the glistening 'Follow the Light' are among the best and most fully crafted of Fran Healy's short but accomplished writing career".[3] Q also listed it as one of the best 50 albums of 2001.[14]

Invisible's first live performance took place at the Teatro Astral on 23 November 1973. The following year, they recorded their first single and their first album, self-titled Invisible. The group secluded more and more in their rehearsals and dropped live performances in small places; they only performed in big theaters or stadiums, but never in festivals.

After a long hiatus, they changed recording company (from Talent - Microfn to multinational CBS) and announced their second LP, Durazno Sangrando in 1975. The premiere took place in the Teatro Coliseo on 21 and 22 November that year. A cover version of "Amor de primavera," a song originally composed and performed by Tanguito, was Invisible's only sign of activity until the release of their third and last LP, El jardn de los presentes, in which the band incorporated Toms Gubitsch on lead guitar. The album obtained massive success almost immediately[citation needed] and contains "El Anillo del Capitn Beto", considered a classic of Argentine rock.[1] The album also featured a guest appearance by bandonen virtuoso Rodolfo Mederos on "Las Golondrinas de Plaza de Mayo". The new material included in this LP would be first performed live on 6 August 1976 in the Estadio Luna Park. About "El Anillo del Capitn Beto," Spinetta once said:

"I remember myself with Pomo and Machi, having a great time in the coffee shop that was next to Teatro Astral and thinking of possible names for that astronaut who has gone through the fight of ages (in Spanish: lucha de las eras)... Las eras... Las Heras y Bustamante (an intersection in Buenos Aires). I imagined that his spaceship was similar to the DeLorean of Back to the Future, or something like that, that took off due to a science that only Beto understands, and goes far away... Actually, Beto does not want to come back. He has conquered something impressive but, as any conqueror, he can't avoid comparison and distance to the world he left behind."

In the Spinetta y las Bandas Eternas concert of 2009 - a retrospective of Spinetta's career in which he brought together the bands that accompanied him over 40 years-Invisible played 5 songs: "Durazno sangrando", "Jugo de lcuma", "Lo que nos ocupa es la conciencia, es la abuela que regula el mundo", "Nio condenado" and "Amor de primavera".

I look around the room-- a gymnasium moonlighting as a convention center. Needless to say, this is my first "trad-rock" convention (I lost a card game at Pitchfork HQ). The gym is packed with 17-year-old British boys (I threw the game) cheering with youthful enthusiasm. I take a quick survey of the t-shirts in the room-- Ocean Colour Scene, Travis, Kula Shaker, and Oasis. One boy sports the words TRAD IS RAD on his chest, but the more humble TRAD'S NOT THAT BAD seems to be the tee of choice.

I have no idea what the fuck is going on. So I ask the kid next to me, "Hey, you, what's this trad?" He meets my question with a blank stare. I explain, "I'm from out of town." Still no response. "I'm American." Only now does my ignorance seem feasible. "Oh." He finally opens up. "Trad-rock is... well... it's not really Britpop. But you know trad bands... like the Chieftains-- they play traditional music. So, trad-rock is really traditional rock and roll." To clarify, I ask him, "So, you guys are into the Stones and Led Zeppelin?" He laughs a knowing laugh and replies slowly, "Don't you see? We're living in a post-Oasis world."

I take a loop around and see a listening station. Fran Healy of Travis is scheduled as the convention's keynote speaker, and I haven't even heard their third album, The Invisible Band. So I put on the headphones and sit down.

The opening track and first single, "Sing," shows off a banjo, and rejoices with a honeyball of a singalong chorus that proclaims, "The love you bring won't mean a thing/ Unless you/ Sing, sing, sing." As cheesy as the song is, there's no denying that Healy can sing-- his voice is both easy on the ears and passionately expressive. It somehow comforts with a wisdom and maturity that his banal lyrics ultimately betray.

"Dear Diary" opens with the lines, "Dear Diary, what is wrong with me?/ 'Cos I'm fine between the lines/ Be not afraid/ Help is on its way." While I'd be embarrassed to read that in an actual diary-- let alone in liner notes-- the sparse production is precise to an almost chilling effect, and Healy's impressive falsetto pulls it off convincingly. Fran also keeps the song short enough that you're more likely to remember the effect of his gentle, wavering vocals than his questionable, drippy sentiments.

By the third track, The Invisible Band's feeling pretty predictable. The songs are solid, but the band seem more to have found a formula that works than an individual voice. Travis' roots lie in Paul McCartney (think Wings rather than the Beatles), and post-Style Council Paul Weller, but they also seem influenced by contemporaries such as Oasis and The Bends-era Radiohead. The guitar milks a few melodic themes, so that many of the songs lack distinction.

The tracks here are supported by a fuller sound and more complex arrangements than on either of Travis' first two albums. Banjos, synthetic orchestrations, and studio add-ins are employed to create a lush sound that's enjoyable at the cost of the punch of Good Feeling or the dark mood of The Man Who. They're all competently played, but never really inspiring.

"Flowers in the Window (for Nora)" is a rare break in the formula. The driving chorus, "Oh, wow, look at you now, flowers in the window/ It's such a lovely day, and I'm glad you feel the same," is a bit ridiculous, which for a band like Travis is a serious risk. But on an album that otherwise feels too safe, their grand victory romp seems innocently fun. Imagine a melody similar to the Lovin' Spoonful's "Summer in the City" if it were written like a showtune. And performed by Glaswegians.

I don't mind Travis. There are many far worse bands, and it's hard to go wrong with a humble, talented singer, a band who likes rock, Nigel Godrich and some synthesizers. But Travis doesn't ever seem to say much, so I don't think I'm going to stick around for Healy's keynote speech. The music makes me want to listen, but I just can't hear much of impact in the vague stream of lyrical clichs: "The grass is always greener on the other side"; "There is no wrong, there is no right"; "I'd pray to God if there was heaven, but heaven seems so very far from here"; "You are one in a million, and I love you, so let's watch the flowers grow"; "When your bird has flown away, she was never meant to stay"; "Everyday in every way I'm falling..." Such pleasant sentiments will do well on the charts, but regardless of how many weeks they battle it out with Muse and the Stereophonics, it won't be enough for history to notice them. The Invisible Band, indeed. It's poignant, almost.

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But then I saw Jon perform stories from the book live with musical accompaniment from the band Black Prairie. And that changed everything. I accosted Jon and the band in the dressing room and told them they had to let me share it with the 99% Invisible audience.

I just listened to Wild Ones. Wow. The presentation was captivating. I was totally involved with the animals, the speaker, the story, and the music. Jon and Black Prairie painted a picture with words and music that touched me. Thank you. And thank you Roman for sharing.

i think it is hilarious that most of the people protesting against the 1% are actually in that 1% when compared to the rest of the world. if you are making $40K US or more then you are part of the 1%. #dumbass

This podcast was great! I felt the music was good, but at times took away from the message of the podcast. I think the music to voice sound ratio was off and made it difficult to hear what Joe was saying.

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