principles

After 4 days locked at home listening repeatedly to The Boy With No Name, I can finally sum it up!
I still don’t know where to place it, but soon I'll listen to the entire discography again to see its ranking.
It's a great album, not a masterpiece. I'm giving a brief review here since I hate duplicates (especially if they have almost the same rating) and I wouldn’t want to be the cause of that. "3 Times and you lose" is dark, a bit sad, and it recalls certain atmospheres of "12memories." "Selfish Jean" is currently the best on the album—a beautiful melody created under a bass line (as you say) that we've heard before, but it’s stunning. "Closer," what can I say, is a hit single perhaps made for the charts, but if someone doesn’t elevate it to the point of giving it a high social connotation (using it for some ad), it will remain locked up among us fans and some fake-indie idiot who secretly listens to TIZZIANO FERRRO. Nevertheless, the song is enjoyable, and personally, it brings an incredible peace; if you're angry and you hear it, it can even make you smile. "Big Chair" resembles that "walking down the hill" that I loved so much in "12memories"... I’ve often heard unencouraging opinions on "12memories"; for me, for example, that’s a masterpiece along with "the man who"! But those are just opinions, nothing more! "Battleships" and "Under the moonlight" (KT TUNSTALL, don’t be mad) are the weak links on the album! Repetitive and a bit tiring. "Eyes Wide Open" is a nice rock twist that forgets the good-naturedness and honey of the album. "My Eyes" annoyed me at first, but then slowly it's getting under my skin. "One Night," just a typical Travis song! It could also be a future single! "Out in space" reminds me of a certain "the cage" (not the Oasis one, but theirs from "the invisible band"), and in "Colder," they self-plagiarize again with "As you are!"
"New Amsterdam" is beautiful, unique, the real gem of the album.
But there’s one thing that particularly irritates me about this CD.
There’s the ghost track. "Sailing Away," I found out, it’s called. I mean, it's a masterpiece, a fucking masterpiece of a song! Why do these Scottish idiots put the best songs as ghost tracks? WHYYYYYYYYY? They could have added it as the 13th track and everything would be okay, all calm... but no! The same thing happened with "the man who" and "12memories" (where "sing some sad song" is a little gem). Well. That’s all I wanted to say. I think I've rambled on too long. Anyway, congrats to Francis for the review, congratulations to Travis!

in their own way* no WAY THEY
This morning I woke up dyslexic or what?

These FREI are worthless… we already have the Keane who, let's face it, aren’t exactly a legendary band… well then, let’s make another example…
These FREI are worthless… we already have the early Coldplay and the Travis who sweeten our days and bring tears to our eyes. Fray Go Home!
Grant, you’re a bit off-key in this review, it’s not like you… usually, you know how to write beautiful pages of music!
Anyway, I can understand you, when it comes to an album that you don’t really like, you don’t give your best, some things are saved for the greats ;)
By the way, damn it, I sent a review of the new Manics the day before yesterday and it hasn’t arrived yet. But when will it arriveeeeeeeeeeeeee :'( I’m eager to let you read it, even if, as usual, only a few will actually read it -.-'!
I’m rambling too much… Bye Grant and congratulations (anyway) on the review, it’s always a pleasure!

@GrantNicholas...So let me tell you something, Grant. Take This is my truth... and forget it, this new one from the Manics is exceptional and it's not overtly pop like that one (which, to be honest, I don’t consider a masterpiece). Unfortunately, I’ve already downloaded it, but I think I’ll buy it. It was a shame to ruin the surprise, but after the last Lifeblood (2004), I thought they would put out a terrible album, and instead they’ve returned to the rock of their early days, mixed with the pop/rock of the beautiful everything must go.
I wouldn’t dare download the BRMC. I’m doing exactly what I did with the Travis, whom I am just starting to listen to; I’m at Big Chair for now and what I expected is coming true. Moreover, what the snooty reviews said (i.e., "that this TBWNM was a real disaster") are turning out to be LIES! Go Travis, good job, you guys are great!
As for the reviews, do whatever you want, I mean, it takes me time to write them, I’ve been lazy lately :P

Here are the grades... pardon

Let’s put it this way. You are a hardcore fan of the Travis. That much is clear. I don’t know if I should call that 5 exaggerated because now I’ll explain the situation: I have the album in front of me, still wrapped in cellophane, just bought. I haven’t downloaded anything beforehand, I’ve only listened to Closer (which struck me a lot even if it may seem like a cliché song). I wanted to write the review myself, too bad... if nobody else writes one for the Manics and BRMC, I’ll take care of it. Those will probably be my next purchases.
The review is written very well. You’re good at writing them, I know because I’ve read a bit of your stuff on Debaser. But it’s a 4 because it’s too much from a fan’s perspective; it should be more detached. However, if Debaser decides to include half scores, it would have been a 4.5, believe me.

disappointing debut...
they could have done better...
disappointing follow-up...
Worst album of 2007 alongside Brett Anderson's... but it's still up in the air... 2007 isn't over yet, it's possible that something even worse might come along...

M-E-R-D-A ( but you know how to write )

The debut didn’t convince me, but I was wrong. The album was well made and it drew you in. I don’t think this one will catch me... I’ve given it more than 2 careful listens but still nothing... I don’t like it at all... a disappointing confirmation :(

A concise review that gets straight to the point, expressing exactly what this album is... no comment.
Downloaded last night in record time (many sources -.-’), listened to it this morning... 38 minutes of utter garbage!