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Rating:
And in the end, the answer came like a punch in the face to those who considered them a finished group, that had nothing more to say, excessively softened, too darkened as they appeared in "12 Memories" (an incredibly underrated album just because it didn't have a chart-breaker like "Sing" to rely on).
Brian Eno and Nigel Godrich: two giants of production who would hardly have moved for a group "at their wit's end". "Closer", a pop diamond of absolute value set in an increasingly bogged-down radio schedule with hit-parade mercenaries, was a kind of stunning warning, but this "The Boy With No Name" disorients in a nearly indecent manner right from the first notes of the sumptuous "3 Times And You Lose", reminiscent of the best moments of the bestseller "The Invisible Band" thanks to its delicate and dreamy acoustic atmospheres. Total change of pace, however, already with the subsequent "Selfish Jean", a sure branding of the summer of 2007, flaunting a pop 'n roll melody of sumptuous impact; it starts off vaguely reminiscent of Iggy Pop's 'Lust For Life', then goes in a completely different direction, reviving a vitality and positivity that Travis had been missing since "Good Feeling".
We've talked and heard about "Closer", so it's more inviting to dwell on the disarming (in an absolutely positive sense) "Big Chair", perhaps the best Travis song since "The Man Who"; yet another answer, this time to those who consider Francis Healy only good for writing banal "pop tunes". It's a song that could very well come from Thom Yorke's inspired hand; it's a phenomenal mix of delicate yet frantic drumming, subdued yet incisive singing, and flashes of piano and strings here and there, almost like sudden flashes. "Battleships" is the most British thing you've heard in years, evoking rain and passersby with raincoats and umbrellas, Notting Hill, and double-decker buses. "Eyes Wide Open" even brings us back, in terms of sound, to the glory of "The Man Who"; it's almost an evolved and more rhythmic "Writing To Reach You", while "My Eyes" is the classic melancholic piece that Healy and his mates have accustomed us to and, you can bet, a future single.
"One Night" on the other hand recalls a shamefully underrated song like the superb "Love Will Come Through", coincidentally the least dark episode of "12 Memories". "Out In Space" is an intimate pop number that creates a stunning and very special atmosphere; Francis's voice combined with the sole acoustic guitar transports the listener into a dream made of delicate harmonies, just occasionally disturbed by sporadic background noises. "Colder" is yet another beautiful song, this time on a drum that's muffled and distant, with a surprising harmonica interlude. "New Amsterdam" closes grandly but in a subdued, almost imperceptible way.
A great work this "T.B.W.N.N.", the umpteenth gem of elegant pop offered by a group that has accustomed us very well and be sure, will continue to do so.
Their best album after the unparalleled "The Man Who".
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
02 Selfish Jean (04:01)
Cheers
Thanks for everything
You hung me out by my heart
You're just so selfish jean
Yes you are
Hey you
Threw it all away
By holding everything in
Hey Jean don't rock the boat
When you can't swim
With a perfect understanding
Of the finer things in life
A quite alarming knack of knowing
When to twist the knife
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah
Selfish Jean
Here's to you
Who read everything
Left it out on the shelf
There's no one else to blame
Except yourself
Well a perfect combination
Of good etiquet and charm
You keep the chocolate biscuits
Wired to a car alarm
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah
Selfish Jean
Well i'm standing on my own
And this house is not a home
It's so sad to see you go
Things are high, things are low
And it's good to know you know
If you've got nowhere to go
Well you could spend the night with me
There will be no guarantee
That I'll be here
In the morning
Or any time that you call
I hear you snoring Jean
Through the wall
So hey
Here's to everything
To peace and love in our time
Ah Jean the slate is clean
I guess we're fine
Well I don't expect a miracle
Not asking you to change
If you can't see me happy
Well just look the other way
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah
Selfish Jean
Aaaaaaaaaaaaah
Selfish Jean
Jean
Oh yeah
Jean
03 Closer (04:01)
I've had enough of this parade
I'm thinking of the words to say
We open up unfinished parts
Broken up
It's only love
And when I see you then I know it will be next to me
And when I need you then I know you will be there with me
I'll never leave you
Just need to get
Closer, closer
Lean on me now
Lean on me now
Closer, closer
Lean on me now
Lean on me now
Keep waking up (waking up) without you here (without you here)
Another day (another day) another year (another year)
I seek the truth (seek the truth), we set apart (we set apart)
Second dance
A second chance (a second chance)
And when I see you then I know it will be next to me
And when I need you then I know you will be there with me
I'll never leave you
Just need to get
Closer, closer
Lean on me now
Lean on me now
Closer, closer
Lean on me now
Lean on me now
Lean on me now
And when I see you then I know it will be next to me
And when I need you then I know you will be there with me
I'll never leave you
Just need to get
Closer, closer
Lean on me now
Lean on me now
Closer, closer
Lean on me now
Lean on me now
Lean of me now
Closer, closer
Closer, closer
05 Battleships (04:12)
When will you carry me home
Like the wounded star in the movie
When will you carry me home
Take it back to the start when you knew me
'Cause when you talk to me that way
I'll be a million miles away
I guess it's just another day
In love
We're battleships
Drifting in our wee river
Taking hits
Sinking, it's now or never
Overboard
Drowning in a sea of love and hate
But it's too late
Battleship down
When will you figure it out
That you're not always right little darling
When will you figure it out
That it's not worth the fight little darling
'Cause when you can't think what to say
You go and throw it all away
I guess it's just another day
In love
We're battleships
Drifting in our wee river
Taking hits
Sinking, it's now or never
Overboard
Drowning in a sea of love and hate
But it's too late
Battleship down
But you're too smart
And I'm too dumb
With no heart in the middle
We're battleships
Drifting in our wee river
Taking hits
Sinking, it's now or never
Overboard
Falling into the ocean
Ship to shore
Drowning in a sea of love and hate
But it's too late
Battleship down
07 My Eyes (04:08)
Deep in my heart
There's no room for crying
But I'm trying to see your point of view
Deep in my heart
I'm afraid I'm dying
I'd be lying if I said I'm not
Welcome in, welcome in
Shame about the weather
Welcome in, welcome in
You're welcome
It's a sin it's a sin
We're birds of a feather
Are welcome to land on you
Ya ya yay
Ya ya yay
You got my eyes
We can't see what you'll be
You can't disguise
Either way
I will pray
You will be wise
Pretty soon you will see
Tears in my eyes
As each day goes by
Makes way for another
We discover that we're not alone
And each day we try
The best we can to recover
All the feelings that we left below
Welcome in, welcome in
Shame about the weather
Welcome in, welcome in
You're welcome
It's a sin it's a sin
We're birds of a feather
Are welcome to land on you
Ya ya yay
Ya ya yay
You got my eyes
And we can't see what you'll be
You can't disguise
But either way
I will pray
You will be wise
Pretty soon you will see
Tears in my eyes
Welcome in, welcome in
Shame about the weather
Welcome in, welcome in
You're welcome
It's a sin it's a sin
We're birds of a feather
Are welcome to land on you...
Ya ya yay
Ya ya yay
You got my eyes
We can't see what you'll be
You can't disguise
But either way
I will pray
You will be wise
Pretty soon you will see
Tears in my eyes
Pretty soon you will see
Tears in my eyes
Oh pretty soon you will see
Tears in my eyes
10 Out in Space (03:36)
Oh my friend
We have spent
So much time looking for someone to blame
'Cause we're the same
And jealous games
Take up time we could spend on other things
Oh my friend
If it ends
Let us go and then not look back again
We can't be
You and me
Taking ourselves much too seriously
But out in space
A million miners work upon the nights coal face
And all I see is black
And the stars look back at me
Oh my friend
What a friend
I'd have thought you'd have stayed here till the end
To take a bow
Draw the crowd
We're just words in the sand at high tide
But out in space
A million miners work upon the nights coal face
And all I see is black
And all the stars look back at me
Oh my friend
We should spend
Some more time looking from the other end
'Cause we would see
So clearly
We blame ourselves as much as we blame we
We blame ourselves as much as we blame we
We blame ourselves
11 Colder (04:07)
I'm in love with everything
With every face I've ever seen
And every place I've ever been
Has left it's mark upon my worries
I colour in the world I see
I pick apart the melody
'Cause maybe there's a symphony
Caught inside but there's no way out
And the sky is falling down and there's an angel on the ground it's getting colder
I'm standing looking down there's not a sound around the town it's getting colder
Colder
I would show you everything
But everything is too extreme
We'll wait and see the entropy
At the end when we all start flying
But the sky is falling down and there's an angel on the ground it's getting colder
I'm standing looking down there's not a sound around the town it's getting colder
The sky is falling down and there's an angel on the ground it's getting colder
I'm standing looking down there's not a sound around the town it's getting colder
The sky is falling down and all the people on the ground are getting colder
I'm standing looking down again but you can't help me now I'm getting colder
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By francis
'The Boy With No Name reveals itself as an elegant, refined, intelligent and poetic album.'
'You have to maintain a recognizable line, consistent with what you’ve done before... some of our songs are still around and know how to move people.'
