Travis

The title The Invisible Band is a jest, rest assured. Travis’s last album, The Man Who, sold more than three million copies, which was enough to inspire Sony to do market research in order to squeeze more out of its latest darling. Research finished, recording done, album on the shelves, and what do we have? Hmm, sounds like label honchos spent too much time basking in the L.A. sun. Either that, or Invisible Band is a blatant stab — via the slurpy ballad — at American MOR airplay. Then again, Travis is not exactly a ball-buster, is it?

They’ve staked the whole haggis on this record. They’re after vindication back in their homeland of Scotland as well as in the rest of the UK; hell, it looks as if they’re seeking world domination in the bargain. If they can’t do it with bravado, Fran Healy plans to do it softly and subtly. A quick glance at the song titles gives you an idea: “Sing,” “Safe,” “Afterglow,” “Flowers in the Window” and “The Humpty Dumpty Love Song.” It’s apparent Healy is in love, and he’s letting the world know.

Travis takes no major strides on this album. This is a soft effort, with loads of mushy, porridgelike ballads. Nevertheless, “Sing,” the first single and the album’s opening cut, is fantastic. The same can’t be said for “Flowers in the Window,” the planned second single, which sounds like something you’d learn in a third-grade music class. The melodic charmer “Follow the Light” is the next standout. Sadly, it comes along seven tracks after “Sing.” The whimsically titled “Humpty Dumpty Love Song” makes for a fantastic finale — well, it would if it weren’t for those passé hidden songs.

No doubt Sony will muscle this record, and it is almost guaranteed that MTV will provide the synergistic overkill with any and all videos provided. This record is so cozy and marketable that it’s sure to be prominently displayed at Wal-Mart, which will entice all those would-be hipster dads buying Turtle Wax and WD-40 on their big day out. Yep, your parents will love Travis!