Rocktrospectiva: The Delicate And Crafted "The Invisible Band" Turns 25

Released on 11 June 2001 "The Invisible Band" was the 3rd., studio album by Scottish rock band Travis, produced by Nigel Godrich. According to frontman Fran Healy said the title of the album referred to the band's status of having famous songs, but not being famous themselves. It was supported by the release of its lead single, "Sing", which received critical acclaim from music critics and achieved strong chart positions, The second single, "Side" was released three months following the album in September, and also achieved strong chart positions and acclaim and a third and final single, "Flowers in the Window", was released in March 2002.  

Regarded as one of the "era defining" albums of the 2000s, propelled by the success of "Sing" a sort of soft lullaby ballad supported by a hypnotic banjo. Travis have re-proposed in a modern yet retro key with the gloomy memories of Glasgow in the '80s, the urban insecurities, and the nostalgic melodies of the 60s and 70s. 

"The Invisible Band" was a concept album about the difficulty of staying true to oneself and maintaining one's projects, one's "design for life," in regards to the people we love or live with. In "Sing" Fran urged his girlfriend to sing, to bring out her voice; he vents in the nocturnal and solitary on  "Dear Diary" and talked  about "flowers growing at our window in "Flowers In The Window").

Nigel Goldrich's production made this album a collection of little pictures where moments of the past are relived from an "invisible" perspective, as if, turned into a ghost, Fran Healy sang about his torments, constantly changing space, time, and place: thus "Side" and "Pipe Dreams" were dreamy and abstract visions of a sunset, "The Cage" and "Safe," with Healy accompanying himself solo on guitar, were the sometimes unreal tranquility of a remote forest, "Follow The Light" was the starry night of San Lorenzo, "Last Train" was the last farewell before leaving far away, "Afterglow" were the waves of the sea in winter, "The Humpty Dumpty Love Song"  transported the mind into an indefinite limbo traversed by the infinite final stretch of the strings.

Evocative, romantic, pop songs but at the same time, and sometimes, sophisticated: Fran's voice was at the highest levels and the band supports it with ease. The group began to make progress after a session experimenting with unusual instruments such as a tanpura. Reviews were favourable, describing the album as self-consciously downbeat and rustic.

 

The Invisible Band Track List: 

 

1. Sing

2. Dear Diary

3. Side

4. Pipe Dreams

5. Flowers In The Window

6. The Cage

7. Safe

8. Follow The Light

9. Last Train

10. Afterglow

11. Indefinitely

12. The Humpty Dumpty Love Song