Glaswegian band and icons Travis have today announced their 10th studio album entitled ‘L.A. Times’ through BMG ahead of an extensive tour with The Killers. And to whet our appetites, they have unveiled a video and single for the effervescent track ‘Gaslight’.
‘Gaslight’ channels The Kinks at their most idiosyncratic and melodic: it is a dynamic single that has that trademark cerebral pop that Travis perfect so well. The plonking piano, hint of horns and general ebullience has a Madness feel until singer Fran Healy’s distinctive vocals enter: filled as always with a sense of melancholy through the sweet melodies and clever lyrics.
This is a joyous and bittersweet pop tune. Healy says of the track:
I read a few weeks ago that gaslighting was the most web searched word in the world. We are living in a time where our realities are being warped by bosses, leaders, friends, teachers and politicians. It really is everywhere. Gaslighters want to control you. They tell you things which undermine your confidence in yourself and make you question reality and it makes you feel like you’re going crazy.
The element of schadenfreude and jealousy of other’s fortunes adds a touch of humour with the la,la,las ringing in the background- I’ll be doing fine until you shine. Travis are as always purveyors of the sweetest pop cloaked in a sardonic mantle with an arched eyebrow and an elegant poise.
The video clip – once you have got over the shock of Healy’s bright red hair – shows the band at their laconic best in performance:
‘Gaslight’ is out now and available to download and stream here. ‘L.A. Times’ is out on 12 July 2024 and you can pre-order here.
Produced by Tony Hoffer (Air, Beck, Phoenix), L.A. Times was written by Fran Healy in his studio on the edge of Skid Row, Los Angeles, the city he has called home for the last decade. He describes L.A. Times as Travis’ most personal album since The Man Who. Its ten songs see their creator, inevitably, trying to make sense of the road travelled to this point – a sentiment reflected in the stunning album cover photograph. Echoing some of Travis’ most beloved records – The Man Who, The Invisible Band and The Boy With No Name – we’re greeted anew by four distant figures amongst vast surroundings, this time beneath the concrete and glitter of downtown Los Angeles at night. An unbroken line-up since their formation at the Glasgow School of Art in the 1990s, the coordinates of their extraordinary journey together are marked by this latest in a series of arresting images by world-renowned photographer and Travis collaborator for over 20 years, Stefan Ruiz.
Travis will begin a huge live season in summer 2024, confirmed to perform with The Killers across their 16 date UK arena tour through June and July, with more live activity across the UK and Europe soon to be announced.
Feature Photograph: Steve Gullick
