Travis is a Scottish quartet (Fran Healy on vocals, Andy Dunlop on guitar) that plays pop (how original). Their 1996 singles, including All I Want To Do Is Rock, U16 Girls and Tied To The 90's, are catchy, soulful, refined and vaguely recall Radiohead. Mostly, they ring with echoes of the British melodic tradition. The album Good Feeling (Independiente, 1997) collects the early tracks and adds filler that ranges from Oasis-grade disposable pop (The Line Is Fine) to Replacements-tinged teenage anthems (Midsummer Nights Dreamin').

The Man Who (Independiente, 1999), a best selling album in the UK, has little to commend itself. The sound is copied from late Pink Floyd and Radiohead. The catchy Why Does It Always Rain On Me is creative as anything their friend Britney Spears has done. The rest is split between trivial refrains and sleep-inducing ballads (Luv).

The Invisible Band (Independiente, 2001) is one long yawn. The potential hits are packed at the beginning (Sing, Dear Diary, Side) and they are not exactly Beethoven's Ninth. The rest is even less entertaining.

12 Memories (Epic, 2003) has even fewer potential hits (Re-Offender, the touching Something Else), but, in a rare feat of lack of imagination, it manages to ape the Beatles at their most morose (Peace the Fuck Out, Walking Down the Hill, Quicksand) and U2's tedious political sermons (Peace The Fuck Out, The Beautiful Occupation).

The Boy With No Name (2007) features Selfish Jean and little else.

Ode To J Smith (2008) confirmed the dearth of new ideas.