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Apparently the band's sixth studio album is their first to be written from electric guitar since their debut Good Feeling, and this shows strongly in the end result.
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Not surprisingly, its 11 songs bristle with an urgency that more closely resembles (but rocks harder than) Travis' 1997 debut "Good Feeling" than 2007's sumptuously crafted "The Boy With No Name," with a decidedly uptempo countenance and plenty of room for lead guitarist Andy Dunlop's riffs, solos and fills.
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This is the grittiest album the band has yet put out.
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Alternative PressThe band flex all their muscles from a decade-plus of experience without hesitation and, more importantly, without overdoing it. [Jan 2008, p.129]
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Consider it, then, an ode to what listeners liked about Travis in the first place.
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Travis have always been Quite Good, sometimes a little more, rarely less. This album heads a perceived slide into insignificance off at the pass and ensures the status quo.
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Like those old Kinks’ long players, the best way to enjoy Ode to J. Smith is as individual songs based on their own merits.
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Ode isn't quite as strong song-wise as "The Boy" but it makes up for the difference with its deepened palette--again, this palette may not be as rich as some of their peers, but compared to Travis' other work of the past decade, this is richer and livelier as sheer sonics go.
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Under The RadarThese punchy guitars help Ode To J Smith avoid falling into the diluted space that Travis has been increasingly slipping into with each consecutive album. [Winter 2008]
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The music crackles with an energy Travis haven’t mustered in years, but the typically lightweight tunes don't always justify the newfound tonnage, which makes Ode to J. Smith wear thin on repeat listens.
User score distribution:
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Positive: 21 out of 23
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Mixed: 0 out of 23
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Negative: 2 out of 23
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Oct 25, 2018This review contains spoilers, click full review link to view.
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Jul 22, 2018
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May 15, 2016