Travistan

Travistan
Studio album by Travis Morrison
Released 30 September 2004
Recorded 2003-2004
Genre Indie rock
Length 42:12
Label Barsuk
Producer Chris Walla, Don Zientara
Travis Morrison chronology

Travistan
(2004)		 All Y'All
(2007)

Travistan is Travis Morrison's solo debut album, released in 2004 (see 2004 in music) by Barsuk Records. The record is named after the van that Morrison rode in during his former band The Dismemberment Plan's last tour .

Unlike the last two Dismemberment Plan albums, Travistan's lyrics rely mainly on wit rather than introspection. The album's musical themes tend to meld familiar indie rock textures and more unusual Frank Zappaesque ideas. It largely steers clear of the funk, soul and hip-hop influences of his previous work with The Dismemberment Plan .

Track listing

No. Title Length
1. "Get Me Off This Coin A"   1:00
2. "Change"   2:25
3. "Born in '72"   3:13
4. "My Two Front Teeth, Parts 2 and 3"   5:18
5. "Get Me Off This Coin B"   0:45
6. "People Die"   4:22
7. "Song For The Orca"   3:12
8. "Any Open Door"   3:53
9. "Get Me Off This Coin C"   0:57
10. "Che Guevara Poster"   4:17
11. "The Word Cop"   2:50
12. "Angry Angel"   3:32
13. "Get me Off This Coin D"   1:44
14. "Hidden Track ("Represent")"   4:45

Personnel

The following people contributed to Travistan:[1]

  • Travis Morrison - Bass, Drum Machine, Guitar, Melodica, Organ, Percussion, Piano, Sampling, Synthesizer, Xylophone
  • Phil Brazena - Violin
  • Dan Doggett - Double Bass
  • Mike Dugan - Bass, Drum Machine, Guitar, Melodica, Organ, Percussion, Piano, Sampling, Synthesizer, Xylophone
  • Amanda Fazzone - Choir, Chorus
  • Megan Katcher - Viola
  • Josh LeBar - Double Bass
  • Corinne Lynch - Viola
  • Jason McGerr - Drums
  • Kendall Nordin - Choir, Chorus
  • Tiffany Shanta - Violin
  • Travistani National String Orchestra - Strings
  • Travistani Women's Chorus - Choir, Chorus
  • Sean Urban - Violin
  • John Vanderslice - Vocals (Background)
  • Christopher Walla - Audio Production, Bass, Drum Machine, Guitar, Melodica, Organ, Percussion, Piano, Producer, Sampling, Synthesizer, Xylophone
  • Don Zientara - Audio Production, Producer

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic link
The A.V. Club (favorable) link
Pitchfork Media (0.0/10) link
Popmatters (unfavorable) link
Robert Christgau (B+) link
Stylus Magazine (B+) link
Tiny Mix Tapes link

Travistan has received mixed reviews. It currently has a 56 out of 100 on the review aggregate site Metacritic, indicating "Mixed or average reviews."[2]

The album is often noted in discussions of Pitchfork Media, as it marked one of the first moments when, after establishing itself as a critical powerhouse, the e-zine turned on an artist to whom it had previously given enthusiastic support.[3][4] The album was one of the rare albums to get a 0.0 rating, with reviewer Chris Dahlen describing the album as "one of the most colossal trainwrecks in indie rock history."[5] Barsuk Records co-founder Josh Rosenfeld described the effects of the review "immediate and disastrous"; Pitchfork's managing editor later said that the site had become more careful in issuing very negative reviews as a result.[6]

Responding to Pitchfork Media's review, Morrison said:

“ I just got the sense [Pitchfork] thought I was a rock star and they wanted to take me down a peg, but I don't think it occurred to them that the review could have a catastrophic effect... Up until the day of the review, I'd play a solo show, and people would be like, 'That's our boy, our eccentric boy.' Literally, the view changed overnight... I could tell people were trying to figure out if they were supposed to be there or not. It was pretty severe, how the mood changed. The review isn't the story. The reaction to it is. The seriousness with which everyone takes Pitchfork is kind of mind-boggling.[4] ”

In addition to Pitchfork Media, other reviewers gave Travistan negative reviews. Some reviewers compared the album negatively to work of Morrison's previous band The Dismemberment Plan. Zeth Lundy of Popmatters wrote "This is quite literally as disappointing as records get, made all the more so by Morrison’s solid resume with the Dismemberment Plan." Lundy singled out the tracks "Get Me off This Coin," “My Two Front Teeth, Parts 2 and 3" and "Song for the Orca" for criticism.[7] Tiny Mix Tapes wrote "Consequently, the elements that made Dismemberment Plan so engaging are glaringly absent..."<ref name"TinyMixedTapes">Travis Morrison - Travistan. Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 15 June 2011.</ref>

Not all reviews were negative, though. Noel Murray of The A.V. Club wrote "Travistan is odd but oddly listenable, with a bright mood sparked by Morrison's spirit of discovery. It's one extended, refreshing 'Why not?'"[8] Stylus Magazine's Anthony Miccio, in response to the album's criticism, wrote "After hearing the crap people have said about this album I’m bummed that people are so quick to reject what doesn’t fit their immediate logic. It’s ironic that folks would get off on shredding an album that’s about trying to be kind and honest at the same time."[9]

References

  1. ↑ Travistan - Travis Morrison. Allmusic. Retrieved 15 June 2011
  2. ↑ Critic Reviews for Travistan. Metacritic. Retrieved 15 June 2011
  3. ↑ Wilmoth, Charlie. "All Y'All Haters". Dusted. Retrieved 2007-12-18.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 du Lac, Freedom (April 30, 2006). "Giving Indie Acts A Plug, or Pulling It". Washington Post.
  5. ↑ Dahlen, Chris (September 28, 2004). "Travistan Review". Pitchfork.
  6. ↑ Wired http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.09/pitchfork.html?pg=3&topic=pitchfork&topic_set=. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. ↑ Lundy, Zeth. Travis Morrison: Travistan. Popmatters. 6 October 2004. Retrieved 15 June 2011
  8. ↑ Murray, Noel. Travis Morrison: Travistan. The A.V. Club. 4 October 2003. Retrieved 15 June 2011
  9. ↑ Miccio, Anthony. Travis Morrison - Travistan. Stylus Magazine. 1 October 2004. Retrieved 15 June 2011

External links