The Boy with No Name

Infobox Album
Name = The Boy with No Name
Type = studio
Artist = Travis


Released = 4 May 2007 (Germany) 7 May 2007 (UK) 8 May 2007 (U.S.)
Recorded =
Genre = Indie pop
Alternative rock
Length = 52:46
Label = Independiente, Epic
Producer = Travis, Nigel Godrich, Steve Orchard
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|3.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:3xfpxz95ldte link]
*BBC (favourable) [http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/release/b3gb/ link]
*Digital Spy Rating|5|5 [http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/a45686/travis-the-boy-with-no-name.html link]
*NME (2/10) [http://www.nme.com/reviews/travis/8522 link]
*New York Daily News (favourable) [http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music/2007/05/08/2007-05-08_travis_boy_wonder.html link]
*Pitchfork Media (5.6/10) [http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/43820-the-boy-with-no-name link]
*Philadelphia Inquirer Rating|3|5 [http://www.philly.com/inquirer/entertainment/20070513_New_Recordings.html link]
*Rolling Stone Rating|2.5|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/travis/albums/album/14371490/review/14459304/the_boy_with_no_name link]
*Q Rating|4|5
*PopMatters (6/10) [http://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/38953/travis-the-boy-with-no-name/ link]
Last album = "Singles" (2004)
This album = "The Boy with No Name" (2007)
Next album = "Ode to J. Smith" (2008)

"The Boy with No Name" is the fifth studio album by Scottish Indie pop band Travis. The album was released on 7 May 2007 in the United Kingdom and on 8 May 2007 in the United States.

The name of the album came about when lead singer Fran Healy and his partner Nora were deciding on a name for their newly born son. During this time, he sent a photo of his son to friend by email and labeled the photo "The Boy with No Name". Healy revealed this on the The Chris Moyles Show during an interview. Healy has also revealed in pre-album release performances that some tracks are influenced by his developing family status, such as "My Eyes" being about his new son or "Battleships" referring to ups and downs of relationships.

"Closer" was released as the first single from the album in the United Kingdom on 23 April 2007, and peaked at #10 in the UK Singles Chart (see 2007 in British music). The full album was available to purchase at the Virgin Megastore at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California over the weekend of 27 April 2007–29 April 2007.

Receiving mostly positive reviews, "The Boy with No Name" entered at #4 on the UK Album Charts and #1 on the UK iTunes charts. In the U.S., the album debuted at number 58 on the Billboard 200, selling 12,000 copies in its first week. [Katie Hasty, [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003585672 "Buble Sidesteps Bone Thugs To Claim No. 1"] , Billboard.com, May 16, 2007.]

Travis dedicated this album to the Abbey Road Studios chief master engineer Chris Blair and British world champion rally driver Richard Burns, who died of a brain tumour at the age of 34 in 2005. [Official Travis Site, [http://www.travisonline.com/discography/albums/uk/the_boy_with_no_name/ "Travis Discography: The Boy With No Name"] , TravisOnline.com, May 07, 2007]

Track listing

All songs written by Fran Healy, except where noted.

# "3 Times and You Lose" (Healy, Andy Dunlop) – 4:14
# "Selfish Jean" – 4:00
#* This track uses several lyrics and the overall theme from the 1997 B-side "Standing on My Own" (which was included on the single release of "Tied to the 90's"). [ [http://www.songmeanings.net/lyric.php?lid=3530822107858658636 "Selfish Jean"] and [http://www.songmeanings.net/lyric.php?lid=3458764513820546200 "Standing on my own"] share the part between "I'm standing on my own" and "you could spend the night with me".]
# "Closer" – 4:00
# "Big Chair" (Healy, Dunlop) – 4:07
# "Battleships" – 4:11
#* Backing vocals provided by Julia Stone.
# "Eyes Wide Open" – 2:59
# "My Eyes" – 4:08
# "One Night" – 4:00
# "Under the Moonlight" (Susie Hug) – 4:00
#* Backing vocals provided by KT Tunstall.
# "Out in Space" – 3:35
# "Colder" (Healy, Dougie Payne) – 4:06
# "New Amsterdam" – 2:37
# "Sailing Away" (hidden bonus track) – 3:31
#* Starts at 5:52 into last track (5:38 on UK and Mexican release).
# "Perfect Heaven Space" (UK bonus track) – 3:50
# "Say Hello" (iTunes bonus track) - 3:33 (Only available on the release date)

Chart

Worldwide Sales: 442,900

Personnel

*Francis Healy – vocals, guitar, harmonica
*Andy Dunlop – guitar
*Dougie Payne – bass guitar, backing vocals
*Neil Primrose – drums

References