Back when Travis released the “Something Anything” video, we learned the song appears on the band’s forthcoming Ode To J. Smith album. We also learned the album features a song called “J. Smith.” So the album is an ode to a song that’s on the album. That is the height of titular circularity. As then noted: it “must be a good song.” Probably better to have said “it better be a good song.” Worry not, Fran fans, it is indeed worthy of the odes, and as an LP centerpiece, it’s pretty promising. The rock is raw and the guitar tones crisp, rounded out with some hit-and-miss gothic choral vocals. As for the video: Remember the guy who got trapped in an elevator for almost two days? Here Travis takes the edited highlight reel, swapping out Jennifer Haines’s affecting “The Storm Begins” solo piano piece for their own creation.
It works best during those church choir bits. As far as extensions of Nicholas White’s 40 hours and 15 minutes of fame go, though, Max Silvestri wins.
Ode To J. Smith is due out 9/29 on the band’s Red Telephone Box label.
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At least it’s not called “Ode to Obama”, though they probably wanted to call it that.
stop smoking
Just to clarify. The choir in J.Smith are angels welcoming him to heaven “Salve Pia Anima- Hail holy soul…Labor Tuus nunc ad terminum…Your toil is at an end…then they note that he is not on the guest list, turn into horribble devils and cast him to hell…”Carbo in culo in aeternitatem – Coal in your arse FOREVER!!!”
Lots of love
Fran x
Is J.Smith a reference to Joseph Smith the mormon prophet? Or is it suppose to be a nobody/anybody, John Doe type name?