Are Travis getting a bit fed up with their image as a bunch of harmless, cuddly Scots? Their fourth album finds Fran Healy and co striking out in all sorts of new and unfamiliar directions, with songs about such grown-up subjects as war, politics and domestic violence. Yes, it seems that even as mild-mannered a band as this lot have been infected by the rebellious spirit of the age - and their point of view can be guessed at by such rabble-rousing song titles as 'Peace The Fuck Out'. Unfortunately, it's just not very convincing - gutsy and heartfelt as these anti-war diatribes are, they're also vague, unfocussed and lyrically clumsy. Thankfully, Healy hasn't completely lost his songwriting touch - and when he turns to more personal subjects such as lost love and the futility of regret ('How Many Hearts', 'Quicksand'), he can still produce the kind of busker-friendly melodies that really tug at the heartstrings. Overall, 12 Memories is a distinctly hit and miss affair but with just enough strong moments to give Travis the benefit of the doubt once again.
