TS: Travis, Coldplay

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Travis in a nanosecond, though I need your help defending this position.

― Aaron A., Monday, 17 February 2003 02:36 (twenty-two years ago)

yep. and yep.

― Charlie (Charlie), Monday, 17 February 2003 02:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Travis' best song is better than Coldplay's best, but Coldplay are more consistent. Coldplay's lyrics are better, as is their production.

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Monday, 17 February 2003 02:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Well they seem to share the same faults (bland, deivative, precious) but Travis is only mildly embarrassing while Coldplay is (quite consistently!) enraging.

Travis, I guess, are less precious and exhibit occassiocal sense of humor. And no DaveMatthewsvoice problem.

― Aaron A., Monday, 17 February 2003 02:44 (twenty-two years ago)

I can't stand to look at either, but I can find nanoseconds of Coldplay to be genuinely engaging. I think Coldplay offend more because they're actually effective. But I have to pick them because they achieve some of their ambitions. Travis is practically already forgotten in the U.S.A. "The Invisible Band" is right.

Funny, I find Travis's humor to be incredibly precious. In the same sense that Sting and Phil Collins videos piss me off when they start winking.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 17 February 2003 02:55 (twenty-two years ago)

While I don't really mind either of them, I have a hard time telling them apart.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 17 February 2003 04:12 (twenty-two years ago)

Isn't Coldplay the cuddlier version of Radiohead with a singer who can open BOTH eyes simultaneously.
Thom Yorke always looks like he needs some No-Doz.

― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Monday, 17 February 2003 05:24 (twenty-two years ago)

While I don't really like either of them, I have a hard time telling them apart.

― J-rock (Julien Sandiford), Monday, 17 February 2003 06:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Coldplay keep getting better, while Travis keep getting worse.

― My name is Kenny (My name is Kenny), Monday, 17 February 2003 09:11 (twenty-two years ago)

The problem with this is that both groups are too similar. They both do the exact same thing (mopey, melodramatc guitar pop) and the overall quality of their music is pretty even. But for "Sing" alone, Travis loses.

― juice (juice), Monday, 17 February 2003 09:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Travis. For the Scottish Song. I love Travis and I am unapologetic about it. They are the Pot Noodle of music. They are warm and bland and they sound *kind of* like Radiohead or Jeff Buckley like Pot Noodle tastes *kind of* like curry or chow mein... and when you are feeling miserable and unloved, NOTHING in the world will sort you out, be comfort food and make you feel better like Travis or a Pot Noodle.

― kate, Monday, 17 February 2003 09:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Travis probably rock a little more, but if you accept this is largely irrelevant to what they're trying to achieve, then Coldplay are more interesting. They know how to shape a melody, e.g. the way the verse of "Yellow" drops off nicely and makes the follwing rise seem more dramatic, vs "Turn" where the guy hits the same high note too many times.

― B.Rad (Brad), Monday, 17 February 2003 09:39 (twenty-two years ago)

There's a bit in Clodplay's new single at the start, with just the drums and piano, which I actually really enjoy - however I enjoy it in the same way as I enjoy the music at the start of the news, or the bits underneath links on the radio; ie; total ambient/background music, incidental and inconsequential. As soon as he starts singing I go almost totally blank - despite having reviewed the album and heard this song loads of times on radio and TV, I still can't remember a single word or the melody or anything.

Travis or Clodplay...? God, what a choice. Travis, I guess, cos they had a song on their fist LP about underage sex.

― Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Monday, 17 February 2003 09:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Kenny is OTM

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Monday, 17 February 2003 10:03 (twenty-two years ago)

i like coldplay, travis are ok. coldplay's melodies are a bit less obvious than Travis'.

The bawdy lad-rock fun of "All I Wanna Do is Rock" deserves praise, though.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Monday, 17 February 2003 10:10 (twenty-two years ago)

I am utterly unexcited by either band, but I have yet to see why people are so enraged by them.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Monday, 17 February 2003 13:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Travis, but only because they're Scottish. Other than that, they're both as horrific as each other.

― Callum (Callum), Monday, 17 February 2003 22:26 (twenty-two years ago)

I am not enraged by Coldplay, no more enraged than normal anyway, but I do dislike them alot. It's more to do with the way their music is talked about with all those disgusting terms like "inspiring" and "life affirming", their new song sounds like slightly slower euro trance. I really hate the way those kind of words are just hammered onto bands with a big book and a few thumb tacks and hey presto it's a cliche.

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 17 February 2003 22:49 (twenty-two years ago)

well Travis's not my type of music but i certainly wouldn't choose Coldplay although i thoat Yellow was nice at that time

― rex jr., Monday, 17 February 2003 23:24 (twenty-two years ago)

I have very little interest in Coldplay but thought "Yellow" was nice in small doses. I am enraged by Travis.

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Monday, 17 February 2003 23:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Cold gruel or warm Jello? A damp walk through sludgy mud while insects bother you or coughing annoyedly as cars without mufflers spit smoke into your face?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 17 February 2003 23:29 (twenty-two years ago)

oh come on! that one song's okay!

― James Blount (James Blount), Monday, 17 February 2003 23:30 (twenty-two years ago)

for shame james, for shame.

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 17 February 2003 23:33 (twenty-two years ago)

c'mon, 'don't leave me high! don't leave me dry!' - that's not so bad

― James Blount (James Blount), Monday, 17 February 2003 23:35 (twenty-two years ago)

haha there'll be mel to pay

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 17 February 2003 23:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Loathe as I am to devote any time to such frippery, I'm torn here. I loved Travis when thet first appeared and still have a soft spot for the (admittedly bitty) Good Feeling - more props to "U16 Girls" and "All I Wanna Do Is Rock", and "Good Feeling" the song too.
But "Why Do You Always Whine At Me?" quickly made me want to maim, and from then on they've meant fuck-all to moi.

I loved "Yellow" for ages and then realised why: it's "OX4" by Ride, pure and simple. Chris Martin is as annoying a frontman as I've ever seen, but I do kinda like his voice, for shame. You won't catch me giving them any of my cash, but.

― Charlie (Charlie), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 01:02 (twenty-two years ago)

i'll say it yet again - Doves piss on both of them (in doing pretty much exactly the same thing but a bit cleverer, more complicated, more inventive and just generally better all round)

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 01:46 (twenty-two years ago)

i'll admit Doves are a bit too dreary too often tho (hey suits me baby, sob)

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 01:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Elbow>Doves. Augie March>Elbow.

Mind you, my arse>Doves. Sheesh.

― Charlie (Charlie), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 06:49 (twenty-two years ago)

i was reminded of what shall be referred to as Stone Temple Pilots syndrome when 'yellow' hit radio here in the US.

someone else: hey have you heard the new dave matthews? they sound more and more like radiohead.
me: no you idiot that's coldplay.
s.e.: who the fuck are coldplay?
me: they're like radiohead but more boring.
s.e.: another mystery solved.

(also, if
A: boring + radiohead = coldplay
and
B: dave matthews band + radiohead = coldplay
...then dave matthews = boring. PROVEN BY SCIENCE!!!!)

― Dave M. (rotten03), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 09:03 (twenty-two years ago)

also
C. boring + dave matthews band = maple syrup going uphill in january.

― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Wednesday, 19 February 2003 14:12 (twenty-two years ago)

Charlie you don't know your arse from your Elbow

OH. THE. HILARITY.

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 19 February 2003 14:30 (twenty-two years ago)

'don't leave me high/ don't leave me dry' .. where'd that come from? you're right that one is alright but that's Bends-era Radiohead, I think.

Coldplay are alright. Travis are sickly.

I think part of the reason 'serious' music fans like iLm visitors hate Coldplay so much is that they're so successful and visible. Makes ppl think, fuck that they don't deserve it. They're not as good as 'x band' who I really really dig. And sure, they aren't. But if the same ppl saw Coldplay take the stage unexpectedly supporting some band they'd paid to see and had never heard of Coldplay, I bet they'd come out saying okay things about what are an okay band. Chris can sing and the guitarist can play a bit. But because they're so big, they make a big target for the disgruntled. They're alright, okay. Not life-changing, but completely inoffensive and at their best quite listenable.

― mick hall, Saturday, 22 February 2003 22:29 (twenty-two years ago)

well yeh i thought it was a case of the UK media and music press pushing this mediocre but accessible band up to a undeserved level just because they want a new big British rock band that 'everyone' can love for some reason, to replace Oasis, Blur, Pulp and Radiohead who were all getting on a bit or going off on too much of a less accessible tangent - Coldplay seem to have now overtaken Travis in this respect now, but neither are as 'interesting' character-wise, they're TOO normal, honest, down-to-earth, predictable maybe? I just can't imagine them doing anything different (likewise Travis and Oasis i guess) and as a result its difficult to guage how long they're going to be at the top - there could be a backlash in a couple of years or they really could go on and on...although Chris Martin did say that there might not be another album after the next one (but then Noel G said that after 'Morning Glory' of course)

― stevem (blueski), Saturday, 22 February 2003 23:18 (twenty-two years ago)

I prefer Travis, but both are really great. I'd rather say I part with Travis AND Coldplay against most of recent music.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 3 March 2003 02:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Btw. Of course Doves recently has pissed on both (or at least on Coldplay). And then there is the dark horse Electric Soft Parade too. Look forward for Electric Soft Parade to be the next _really huge_ UK band next time around.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 3 March 2003 13:55 (twenty-two years ago)

at least i can agree with Geir about Doves

― stevem (blueski), Monday, 3 March 2003 15:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Coldplay seem to have now overtaken Travis in this respect now

It seemed that way in 2000 too, but then, in 2001 Travis released an album while Coldplay were having a year off. Travis will of course return, and both bands appeal to basically the same audiences anyway.

(Here in Scandinavia, they both have serious competition from Swedish band Kent, which does also appeal to exactly the same group of roughly 30YO fans)

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 3 March 2003 15:04 (twenty-two years ago)

I thought Travis was always looked down up as second rate. So overtaking them respect-wise isn't hard.

― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Monday, 3 March 2003 20:41 (twenty-two years ago)

ten years pass...

lol "the invisible band"

― pancakes and sizzurp (Eisbaer), Sunday, 14 April 2013 15:20 (twelve years ago)

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