After a six-month hiatus, the boys of Travis are at it again with a new, self-produced album showcasing a revamped sound and a new lyrical approach. At first glance Travis' release, 12 Memories, can be quite intimidating. With titles such as "Mid-Life Krysis" and the charming "Peace the Fuck Out," horror and shock will dance in the minds of Travis fans everywhere. The legions of followers who flocked to purchase Travis' two previous efforts will not find refuge in the cold and sparse arrangements of 12 Memories.

The album gets off to an epic start with "Quicksand." A rich grand piano plucks a dark melodic line upon which the song is formed. The first signs of Travis' new sound are apparent in Neil Primrose's loud and controlling drum beat. On their previous two albums, Primrose's drumming was almost nonexistent as it was hidden behind layers of synthesized guitars and keyboards. This "power drumming" gives the album a raw and angry feel that Travis haven't expressed since their debut album, Good Feeling.

Within the subtle confines of "Re-Offender" lies the album's defining moment. Andy Dunlop's guitar ascends and descends in octaves creating a musical tapestry under which Fran Healy's vocal plea comes to life. The lyrics cover the issue of domestic violence and are quite a departure from the "Flowers" and "Diaries" that Fran once sang about.

Other high points of the album are found in "Love Will Come Through," an uplifting tune filled with plenty of guitar picking, "Midlife Krysis," which features Bassist Dougie Payne's haunting background vocals and "Happy to Hang Around," in which Andy Dunlop's signature sound re-emerges. A sweet electric guitar splashes through the verse while a growling solo tears through the bridge.

"Peace the Fuck Out" is the only blight upon this album's brilliant landscape, as it fails to capture the political messages that Healy is trying to impress upon the listener. An angry protest of Britain's current government, the song's meaning is convoluted and poorly delivered.

12 Memories shows Travis taking a step in a new musical direction. The band's departure from producer Nigel Godrich has given the music an unpolished sound that is the absolute antithesis of their previous two records. It is refreshing to see a band that cares more about their music than creating fuzzy little pop hits.

Rating: 4 stars