I always thought Ali G highlighted the Travis ethos when he asked whether singer Fran Healey would like to change into his stage clothes before he went on to perform on his comedy show. Of course he was just wearing his normal no frills street clothes without any bling. With Travis what you see is what you get, four guys in a band putting the song first. Where You Stand is the first album in five years and it's not too dissimilar to their previous LPs.

Opening track Mother sees Fran Healey open up in a more expansive mood singing in a rapturous tone similar to some early Bowie tracks, which also captured life in its miniatures. On their first two albums, Travis were on a similar path to bands like U2 and early Simple Minds. At the time they ran parallel with Coldplay, who went on to embrace the wider appeal of arena rock and technology-driven sound whereas Travis stuck with their rollicking folk rock. Different Road is one of the songs where you get a reminder of how influential and pop-driven this band is. The single, Where You Stand, is easily the most accessible song on the album and is only a step away from their hit, Why Does It Always Rain On Me.

Travis remain true to their simple and reliable approach. Decent songs played with affection and nuances. They serve as a reminder of what good quality English pop music can be without all the bells and whistles.