The yearning voice and sullen temperament behind the languid and lush Scottish outfit Travis, Fran Healy has been laying low of late. The primary task on his to-do list: commune with his diverse surroundings while recording his first solo effort in New York, Vermont and (mostly) Berlin. Whether the new Wreckorder (Ryko) benefits from that far-flung trio of locales—or guest appearances from Neko Case and Paul McCartney—is largely irrelevant to anyone who’s not already smitten by Healy’s majestically restrained brand of mope-rock understatement. The 10-song collection occasionally recalls the quieter moments on the already-pretty-quiet The Invisible Band, Travis’ 2001 LP. Only here, Healy turns even more insular as he’s left to stew in his own introspective juices. Healy will be guest-editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our Q&A with him.
Healy: I was introduced to F. Scott Fitzgerald by my English teacher, Jack McLaughlin. He was very passionate about Fitzgerald, and his passion was infectious. I’ve read all his short stories and novels. His writing is rich. It often feels like poetry. I try and read Fitzgerald before I begin to write songs. It’s nice to coax my inner voice into the subtle rhythms contained in his stories.
Video after the jump.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_g-0u1wfNc
