Pitchfork

Watching Monday Nitro last week, they introduced "The Battle of Jangle and Grunch!" As the goateed wrestlers spat into the camera, challenging each other to physical pains neither would ever know, my imagination was going wild. Yes! Yes! The Battle Of Jangle And Grunch! Yes! It could have been subtitled "A 90's Pop Showdown."

Whatever do I mean? Well, if you can explain it to me, you're more intelligent or insane than I, but I think it means this: in our pathetic pop world of the 90's, most bands either opt to jangle their guitars, or grunch them (heavy on the distortion pedal and bass). Travis has gone with grunch, though you'd never know it by their vocalist. They sound like an English pop band with an American guitarist (because we all know how much we like our grunch). Tidy little lightweight Britpop arrangements and lyrics ensconced (in velvet?) in plenty of reverb, and it works. Somewhat reminiscent of Mansun's Attack Of The Grey Lantern, but without the string arrangements or finishing touches that elevated Lantern to an upper echelon.

Good Feeling goes beyond the average, though it could hardly be considered amazing. The record tromps along like a calliope on steroids, the obligatory love song "I Love You Anyways" is a little heavy on the molasses, and "Good Day To Die," which is rumored to have been comissioned by "Star Trek" as the Vulcan battle song, groans along in sympathy with its sentiment. Overall, Travis comes out ahead of the pack, but not by much.

One last thing: Grunch kicked Jangle's ass.