According to their Myspace page, Travel Mind Syndrome are an 'alternative indie rock band'. I'm no longer entirely sure what alternative is meant to mean: Wikipedia, the journalist's friend, has one possible definition as 'music that challenges the status quo and that is "fiercely iconoclastic, anticommercial, and antimainstream."' Meanings evolve, sounds, descriptions and opinions change. But I'm still pretty sure that Travel Mind Syndrome shouldn't really be called 'alternative', except in the sense that they are still pretty underground in terms of popularity and renown. 'Donna' is a spacey, swirling pop song. Nothing less, and certainly nothing more. It feels ever-so-slightly dated, particularly with the casio-era bleepy electronics that sound like they should have been left in the slightly camp Eighties sci-fi show that they were stolen from. Next to the electronic fiddlings, there isn't too much to remark about the track. It is completely lacking in dynamism and the vocals are drained of any sort of emotion. Indeed it all feels rather insipid, as if having settled on the right backing bleeps, the remaining parts were finalised in five minutes and the vocal duties were drawn from a hat.
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'Emergency Exit' is slightly better. The female voice sounds more suited to lead vocal duties, and the keyboard melody line, while nothing earth-shatteringly novel, is pleasing enough to warrant a couple of listens. They even, shock-horror, throw in a crunchy (but not too much so, all the same) guitar solo. It still feels a bit underwhelming, and the positive press and apparent 'much attention' for the band seems a bit curious. They're not terrible. They really aren't. But they don't feel like a band that are going to start tearing up the rule book. Or even rewriting it. If anything, it feels like they're following it, to the letter. Female/male vocals. Check. Keyboard melodies. Check. Guitars in overdrive. Check. Computer-trickery. Check. A bit of innovation? ...
http://www.myspace.com/uktravel
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