Travis are once again westward bound as they head back to California to finish off the recording of the follow up to The Man Who. The foursome will return to a Los Angeles studio, where they spent a month last fall, to complete tracks with producer Nigel Godrich for the as-yet-untitled release.

According to posts on the band's European record label's Web site, frontman Fran Healy is already in Southern California penning new songs for the disc. As they did for their London mixing sessions late last year, the group will install a Web cam to allow fans to track their progress via the band's Web site, www.travisonline.com.

Tracks tipped for the release include a version of Bob Dylan's "You're a Big Girl Now," as well as originals "Flowers in the Window," "Safe" and "The Cage," which the band debuted during their extensive U.S. tour last year.

The band is expected to tour America following the summer release, despite Healy's resistance to live performances. "To be honest, I have trouble doing gigs," he told Rolling Stone last year. "I've never really massively enjoyed it 'cause I just don't like it, but I'm fucking on a mission."

JOLIE LASH
(February 1, 2001)