{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = Travistan | type = studio | artist = Travis Morrison | cover = Travistan.jpg | alt = | released = 30 September 2004 | recorded = 2003–2004 | studio = | genre = Indie rock | length = 42:12 | label = Barsuk | producer = Chris Walla, Don Zientara | prev_title = | prev_year = | next_title = All Y'All | next_year = 2007 }}
'''''Travistan''''' is Travis Morrison's solo debut album, released in 2004 by Barsuk Records.
==Reception== {{music ratings | MC = 56/100<ref name="Metacritic">{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/travistan/travis-morrison|title=Reviews for Travistan by Travis Morrison|publisher=Metacritic|accessdate=June 15, 2011}}</ref> | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/travistan-mw0000397014|title=Travistan – Travis Morrison|publisher=AllMusic|accessdate=January 20, 2019|last=Theakston|first=Rob}}</ref> | rev2 = ''Alternative Press'' | rev2score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite journal|title=Travis Morrison: Travistan|journal=Alternative Press|issue=197|date=December 2004|page=148}}</ref> | rev3 = ''Blender'' | rev3score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{cite journal|title=Travis Morrison: Travistan|journal=Blender|issue=31|date=November 2004|page=138}}</ref> | rev4 = ''Cokemachineglow'' | rev4score = 37%<ref>{{cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041217210100/http://www.cokemachineglow.com/reviews/morrison_travistan2004.html|title=Travis Morrison - Travistan (Barsuk; 2004)|website=Cokemachineglow|last=Reid|first=Scott|date=October 6, 2004|access-date=December 14, 2025}}</ref> | rev5 = ''Pitchfork'' | rev5score = 0.0/10<ref name="dahlen">{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/5607-travistan/|title=Travis Morrson: Travistan|work=Pitchfork|date=September 27, 2004|accessdate=January 20, 2019|last=Dahlen|first=Chris}}</ref> | rev6 = ''Spin'' | rev6score = B<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BhhSYcXeTVoC&pg=PA119|title=Travis Morrson: Travistan / Say Anything: Say Anything Is a Real Boy|journal=Spin|volume=20|issue=11|date=November 2004|accessdate=January 20, 2019|last=Beaujon|first=Andrew|pages=119–20}}</ref> | rev7 = ''Stylus'' | rev7score = B+<ref name="Stylus">{{cite web|url=http://www.stylusmagazine.com/review.php?ID=2383|title=Travis Morrson – Travistan – Review|work=Stylus Magazine|date=October 1, 2004|accessdate=June 15, 2011|last=Miccio|first=Anthony|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121013064421/http://www.stylusmagazine.com/review.php?ID=2383|archivedate=October 13, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> | rev8 = ''Tiny Mix Tapes'' | rev8score = {{rating|2|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tinymixtapes.com/music-review/travis-morrison-travistan|title=Travis Morrison - Travistan|website=Tiny Mix Tapes|last=Writer|first=Guest|access-date=December 14, 2025}}</ref> | rev9 = ''The Village Voice'' | rev9score = B+<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv1004-04.php|title=Consumer Guide: Sonic Refuges|work=The Village Voice|date=November 16, 2004|accessdate=January 20, 2019|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau}}</ref> }} ''Travistan'' received mixed reviews. It currently has a 56 out of 100 on the review aggregate site Metacritic, indicating "Mixed or average reviews."<ref name="Metacritic"/>
The album is often noted in discussions of the music journalism website ''Pitchfork'', as it marked one of the first moments when, after establishing itself as a critical powerhouse, the e-zine turned on an artist to whom it had previously given enthusiastic support.<ref>{{cite web | last =Wilmoth | first =Charlie | title =All Y'All Haters | publisher =Dusted | url =http://www.dustedmagazine.com/features/651 | accessdate =2007-12-18}}</ref><ref name=WashPost>{{cite news | last =du Lac | first = Freedom | title = Giving Indie Acts A Plug, or Pulling It | newspaper=Washington Post | date =April 30, 2006 | url =https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/28/AR2006042800457_pf.html}}</ref> The album was one of the rare albums to get a 0.0 rating, with reviewer Chris Dahlen describing the album as "one of the most colossal trainwrecks in indie rock history."<ref name="dahlen"/> Barsuk Records co-founder Josh Rosenfeld described the effects of the review as "immediate and disastrous"; ''Pitchfork''{{'}}s managing editor later said that the site had become more careful in issuing very negative reviews as a result.<ref>{{cite magazine| url=https://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.09/pitchfork.html?pg=3&topic=pitchfork&topic_set= | title=The Pitchfork Effect | magazine=Wired}}</ref>
Responding to ''Pitchfork''{{'}}s review, Morrison said: {{blockquote|I just got the sense [''Pitchfork''] thought I was a rock star and they wanted to take me down a peg, but I don't think it occurred to them that the review could have a catastrophic effect... Up until the day of the review, I'd play a solo show, and people would be like, 'That's our boy, our eccentric boy.' Literally, the view changed overnight... I could tell people were trying to figure out if they were supposed to be there or not. It was pretty severe, how the mood changed. The review isn't the story. The reaction to it is. The seriousness with which everyone takes ''Pitchfork'' is kind of mind-boggling.<ref name=WashPost/>}}
Other critical reviews compared the album negatively to work of Morrison's previous band The Dismemberment Plan. Zeth Lundy of ''PopMatters'' wrote, "This is quite literally as disappointing as records get, made all the more so by Morrison's solid resume with the Dismemberment Plan." Lundy singled out the tracks "Get Me Off This Coin", "My Two Front Teeth, Parts 2 and 3" and "Song for the Orca" for criticism.<ref name="Popmatters">{{cite web|last=Lundy|first=Zeth|url=http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/morrisontravis-travistan|title=Travis Morrison: Travistan|work=PopMatters|date=October 6, 2004|accessdate=June 15, 2011}}</ref>
Not all reviews were negative, though. Noel Murray of ''The A.V. Club'' wrote "''Travistan'' is odd but oddly listenable, with a bright mood sparked by Morrison's spirit of discovery. It's one extended, refreshing 'Why not?'."<ref name="AVClub">{{cite web|last=Murray|first=Noel|url=https://www.avclub.com/travis-morrison-travistan-1798200000|title=Travis Morrison: Travistan|work=The A.V. Club|date=October 4, 2003|access-date=June 15, 2011}}</ref> ''Stylus Magazine''{{'}}s Anthony Miccio, in response to the album's criticism, wrote, "After hearing the crap people have said about this album I'm bummed that people are so quick to reject what doesn't fit their immediate logic. It's ironic that folks would get off on shredding an album that's about trying to be kind and honest at the same time."<ref name="Stylus"/>
==Track listing== {{Track listing |title1=Get Me Off This Coin A |length1=1:00 |title2=Change |length2=2:25 |title3=Born in '72 |length3=3:13 |title4=My Two Front Teeth, Parts 2 and 3 |length4=5:18 |title5=Get Me Off This Coin B |length5=0:45 |title6=People Die |length6=4:22 |title7=Song for the Orca |length7=3:12 |title8=Any Open Door |length8=3:53 |title9=Get Me Off This Coin C |length9=0:57 |title10=Che Guevara Poster |length10=4:17 |title11=The Word Cop |length11=2:50 |title12=Angry Angel |length12=3:32 |title13=Get Me Off This Coin D |length13=1:44 |title14=Represent |note14=hidden track |length14=4:45 }}
==Personnel== Credits adapted from AllMusic.<ref name="AllMusic">[http://www.allmusic.com/album/travistan-r707171/credits Travistan – Travis Morrison]. Allmusic. Retrieved 15 June 2011</ref> {{div col}} * Travis Morrison – bass guitar, drum machine, guitar, melodica, organ, percussion, piano, sampling, synthesizer, xylophone * Phil Brazena – violin * Dan Doggett – double bass * Mike Dugan – bass guitar, drum machine, guitar, melodica, organ, percussion, piano, sampling, synthesizer, xylophone * Amanda Fazzone – choir, chorus * Megan Katcher – viola * Josh LeBar – double bass * Corinne Lynch – viola * Jason McGerr – drums * Kendall Nordin – choir, chorus * Tiffany Shanta – violin * Travistani National String Orchestra – strings * Travistani Women's Chorus – choir, chorus * Sean Urban – violin * John Vanderslice – background vocals * Christopher Walla – audio production, bass, drum machine, guitar, melodica, organ, percussion, piano, producer, sampling, synthesizer, xylophone * Don Zientara – audio production, producer {{div col end}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.barsuk.com/shop/bark038 Barsuk Record's page on ''Travistan'']
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Category:2004 debut albums Category:Barsuk Records albums Category:Travis Morrison albums Category:Albums produced by Chris Walla