Travis Loads Rock-Pop With Passion and Drama

Travis is a band rightly satisfied with the old ways. Guitar, bass, drums, vocals. At the Troubadour on Thursday, the Scottish quartet, a best-selling and respected act in the U.K., needed little else, making music rich with soaring melodies and emotional resonance .

At its best, the outfit’s music was loose and passionate, whether played by the full band or by a single acoustic guitarist. Which is exactly how the dreamy, epic “As You Are” began, with singer Fran Healy strumming his acoustic before guitarist Andy Dunlop abruptly launched into a classic rock riff that only added a fiery edge to the overall rock-pop blend.

The same song is a highlight from the band’s upcoming “The Man Who” album. And even if it was played with an intensity that Travis’ recorded work has yet to match, the performance at least suggested the band is fast approaching the intensity of Radio-head, current masters of smart, achingly emotional rock.

Travis was dramatic without being obvious. Proof was Healy’s ability to turn any material into a passionate declaration. The singer transformed Britney Spears’ disposable “One More Time” into a memorable acoustic ballad, singing like he meant it, his eyes shut tight.

Healy told the crowd he’d first attempted the song as a lark, but soon realized the possibilities within the Top 40 hit. “In my opinion, this is the way it should be played,” he said with a grin. That’s true for any song in the right hands.

And Travis’ ability to craft standard ingredients into something new and personal makes it a band worth watching.