EXCLUSIVE SONG: Travis' Fran Healy Goes Solo
MP3
Fran Healy / Photo by Tim Barber
Fran Healy, the charming lead singer of Britpop mainstays Travis, will release Wreckorder, his first solo album, October 5. The star-studded affair features collaborations with Neko Case and Paul McCartney -- and a stirring lead single, "Buttercups." Hear it below!
Like much of Healy's work with Travis, "Buttercups" is based on a personal tale of a misstep in love (although he's now happily married).
"'Buttercups' came from an experience in my art school days when a girlfriend turned her nose up at some picked flowers I brought," Healy tells SPIN.com. "I couldn't afford fancy roses and thought these would be even better and more romantic. She didn't think so. That relationship didn't last long. Puh!"
Healy told a few similar tales when he performed at the SPIN offices last year -- watch the video here.
Healy is playing dates across North America through the end of August, supporting fellow Brits Keane. Check his official site for the full list of shows.
What do you think of Healy's first solo venture? Sound off in the comments section.
Listen: Fran Healy, "Buttercups"
29 Comments
Click here to comment- Posted By gayla battung
08.06.10 12:34 PM
awwww.... frannnnyy.... im loving you already.!!! you're the gray-haired hunk in my dreams!!!!!! in terms of writing skills, it's you hands down then jon foreman then ... thom yorke, i guess... mwah!!
p.s. hello byron jakes lasam!
- Posted By 3lizab3th
07.28.10 6:32 PM
w0w!!! fran estoy segura que te ira muy bien, eres el mejor cantante, y eso lo has demostrado a lo largo de tu carrera y tambien con la banda travis, que esta llena de exitos que le han gustado y disfrutadado a tu publico, incluyendome.
muchas felicidades fran, que cumplas muchos años más y te deseo todo lo bueno del mundo como...?? la salud para que siguas cantando y haciendo las cosas que más te gustan en esta vida.=)
mucha suerte!!!
- Posted By Anonymous
07.24.10 1:45 AM
I LOVE Fran Healy!! I love Travis as a whole, but always like to see what these spin-offs produce. So far so f*uckin good! Wish they were promoted more here in the states and not shelved as a Coldplay Keane opening band. Headliner all the way. PS_ get yer ass to Seattle!
- Posted By Christina Dale
07.23.10 3:17 PM
Yay, I saw the link on Twitter but couldn't stream the song on my iPhone. Great birthday present to be able to listen to it today. Thanks Fran for another great song. I join the others in looking forward to the album release in October. Happy Birthday to you, too!
- Posted By christian klobucar
07.22.10 7:28 PM
A beautiful new song of the first solo album.Melodic,melancholic,full of emotions...beautiful!Cant wait for October then
- Posted By pcg
07.22.10 6:29 PM
Buttercups is typical Fran: clever, tragic, and just plain beautiful. I caught him in support of Keane last night at the Greek in LA and he was magnificent, really on his game. I think Wreckorder is going to surprise some people with just how stellar it is, as it's much more significant than just some side project to kill time until the next Travis album.
09.02.10 7:42 AM
It's really pretty.