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Travoltas

Endless Summer (2002)
Fastmusic

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Contributed by: Adam
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Published on October 8th 2002

This will probably go down as one of the unabashedly fun records I've heard this year. Holland's Travoltas have crafted some infectious and far too catchy power-pop that sounds refreshingly different from the seemingly endless hordes of pop-punk bands (you know, the one's marching across the face of the earth threatening to consume us all... those ones).

Green Day and Weezer's penchant for writing tight pop-songs is mirrored here. While that can be said about many pop-punk acts, the Travoltas benefit by also drawing from a far deeper pool of influence. From the "KKK Took My Baby Away" opening of "Liv Tyler" to the buzzsaw guitars of "Endless Summer," there's some serious Ramones worship going on. The best quality these two bands share however is their love of 60s pop. While the Ramones tapped the girl-groups, Travoltas have their sites focused on Brian Wilson. Beach Boys style vocal harmonies are all over the 10 tracks here. It gives the band a distinct sound and far more sonic depth then their contemporaries. The Travoltas are at their best when they slow the tempo down and experiment with their vocals (which happens at about midway through the record). With the trio of "I'm Sorry," "Norwegian Girl" and "Lori" the band meshes all their influences together into a sound that is uniquely their own. In particular, the vocal range in "Lori" is one of the albums best moments. The falsetto vocal highs are something we haven't heard much of since Matt Sharp's Rentals disappeared.

There's nothing prolific here, but that's part of the easygoing fun of it. "Endless Summer" is full of great hooks and surf-rock melodies. I'd love to hear the band expand on their Beach Boys infatuation, shoot for their own "Pet Sounds." In the meantime though, for all the pop-punk on this album it never invokes the demons of generic boredom or emo-posturing that plague the style. "Endless Summer" is catchy enough that you'll be spinning it over and over again... I know I am.

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ph (August 10, 2006)

I know Travoltas like the back of my hand!! This guys are da shizznit!!!! Try to get hold of any Travoltas album you can, buy a case of Heineken invite al youre friends and it's time to party!!!!! Imagine if the Beach Boys fuckin Ramones and they are there offspring!!!! No band can bring a beter pop punk sound to youre ears!! Stop reading and start youre search now!!!! here's a little help : www.travoltas.com
You want it cheap?? email me patrick.halbersma@wanadoo.nl

soulbleed (December 25, 2002)

Although extremely juvenile and corny, this band has a knack for pumping out fun party rock. This is probably the only good release that Fastmusic put out since Autopilot Off's first album, and it's probably going to continue to claim the crown until this band returns to the studio.

Anonymous (November 13, 2002)

Yeah out with all this emo shit! Finally a band that writes songs about stuff worth writin songs about girls and touring and drinking and driving all night. And they aren't trying to be the next the Ramones like the Queers. there will never be another Ramones, but if there's any band continuing in their spirit it's the travoltas!!!

lockdown59 (October 12, 2002)

Beach Boys? What about the Pet Shop Boys? Now that's fuckin' music.

shindo (October 11, 2002)

CallingLondon: The Ramones were influenced by the Beach Boys, but they were far more influenced by 60s girl groups like the Shirelles, the Ronettes, the Shangri-Las etc..

Anonymous (October 11, 2002)

don't really know their music. but so i've read, they are supposedly awesome. well, i don't know if i'll bother to check it out or not.

psychorudeboy (October 10, 2002)

if you pay attention joey ramone sounds a lot like the vocalist for the beach boys.

CallingLondon (October 10, 2002)

this sounds like a good disc, but didn't the ramones take influence from the beach boys too? yes, yes they did.

aubin (October 8, 2002)

Great record. If you like this, check out The Travoltas' Teen Beat; it's not their Pet Sounds but it's damn close.

Bryne (October 8, 2002)

Fun stuff.

Anonymous (October 8, 2002)

The Travoltas fuckin' rule. Sure this is creda-sweet, but they do pop music hows its supposed to be done and they do it well.

Anonymous (October 8, 2002)

Ha ha disco bands...anyway this CD is so poppy and sweet its liable to give you diabetes. However, its not that annoying sweet you get with other lame pop-punk bands. I love the combo they have in their sound from Green Day to Weezer to Ramones. The first track fuckin rules. Check this out!

Ramo

Anonymous (October 8, 2002)

i think that band has played in my town, Fort Wayne IN, they were dubbed chicagos biggest party band...i had to chuckle.

maverick (October 8, 2002)

There's a regional disco cover band called the Travoltas that plays at a local bar downtown here, and every time I see their name listed I hope that maybe it's a mistake, and it's these guys instead.

Alas.

-Scott