Let it be said right here, before y'all go making fun of me for being a fan of Train. I was a fan years before "Hey Soul Sister" catapulted them into the public eye. The song is great, to be sure, but it's not what Train is to me.
"My Private Nation" was one of the first CDs I owned myself, and I've had a soft spot in my musical heart for it ever since. It's Train's best album in my opinion. Yes, I'll say that "Drops of Jupiter" was better than any individual song on MPR, but MPR is a better album on the whole.
It's a collection of 11 songs and 45 minutes of catchy alternative rock. Pat Monahan, the lead vocalist for the band (and really the essence of Train's sound), sings of love, loss, and hope with such raw emotion that it's impossible not to invest yourself in the songs.
Train's lyrics are not groundbreaking in their content, but they are original, heartfelt and sometimes quirky in the line to line writing of each song. From "All American Girl," which tells the funny story of a girl who is clearly out of the narrator's league ("And I know I'm just here to amuse you"), to "I'm About to Come Alive," which tells the heartbreaking story of a couple that married too young and is now stuck in a situation that drains them both--even though the man wants his wife to keep faith in him ("Don't let them be right after all that we've been through"), each song is perfect to sing along to.
As an interesting little side note, any Angels Baseball fans will recognize Train's "Calling All Angels," a song off this album that serves as the music for the Angels video montage before every game.
The verses are all well written, but what makes Train so amazing is their ability to bust out with some of the best and most consistently catchy choruses of any band I've listened to.
If you're still not convinced that they're the real deal, see them live. Monahan has a commanding stage presence and his voice soars, sounding exactly the same live as it does on a recording.
Train has released a wealth of music over the years, blending alternative rock with some funk and southern, almost country-esque rock/soul grooves. Give them a shot, and maybe you'll jump on the bandwagon that existed before it got painted all shiny with "Hey Soul Sister."
My three favorite songs on the album are "Get to Me," "Your Every Color," and "I'm About to Come Alive."
Here's a link to their Myspace.
http://www.myspace.com/train
Until next time, tell your friends to check out the blog cuz I'd love some more readers! And, enjoy all the music out there :)
P.S. Look for my most promising albums of January post, coming soon!
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