
There are some bands that are inexhaustible. Their music warps and changes with the times, their lyrics remain fresh and exciting, and their songs never lose a glimmer of magic.
is definitely one of those bands.
Drops of JupiterSince their debut album in 1998, Train has been rolling out hit after hit, with songs like “Meet Virginia,” “
Calling All Angels,” “
Hey, Soul Sister,” and “
California 37.” They’re now back again, releasing their sixth album to date:
.
Patrick MonahanLead singer
California 37delivers a powerful vocal performance, alive with energy. In
, he and fellow Train members have crafted a catchy yet unique album about finding love, losing love, and reliving the past.
The lyrics are inviting and insightful without becoming nebulous, while the instrumentals are impressive. The opening song, “This’ll Be My Year,” is comically clever, filled with pop culture references and memories, and the album only gets better as it moves along. In “50 Ways to Say Goodbye,” a strange mix of mariachi and rock makes for an exciting number, while “Sing Together” adopts the fun-loving ukele sounds of “Hey, Soul Sister.”
California 37What I love most about
is the incredible diversity. Train is no Queen, but they have an uncanny ability to make all of their songs sound different. That’s a very rare sight in today’s culture, where Taylor Swift and LMFAO seem to control the charts.
California 37Drive Byswings from the rock hit “
Feels Good At First” to the smooth acoustics of “
special” effortlessly. I drove along Nifong listening to the songs for the first time and had to grin, I was so pleased with finally finding a pop album that sounded
.
Of course, there are flaws, as with any piece of work. There are times when Train’s band is too “hot,” making the words difficult to understand, and their song “You Can Finally Meet My Mom” is cute but borderline cheesy towards the ending. However, who knows? Sometimes it’s the borderline cheesy songs that reach the #1 slot.
California 37In short, I bought
two nights ago and I’m already obsessed. That’s a sure sign of a hit.
By Lauren Puckett