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Customer Reviews of Train

Another good example that rock is back...
This is one of the best new albums I've heard in a long time. I bought it because it satisfied my "two good song" rule: Any band can come up with a one-hit wonder, but a CD with TWO good songs on it is worth purchasing. And so, after hearing "Free" and "Meet Virginia" on the radio, and decided that Train was worth a try. Plus, I had seen them in concert with Ben Folds Five and had been quite impressed with their live show. Well, the rest of the CD doesn't disappoint. My suspicions that they have an affinity for the Allman Brothers (an affinity which this homesick Southern boy shares, by the way) were proven correct by the CD. Nothing like a little bit of guitar-driven rock to shake me out of my MTV-induced doldrums. Couple that with inspired lyric-writing and lead singer Patrick Monahan's sublime vocal stylings and you've got an album that will keep me listening for a long time. Train's self-titled debut is a worthy buy for any true rock-and-roll fan.

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freshman
I'm wary of bands who's first album blows me away. Typically this spells disaster for them (the Gin Blossoms are a great example). I also think that if you've heard three songs from an album that you like, odds are that you'll like the whole album. Both of these rules hold true for Train's freshman effort.

While songs like "Meet Virginia" "Free" and "I am" are outstanding, over all, this album is more spotty than these songs would lead you to believe. This does not mean that there isn't a great future here, however, or that this album is not worth investigating.

I've heard the comparisons to REM and Blues Traveler, and I don't think they are quite accurate. Train has the pop sensiblities of Sister Hazel, minus the sugar-coated pop feel, and the small town percecution of Tracy Chapman. It also helps that Patrick Monahan sounds like he could be Chapmans younger brother.

This is a pretty solid effort, but not a CD where you won't feel the need to skip a couple of songs while listening ("Eggplant", eesh!).

Check it out, though, to get ready because their second album should be dynamite.

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The first and best
Train's self-titled first album is definately their best. This cd, independantly released in 1994 then re-released under the Sony label a couple years later, features a good, honest, acoustic southern rock style. This album is probably more comparable to Counting Crows' "August and Everything After" and is equally as good, but Train's classic rock influences from bands such as Led Zeppelin and The Beatles definately shine through. The songwriting is excellent, and lead singer Pat Monahan's lyrics are meaningful and heart-felt. Guitarists Jimmy Stafford and Rob Hotchkiss show off their talent by adding a mandolin and harmonica respectively, which add to the musical depth of the songs.

The single "Meet Virginia", probably the most pop friendly song on the album, launched Train onto the radio waves and began their journey which would eventually lead them to the Grammys with "Drops of Jupiter". There isn't a single bad song on this album, but the highlights for me have to be "I Am" - a simple classic rock song, "Free" - one of the more rocking songs on the cd, and "Train" - a driving bluesy goroovy kinda tune.

This cd stands out as the best of their work in my opinion, because unfortunately the later albums progress to more radio recycled pop. Train (the cd) was written vby Train (the band) back when they were a struggling club band in San Francisco in the mid 90's when it was all about the music. So if you've only heard "Drops of Jupiter" or any of their later stuff, and aren't too thrilled with them, give this one a chance, you'll be pleasantly surprised.