My Thoughts On The Band Train

Back in 1998, when Train released their debut album Train it was way different than the pop driven music they are releasing now.

I believe at the time my family was a subscriber to BMG Music Club, The idea behind music subscription services was that you would pay a monthly flat fee and have music automatically sent to you on a monthly basis without you having to lift a finger. In addition you could choose other non featured CDs and have them sent to your house also. This second feature cost extra but it was the convenience factor that drove this service. Back to the subject at hand Train. I received Train’s debut album using this service. This was one of those albums you could actually press play and sit back and enjoy every single song that came through your speakers! This is a rarity that we are seeing less and less of these days.

Listen to Train by Train on Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/album/01aoYWjhjshlHf5vJNYb03

With just enough edge to it and great songwriting Train entertained me so much that when time for 2000’s Drops Of Jupiter was released I had to have it as soon as it was released. This album proved to be great musicianship but less edge to it, moving more towards the pop feel and less rock feel that I really enjoyed of their first album. This ended up being the last Train album I purchased.

Listen to Drops Of Jupiter by Train on Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/album/6j6Zgm7vzAZegr48UppFVT

2003’s My Private Nation brought radio single “Calling All Angels” which is an ok song but doesn’t match the sound at all of the bands origins.

Listen to Calling All Angels by Train on Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/track/0E29BKKGCJHcb7b9oIWgGB

Several years went by and in 2007 Pat Monahan lead singer for Train released a solo album with the single “Her Eyes” which I enjoyed and was glad that the name Train wasn’t used to release this.

Listen to Her Eyes by Pat Monahan on Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/track/1ddCwCW1WXcCB9LrERslCD

Train took the rest of the first decade of 2000s off but came back in 2010 with Save Me, San Francisco featuring the single “Hey Soul Sister”. That song blew up and was everywhere and I hated how the sound changed.

Listen to Hey, Soul Sister by Train on Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/track/24YvUQnuPL8gObCfSnAobH

I do realize that every band much change their sound to stay fresh and new but I really cannot stand the progression from the edgy alt rock sound to the pop over processed sounds that we hear today from Train. The final straw has been pulled with 2012’s release California 37 featuring the single ” 50 Ways To Say Goodbye” which in opinion is a total rip off of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “The Phantom Of The Opera”. The first time I heard the track I could not place how I had already heard this song but knew it wasn’t a “cover” and wasn’t original in nature.

Listen to 50 Ways To Say Goodbye by Train on Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/track/2NniAhAtkRACaMeYt48xlD

Listen to The Phantom of the Opera – Single Album Version by Andrew Lloyd Webber on Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/track/70gOupwTsC5iq2x3i6Q8f3

What are your thoughts? Thanks for reading my rant! I have wanted to share my thoughts on this for several years but with the release of ” 50 Ways To Say Goodbye” I could no longer stay quiet.