Album- California 37
Artist- Train
With their mega hit song Hey Soul Sister 2010 Train found
new success as a group, and with this collection that acoustic, happy kind of
atmosphere is really capitalised upon, with lightness of their songs pretty
much being their unique selling point. However as I have never actually
listened to a Train record in fuel, I wonder if their sound may become bland on
a full blown record.
Track 1- This’ll Be
My Year
The opening track is a hopeful number in which the idea of
the new year bringing the potential for greatness being explored. The lyrics
are quite smart in using prominent cultural references to give that sense of
life just going on, and giving a bit more punch to the simply constructed
chorus that holds a good if not very original hook. The vocals of the track
have that charm to them that makes us feel like the lead vocalist of Pat
Monahan and indeed the entire band have actually lived their lives, and with
plunky guitar rhythms, steady drum beats and some cool electric guitar, the
song definite has that light and slightly inspiring feeling, even if it is
stereotypical.
3/5
Track 2- Drive By
The lead single of the album is an ode to love in which the
man compares his relationship to the idea of driving on the road and basically
tells his girl that he will always be there for her through this metaphor.
Whilst it may follow the same kind of formula as there hit Hey Soul Sister,
this track features a much more up tempo sound and has some cool vocal style
rap in the verses that contrasts well with the simplistic, hook laden chorus
that cries out to be sung on a drunken night out. The sentiment is clichéd but
with light vocal performance and sweet acoustic guitar riffs this becomes a
minor issue, and so the song is just a delicious guilty pleasure kind of a
track.
4/5
Track 3- Feels Good
at First
This delicate number is a very stripped back affair that
sits on a down tempo setting and offers a nice change of pace from the previous
number. With the lightness of the vocals a sense of sweetness and sincerity
really comes through, with the vocal layering in certain sections of the track giving
a real lilting, chilled out effect that makes for a real cute kind of just sit
in your house or car or any place and just relax. The lyrics employ some pretty
cute if slightly clichéd ideas, but that strong sense of first love is really
conveyed in the simplicity of the track, with the hook really summing up that
idea of fresh love. And with light guitar instrumentation, the tracks sweet
lyrics and vocals are very nicely accompanied in a way that in no way runs that
risk of being too overpowering.
3.5/5
Track 4- Bruises
(featuring Ashley Monroe)
This track speaks of the marks that are left after the end
of a relationship and the meeting of the partners again. The track acts as more
of a storytelling piece than the other songs previously and whilst it could be
a little bland with just the vocals of Monahan, the addition of Monroe really
adds a different layer to the track and gives a nice sense of honesty. The guitar
riffs are very much Train and so feels a bit too rehearsed, although the light
tone does give a good groove to the track, with the violins being a welcome
element. The vocals are sweet, and whilst the lyrics don’t necessarily have a
lot of depth they have that sense of the band not just being completely boring
blatant with their feelings.
3.5/5
Track 5- 50 Ways to
Say Goodbye
This track starts off quite nicely with Italian band sounding
introduction that makes the song a little bit different sonically whilst still
holding onto that acoustic feel. However this style is overtaken within the
chorus which goes into normal Train mode of being a powerful melodic hook
driven chorus that is very sing along. However the track doesn’t have that
charm of such other tracks like this one, and whilst the chorus is fast paced
and snappy, which makes for a pleasing listening, the vocals don’t really
convey that passion within the song that potentially lies they, and the
powerful sound of the drums and trumpets within the track means that lyrics
kind of wash over you.
3/5
Track 6- You Can
Finally Meet My Mom
The whistling opening of this track makes for a light and
whimsical tone that works well with the songs more deep sentiment, meaning that
we aren’t bored with the track. The whistling has that head bopping
contemplation groove and so is a welcome element of the track with its powerful
drum beats and violin production. Lyrically the song has a little more depth,
with Monahan speaking of getting on with his relationship and finally just
opening up and spending more time with his girl. It’s a sweet sentiment that
could be conveyed in a more powerful way but is something that people will
identify with, even if the thin vocals don’t necessarily give that conveyance
well enough.
2.5/5
Track 7- Sing
Together
The clunky guitar rhythms of this track feel more footloose
and fancy free and less commercially calculated, making for a nice change of
pace that has that feeling of being sincere. And with the production being nice
and simple, for a change Monahan’s vocals actually take centre stage and sound
really nice. The lyrics speak of Monahan’s girl singing together with him as
she is such an integral part of the track. And with the “oooooh” post chorus
sections, the trumpeting final section, and the way the track just nicely fades
out, this is a really chilled out number that has the sense of going to the
bare roots of the bands overall sound, which is good.
3.5/5
Track 8- Mermaid
With staccato guitar riffs and a thumping drum bass this is
nice transition in sound from the previous song, and lyrically speaks comparing
this girl to the beauty of a mermaid and how he never thought this magic love
could true. And this track definitely has that nice sense of charm to it, with
more vocally deep set verses offsetting the high key tones of the chorus really
nicely and making the ideas that are presented that little bit more believable.
The tracks production features a quite summery sound that makes the track ideal
for that happy atmosphere and really works well with the metaphors that are
employed with the track. Overall it’s just a nice preppy pop rock number that
has a nice groove and sounds ideal for the summer.
3.5/5
Track 9- California
37
The title track features a little bit more rock sound with
some cool electronic sounding beats that hark back to some more old school kind
of sounds whilst still holding that modern edge. It may be a short number but it
has that subtle aggressive edge and lyrically acts as a simple power number to
highlight how the band have risen beyond the past against those who thought
they wouldn’t. And it’s that nice bit of diversity that reminds us why many
probably liked the band in the first place.
3.5/5
Track 10- We Were
Made for This
This delicate number is a fragile guitar led number that is
all about the male vocalist singing about his girl and his relationship being
made for the hardships of life. The lyrics invoke stereotypical imagery that is
sweet but a bit bland, and whilst the adding of drum march style beats and some
epic sounding bass and guitar in the middle section makes for a powerful
essence to the record as a whole, Monahan unfortunately doesn’t have that full
sense of power in his voice that is required and so it would have perhaps
simply been better to keep a little more stripped back sound, with the songs
final minute being a perfect example of this.
3/5
Track 11- When the
Fog Rolls In
This track just isn’t the end that I wanted. It should have
been more simple and less vocally weird, with the production just trying to go
for a little soulful, powerful sense that just doesn’t quite fit, with this
production overpowering everything else about the song. So as the last track it
is definitely the worst.
2/5
Final Review
This album is all about keeping the formula that brought the
group back to prominence and making a tight record. However, whilst I am a fan
of the sound that brought the band new found success, even I struggled to cope
with this record as the sound just becomes over bloated and bland after a while,
despite most of the songs being quite good. So whilst there are those moments
where you will just love the group, there’s those other moments where you want
them to be more diverse in sound and subject matter.
6/10
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