Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)

by

Train

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That's one of the awards Train is up for at the VH1 Music Awards in December; and I completely agree. I saw Train nearly 3 years ago in a tiny little hole-in-the-wall bar in Columbus, OH...and that was only because a friend MADE me go. There were maybe 10 people there. Yet from that moment on, I was hooked. Their stage energy, ability to "draw the crowd in," and genuine musical talent captivated me. As a music major myself, I'm really picky about who I listen to. They passed the test with flying colors. Pat has one of those voices that will be remembered for generations.

The past few reviews have discussed the "switch-over" to pop that this album had. But what is pop nowadays? Would you consider Britney Spears, Train, and Weezer all in the same category just because their music is sold under the "pop-rock" section? Music, to me, doesn't really fall under a category. This CD is TRAIN...they went into the studio, recorded until their voices left them and until their fingers were bleeding. They put their heart and soul into this album, and the finished product is absolutely amazing. Each song is different, yet they all tie together like a fascinating novel with interlocking chapters. You have to listen to all of them to get the true meaning of the ending.

There are a million rock bands out there that sport the straightforward, radio-friendly sound made popular by Matchbox 20 and Vertical Horizon, and that's a shame, because with such a proliferation of bands, some very good records are bound to get lost in the shuffle. Drops Of Jupiter is such a record. And, while there is no shortage of ready-for-public-consumption rock here, there's also enough depth and quality to the music to separate Train from their peers.

The title track of Train's sophomore album is pretty much its centerpiece: in ten words or less, it's the best ballad The Black Crowes never made. Singer Pat Monahan's earnest voice blends perfectly with the epic, string-laden melody of the song, and the song's chorus is almost maddeningly catchy. It's by far the most complex of the songs on this album, but on tracks such as the moody "Mississippi", Train complement their basic guitar sound with an array of horns and an accent of acoustic guitars, lending an added depth that was missing from their debut album. Elsewhere along the album, the band continue to enhance their sound with slide guitar and string arrangements.

Of course, Drops Of Jupiter has its share of basic, straightforward tunes, but songs like "Let It Roll", "Hopeless" and "She's On Fire" retain the pop craftsmanship Train is known for despite their simplicity. Of course, the album does have its less stellar moments. Three or four of the album's eleven songs -- "Respect" and "Something More" spring immediately to mind -- seem so obviously slick and crafted for mass appeal that they end up coming across as disposable pop fodder. Overall, though, Drops Of Jupiter is a very solid album that should be given a listen to, and it separates Train from their contemporaries by overcoming the sophomore slump that seems inevitable for bands of this genre. Recommended.