"Drive By".........No Thanks....
To begin with, let it be known that I love Train, have been following them for years and think all 3 of the guys are super talented. It is for this reason that I am so disheartened by the release of Drive By as the first single off of the upcoming album. After waiting for two and half years for the new album and the first single, I was stunned by the mediocrity of the song. It sounds like bad house music with Pat just talking instead of singing. Talk about mailing it in. The first single off of a new CD should grab your attention and make you anticipate the upcoming album. Really, was this the best song off of the album to issue as an “in your face, here we are again, buy our new CD” statement ? Pat is such a gifted songwriter, wonderful lyricist, and has the voice that most singers wish they had. None of those three virtues exist on this song. The lyrics are sophomoric, the instrumentation is non-existent, and Pat just talks through the song. What a waste of his golden pipes. Jimmy and Scott sound like they were given the afternoon off and the engineer just filled in the backing track with a drum machine and digitally sampled guitar. Train can do a lot better. Their fans deserve a lot better. I hope that this is not a sign of things to come. I hope the upcoming CD will blow me away. If you look on iTunes and at the reviews for Drive By, you will see hundreds of scathing reviews of the song, so I am not alone. Train has established itself in the music industry by having their own sound, by being different and by writing clever, well thought out songs.
Now they are starting to get far too commercial and just writing songs for the masses. Quality be damned. I hope someone from the record company has not been whispering in Pat’s ear telling him to be more main stream and to try and appeal to the younger audience. (He’s already applied that advice by doing the Trainette thing). A lot of the old school Train fans have already jumped ship, with more on the way if this continues. I’m sure Charlie and Rob are glad they got out of Dodge when they did, as I’m sure they would never allow this sort of thing to happen. Drive By would have never appeared on the first three Train albums. Perhaps they are looking for a pay-day after toiling in the small clubs for years. To do so, at the cost of good music, is sad. I know there are many Train fans out there who think Pat walks on water and that Train can do no wrong. Well, clean out your ears, take an objective step back and open your eyes. If everyone continues to tell them everything is just wonderful, then they themselves will start believing it and will put out whatever they feel like. Let’s get back to basics, guys --quality songs from gifted artists start with you. I’ll give Train a “mulligan” on this song (pardon the golf analogy), and hope that it is a momentary lack of clarity that led up to the decision to release this song as the first single. Don’t let us down. Hope the new CD is a smash. Now, I’m going to watch “Midnight Moon” – vintage Train, the Train I love!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Beatrice on -
i am last to judge your opinions New England Guy as i discovered Train in last 3 months.
but maybe because of it i have a clear view on what Train did and certainly does for all these years.
i started with SMSF and Hey Soul Sister songs. Than got back to the early albums of Train and DofJ and Private Nation, than again forth to Brand new book song and the last Drive By. i did back and forth, watched many many shows on internet as i wanted to get to know better Train music.
And what i see is that Tain doesn't stand still - what they do is DEVELOPEMENT. They take what is the bast in their first albums and add sth new and fresh. And this is how i see Drive by.
I find in it the forecast of what is new in Train 2012... find it refreshing
no doubt it is Train :)
and i am comfortable about Train unique style and hope only for the best in whole California 37
hope you get it too and join the route 37
all the best to you
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Permalink Reply by gaucho91 on -
I hate to agree with the OP but I kind of do. I am not a fan of Train songs when Pat does his whiny sounding chanting. Thankfully it doesn't happen often. The first time I heard this song I didn't like it at all. It has started to grow on me but I much prefer the old Train sound.......back when Train songs had soul and meaning and weren't written to appeal to the masses. My favorite album is still ST and most of my fav Train songs are even older than that.
I heard Drive By on my car radio yesterday and my son couldn't even believe it was Train....he said that didn't sound like Pat and he grew up listening to Train.
If there ever comes a day when I (God forbid) jump off the "Train" I will continue to listen to the old stuff and all my live Train concerts....that is still the best stuff in my music collection.
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Permalink Reply by Catherine on -
Oh boy, you've started something here! Like Beatrice, I am a relative newcomer to the Train world, but I really like how they have developed as a band. I bought SMSF Golden Gate Edition CD first, liked it so much that I bought their first four albums, kind of worked my way backwards. I enjoy each one, but I like the last three the best (Drops of Jupiter, My Private Nation, and Save Me, San Francisco). The first two have a little more of the folk song/country music flavor than the more recent music.
There is nothing wrong with a composer or group evolving musically. Beethoven had one foot in the classical period of music and one foot in the romantic era. His music became much more emotionally charged as he got older. Not every one of his compositions was "Ode to Joy." Cut some slack here, and don't be a hater!
Drive By reminds me of early Beatles songs--it's catchy, upbeat, and fun! Every time I hear it, it makes me happy! Okay, so my reaction is visceral rather than cerebral, but in my book, that makes it worthwhile. One of the things I most enjoy about Train is that their music has many different sides: some songs are more thoughtful and lyrical while others make you want to jump up and dance around! I love their every color!
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Permalink Reply by Teri Stewart on -
"Midnight Moon" is the best Train available. I fell in love with the band and their music watching "Midnight Moon". I hope that someday I will be able to see many of those songs live. I love all of their music but I will go to every Train concert that I possibly can get myself too in hopes that I will hear some of that vintage Train! or better yet, all of it!!
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Permalink Reply by CINDY ANN BALDWIN on -
I love the song!!!!!! I have been a fan for 13 years and love everything they do!!! All songs can't be the same and I love the style of this song!!! I think you're a little to harsh.
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Permalink Reply by Mark F on -
Yeah...I thought "Drive By" was a little weak since my love for the music has always been that it was something less than commercial. I had a difficult time with Hey Soul Sister when it first came out too but it grew on me as well. Bands do evolve and if you listen to every Train album one after the other starting with "Train" there is not one that sounds the same as the other. I am looking forward to hearing the rest of California 37 in hopes Pat, Jimmy and Scott nailed it like they did with SMSF (I am sure they will). @Teri, I love Midnight Moon and I typically watch it two to three times a month! I hope the band comes out with another live DVD that has the same feel. I got a chance to see the latest concert shown on HDNet and it was very good, but I wouldd love to get my hands on the DVD. Commercials and outtakes really take away from the overall experience.
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Permalink Reply by Traci Hayes on
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I've been a fan since "Meet Virgina" and I LOVE "Drive By". To each their own I guess.
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Permalink Reply by New England Guy on
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I hope the CD is great as well. SMSF kicked some butt and is a great CD, along with all of their other CD's. I agree bands to evolve as the years go by, but usually for the better, as they mature in their song writing and singing. I just felt that Drive-By was going in the opposite direction, toward the musical mainstream where every song sounds the same, into the world of auto-tune effects and canned sounding instrumentation. Train is better than that and Pat has such a powerful voice that it was wasted on this song. Regarding their latest concerts, I would have done the Marry Me thing different. I would have had Pat sit on a stool at the edge of the stage with a single spot light on him, while Jimmy played the guitar. If would have been much more powerful than the "walk through the crowd", where Pat is just fending off fans. Too much of a circus. And of course, the shows could have been a bit longer. 13 songs is kind of light for a concert. (especially to those who paid big buck for better seats. The 2004 club shows had them playing 24-26 songs with a break in-between.).
Mark F said:Yeah...I thought "Drive By" was a little weak since my love for the music has always been that it was something less than commercial. I had a difficult time with Hey Soul Sister when it first came out too but it grew on me as well. Bands do evolve and if you listen to every Train album one after the other starting with "Train" there is not one that sounds the same as the other. I am looking forward to hearing the rest of California 37 in hopes Pat, Jimmy and Scott nailed it like they did with SMSF (I am sure they will). @Teri, I love Midnight Moon and I typically watch it two to three times a month! I hope the band comes out with another live DVD that has the same feel. I got a chance to see the latest concert shown on HDNet and it was very good, but I wouldd love to get my hands on the DVD. Commercials and outtakes really take away from the overall experience.
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Permalink Reply by Teri Stewart on
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What album is ST?
gaucho91 said:I hate to agree with the OP but I kind of do. I am not a fan of Train songs when Pat does his whiny sounding chanting. Thankfully it doesn't happen often. The first time I heard this song I didn't like it at all. It has started to grow on me but I much prefer the old Train sound.......back when Train songs had soul and meaning and weren't written to appeal to the masses. My favorite album is still ST and most of my fav Train songs are even older than that.
I heard Drive By on my car radio yesterday and my son couldn't even believe it was Train....he said that didn't sound like Pat and he grew up listening to Train.
If there ever comes a day when I (God forbid) jump off the "Train" I will continue to listen to the old stuff and all my live Train concerts....that is still the best stuff in my music collection.
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Permalink Reply by Silvana Rebon on -
Ok, New England Guy... It's clear for me that you are an old Train fan I can understand your disappointment although I do not share it. I'm kind of new here but I know these guys since I was living in Argentina many years ago and I was captivated by the lyrics first and then by Pat's voice, as most of us, I guess. Many of their songs almost made me cry due to their deep words and I love these kind of artists, with something important to say, making you think about the whole meaning of their words. But I think it's impossible, even for a great songwriter to create "anthems" all the time. While I was reading your comment, I could not stop thinking when I was a teen trying to translate the lyrics of Beatles or Rolling Stones and sometimes I thought what's this crap? For me, it's hard to believe that Lennon one day wrote "Hello, goodbye" but he did and I do not blame them because of that... they have the right to do whatever they want and I have to confess that these kind of songs can put a smile in your face sometimes. Drive by is a beautiful catchy song and makes me feel happy and I'm sure that in my country a bunch of guys will change the lyrics and sing this loud at the soccer games. Give Train a chance to show the whole CD and I'm sure they will not disappoint us. I think they are the best at this time and I do believe they have a lot to give.
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Permalink Reply by gaucho91 on
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ST = Self Titled...their first album....Train
Teri Stewart said:What album is ST?
gaucho91 said:I hate to agree with the OP but I kind of do. I am not a fan of Train songs when Pat does his whiny sounding chanting. Thankfully it doesn't happen often. The first time I heard this song I didn't like it at all. It has started to grow on me but I much prefer the old Train sound.......back when Train songs had soul and meaning and weren't written to appeal to the masses. My favorite album is still ST and most of my fav Train songs are even older than that.
I heard Drive By on my car radio yesterday and my son couldn't even believe it was Train....he said that didn't sound like Pat and he grew up listening to Train.
If there ever comes a day when I (God forbid) jump off the "Train" I will continue to listen to the old stuff and all my live Train concerts....that is still the best stuff in my music collection.
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Permalink Reply by Yvonne Brage-Rice on -
Well, interesting, always say it is good that we have different tastes, otherwise the world would be a bl##dy boring place ... I love "Drive By" but then again, I am only a new fan. Only "discovered" Pat after he performed on "Live From Daryl's House", thought Pat was really quirky.
Did what some of the other new fans above did, started with SMSF ("Marry Me" being one favourite), and went backwards and I now have all of them.
Love it all, takes me a while to get to other artists apart from Daryl Hall (I'm a diehard), but when I do, i go all out ... Can't wait for the new one! Have to check out those European dates again!
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