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!