Save Me San Francisco [10/27] [by Train, CD]

San Francisco's Train hit the charts with a bang early in the 21st century with hits like "Calling All Angels" and "Drops of Jupiter." They began as a band that courted an alternative audience and ... more

San Francisco's Train hit the charts with a bang early in the 21st century with hits like "Calling All Angels" and "Drops of Jupiter." They began as a band that courted an alternative audience and quickly traded it -- without changing their sound much -- for a more adult fanbase with mixed results and have been struggling ever since with what it is they want to be as a band. Save Me, San Francisco took four years to make -- remember there was Monahan's solo album in the interim -- and involved a slew of musicians (because only Monahan, guitarist Jimmy Stafford, and drummer Scott Underwood remain from the original group), four studios in the United States and England, songwriting collaborators, and even a handful of producers, though Martin Terefe gets the final credit. Admittedly, this makes Save Me, San Francisco seem like it's a mess before the first song even gets played. The truth is, however, it's a very focused record, centering around the theme of a wandering young rocker who falls in love and wants to settle down. The title track opens the set and it's a cracker, with an acoustic guitar playing a variation on the I-IV-V progression, the snare kicks in, and Monahan sings in his best confessional style, all the while echoing prime Bob Seger. A piano and the electric guitars finally come in on the backing "whooo-hooo-hooo" chorus, it' a near-perfect radio-friendly rock anthem. "Hey Soul Sister" is a love song in the best Train tradition, even if it does namecheck the ... less