Train still on track with their Private Nation [SACD]
Written: Aug 17 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Sound is better than Drops SACD, varied styles & sound, 5.1/Stereo mix
Cons: Pat Monahan rhyming Swayze with mayonnaise-y, come on Pat you ain't sneakin' anything by me
The Bottom Line: Bottom line: Private Nation SACD is a 5.1/Stereo single layer disc and will only play in equipment displaying the SACD logo.
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| sslabs's Full Review: My Private Nation - Train [SACD] Movies |
After being bombarded by Train’s first single Calling All Angels from their third album My Private Nation I was ready to rip into the band. Sure the first listen kinda had me tapping my foot, and feeling somewhat relieved that they hadn’t derailed with their latest release. But that feeling changed quickly after having listened to their first single a few more times. I started to feel like I was being manipulated, steered, and led into having an emotional reaction to their first single. I got the feeling that Drew Carey probably gets when a stripper whispers in his ear and tells him he’s sexy. Needless to say, one eyebrow begins to raise, and suspicion begins to set in.
Train was telling me everything I wanted to hear, “look how bad the world is” they were singing to me; but don’t worry “cause we’re Calling All Angels.” Yeah whatever, you guys will get yours soon enough I thought. I’m simply not at all in the mood for drivel, preaching, or marketing. I didn’t need anyone telling me how put upon everyone is. But things changed quickly after getting my paws on My Private Nation. Just like Drops of Jupiter the single didn’t really reflect the overall album.
Getting onboard
Their self titled debut Train was very much like a middle America diary that conjured images of Coca-Cola, small towns, and dusty Levi’s. Drops of Jupiter shifted from that a bit, the focus was more on relationships, heartache and a yearning that wasn’t always focused. Nation is a nice balance of the first two Train albums along with a new feeling - having a good time. Also, the band seems to be dipping their quill into the ink of many other bands while retaining that unique Train steam. All American Girl is more upbeat, and seems to borrow sounds and vibes from Jamiroquai and Squeeze. Train also delivers a slightly different kind of ballad with When I Look To The Sky. Pat Monahan experiments a bit with a dense lyrical delivery in the opening that Alanis Morissette seems to be so fond of. But this tune soon falls to a more traditional Train crooner.
Save The Day moves back to a more playful and smiling sound that has a hint of Smash Mouth and Sublime. It’s nothing amazing, but a catchy chorus “Baby I don’t want to be your super-man” and hook laden sound definitely make this one to replay. Get To Me is one of my favorite tracks from Nation. To be blunt, it’s a sound and style that I’ve never heard from Train before. Get To Me a song in which Monahan sings to a mystery woman to get to him by any means necessary “Parasail, first class mail, get on the back of a nightingale, just get to me” is a funky blend of a poetry reading and a gentle rap (minus the chorus). It sounds a bit like the speaking that Avril did on Nobody's Fool but was misinterpreted as more of a rap and caused horrible reactions from countless people.
However, I have a very strong feeling that not one person will be sticking their finger down their throat to take a second look at their lunch. Get To Me is incredibly catchy, uniquely delivered, and sharply written, and dare I say, the headpiece of My Private Nation. Virtually all the tracks have grown on me, with the exception of the title track. My Private Nation, it’s a middle of the road pop/rock tune that doesn’t speak to me in anyway and is totally forgettable and skippable. Getting near the end, Following Rita and Lincoln Avenue are moving, and reminiscing with Lincoln Avenue boasting a wonderful string arrangement. My Private Nation curls up at the end just a bit, to keep from ending on a low note with I’m About To Come Alive. This final track is soft spoken and a bit quiet, but it’s no ballad, and I thoroughly enjoy it because it smells very much like the tracks that wafted off of Train’s debut album.
Overall, I enjoy Nation just a bit more than Drops of Jupiter but I have a strange feeling that things will not be a whirlwind for the band, at least not in the Drops of Jupiter sense. I got sick of Calling All Angels very quickly and I suspect that other, stronger tracks will find the band receiving the kudos they so rightly deserve. I like Nation because the band varied their sound much more, evolved gently rather than radically, and delivered an album filled with catchy music along with smart and sometimes poetic writing.
How it sounds & Technical geek stuff
My Private Nation sounds better than Drops of Jupiter period. Drops just sounded all mashed together. I never really mentioned it two years ago because I would have complained about sound quality for just about every single CD I reviewed. I used to leave that information out unless the sound was so atrocious that it needed mentioning. The SACD of Drops was no improvement, but it wasn’t a surprise because SACD isn’t going to fix a master tape. While the sound quality of Nation is better, it’s not fantastic. What really makes Nation standout is the 5.1 surround mix.
To get right to it, the mix is fantastic, and reminds me of Beck’s Sea Change on SACD that sported a gorgeous mix of a highly overrated album. On Nation Brendan O’Brian (producer & mixer) did the stereo work, and Nick DiDia pulled off a really lively and enjoyable 5.1 mix. DiDia actually recorded the original album, and he was aggressive while totally avoiding a gimmicky mix. From the very beginning (Calling all Angels) DiDia lifted particular sounds from the stereo mix and put them in back. DiDia avoided (for the most part) putting sounds in one corner, thus avoiding any ham-fisted sonics. On Calling All Angels for example, all BG vocals are moved to the back along with some synth work. Other times When I Look To The Sky acoustic guitars are gently moved back as well, other tracks find viola, cello and percussion work moved to the back. In the middle of Get To Me Monahan has a spoken line that sounds like it's been run through a telephone emulator. This bit was moved back and it sounds like Monahan is speaking in your ear, very cool. The multi-channel mix really lifts, separates, and clarifies the various instruments and sounds.
DiDia even does something that most SACD producers refuse to do whether out of being stubborn, lazy or fearful - make use of the center channel. On the closing track I’m about to come alive DiDia moves the scrappy drum machine sound clearly and boldly into the center speaker. The isolation of that sound definitely changes the mood of the song. I’m happy with all aspects of DiDia’s mix, and by effectively moving the workload across all the speakers, the details of My Private Nation go from slightly blurred (stereo mix) to an open space with sounds sticking out like fingers on a hand. With every SACD released, recording engineers, producers and mixers are coming to grips with how to mix in surround and think in 3-D. I can also hear mixers getting more and more bold, and so far the results seem to favor the risk taker and punish the timid. My Private Nation gets an enthusiastic 3 ½ star rating from me, however, the sound quality and fine surround mix bump it up a bit over the CD and so 4 stars is my final score. I really enjoy Nation and fans of earlier Train music that have yet to purchase Nation have nothing to worry about, ‘cause this Train still has plenty of steam left.
© Tony Flores 2003
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Member: Tony Flores
Location: Calistoga - Napa Valley Wine Country
Reviews written: 99
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