Mark Robertson remarked recently that This Train is something he does with passion. The proof is in this proverbial pudding. A beefed-up recording budget has allowed This Train to add a horn section for their second label release, The Emperor's New Band. Musically, the listener will hear rock-a-billy, jump blues, R&B and jazz--and lyrically the band is more upfront spiritually than ever. The first single to be released is the hymn "No, Not One!," which closes the album. Although the radio version excludes the acapella section that follows the song's jazz-like party rendition, "No, Not One" is very worshipful and encourages listeners through beautiful lyrics:
Jesus knows all about our struggles,
He will guide 'til the day is done;
There's not a friend like the lowly Jesus,
No, not one! No, not one!
Robertson again composed most of the songs, and his lyric-writing shows improvement, depth, and the delightful humor fans expect. Snippets from the lyrically inspired title track, for example, provide plenty of play on words:
Tour bus wheels, solo deals, living off the fad of the land
Catered meals, keep it real and never get too close to the fans
VH-1, setting sons, way too much excitement to stand
Come on give the boys a hand, as they're striking up the bland
Come on give the boys a hand
Put your hands together, might be now or never, put your hands together
For the emperor's new band.
Beginning with audio clips of Tex Williams, the first track, "I Wanna Be Your Man," is fast becoming a favorite among fans who have heard it performed live. Phil Madeira and Jimmy Abegg contributed to writing the music on the final version of "We'll Leave the Light On," and the demo version is included as a bonus track. Both renditions encourage listeners to grab a partner and dance. The album also includes a great cover of Rich Mullins's "Screen Door" and a remake of the classic fan favorite "Monstertruck," which appears here as a bonus/hidden track with Eric Hauck singing backing vocals instead of former co-lead singer Beki Hemingway. The music of "She's a Rocket" was written mainly by lead guitarist and engineer Jordan Richter with help from Robertson and Cobra Joe. This song is not only one of the album's standouts, it has also become the band's first-ever video. And "Technology" features another dose of welcome humor:
Wish I may, wish I might, wish upon a satellite
You can give us back our dream, networked in the datastream
Everything gonna be alright, 'cause 1 plus 0 equals 2 tonight
So don't freak out if I ain't home, you just leave your message at the tone
You just leave your message at the tone, and we'll get back to you!
Riki Michelle, Eric Hauck and Carl Herrgesell perform backing vocals on various songs, many of which will take you back to the days of 50's and 60's rock 'n' roll; and Alexia Abegg (Jimmy A's daughter) has a speaking part on "The Magic Bean."
Although you can expect something different from the Trains this time around, as with previous releases, The Emperor's New Band will appeal to people of all ages and raises the question: "just how far could This Train go if more time was devoted to their development and promotion?"
4.5 tocks
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 2000Reviewed by James StewartFollowing up an album like their previous attempt was always going to be a hard job, and sustaining a similar level of humor just added to This Train's workload. The Emperor's New Band sees the band adding a stronger pinch of swing to their mixing bowl, which adds to the frenetic energy, but unfortunately causes a few fractures to appear in the final result. In places it seems like they're trying…The Phantom Tollbooth 1999Reviewed by Michial FarmerI'd accuse This Train of jumping on the swing bandwagon, if only they weren't so blasted good! Yes, their new album, The Emperor's New Band, carries very strong elements of swing and its backwoods cousin rockabilly, but it has so much originality and is played with so much heart that it'd almost be a sin to call them "just another swing band." "She's a Rocket" could be played alongside the modern…The Phantom Tollbooth 1999Reviewed by Cathy CourtwrightIn a world content with the austerity of many CCM artists, acts breaking this mold can become a shining beacon to those in search of something else. One such coterie is the band, This Train. After being in CCM but not being part of it for the past several years, This Train has released a new project which is sure to catch the attention of a growing crowd not willing to settle for mediocrity. This…The Phantom Tollbooth 1999Reviewed by Steven S. BaldwinOnce upon a time, in the grand land of Texas there was a rowdy, roving band that desired to play for their Emperor. Both accomplished musicians and songwriters, as well as sort of jocular court jesters, they stitched their music together not with invisible, imagined thread but with very tangible talent and exquisite care. Their collaboration resulted in thoughtful, well-played, accessible songs…
