Once 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 with a wildly witty edge. Employing their raucous rock-a-billy style, they certainly came to town to entertain both kings and fools--and they do so exceedingly well. However, they also intended to leave their delighted audiences with a little bit more than a few guffaws.
That band is This Train, and their albums are as much thoughtful, personal travelogs as they are big playful parties. A worthy successor that almost matches the delights of Mimes of the Old West, Emperor's New Band is their third official release, and continues their tradition of both thought-provoking yet whimsical wanderings captured in song. Astute, inspirational subject matter is filtered through their signature cleverness and wrapped in quality, frolicsome sing-alongs. Plus there's a cool beatnik rant called "Jazz" and a remake of the first album hit "Monstertrucks!" What more could you possible want? Catch them while you can.
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 Trish PattersonMark 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…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…
