I'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 kings of swing, Cherry Poppin' Daddies and Squirrel Nut Zippers. Songs like "I Want To Be Your Man" and the cover of the Rich Mullins classic "Screen Door" have more of a Stray Cats vibe to them. Other songs, such as the biting title track, are distinctively un-swing, and keep the album from falling into a musical rut.
Many parts of The Emperor's New Band have a strong "Weird Al" Yankovic feel to them, which isn't that surprising, given frontman Mark Robertson's...uh...different sense of humour. In songs like "Monstertruck 2000," "The Magic Bean" and "The Emperor's New Band," Yankovic's influence is most evident:
Do you remember a time, back before you ever made a dime
And you played the open mic nights for exposure?
But now you're loved and adored and the singer's back at Betty Ford
And the ex-wives all feel the need for some closure
VH-1, setting sons, and all the strings and vocals are canned
Drugs and guns, too much fun, way too much excitement to stand
Come on give the boys a hand, their supply's still in demand
Put your hands together for the emperor's new band, the emperor's new band
The most hilarious track, however, is Robertson's minute-long rant about jazz, fusion and Miles Davis, titled, appropriately enough, "Jazz":
Simply owning a saxophone does not necessarily a jazz man make, my friends. Kenny G is not jazz. He is the anti-jazz.
Aside from these few stints into comedy, though, The Emperor's New Band has a strong sense of worship in the lyrics, from the devotion-pledging "I Want to Be Your Man" to "The Way It Sounds," a surf-influenced number telling God how much Robertson loves the sound of His voice. Presumably this focus on worship in lyrics is due to the fact that Robertson spent the last year touring with The Ragamuffin Band, which you may know as Rich Mullins's old backing band.
As good as some of these songs are, a few shots don't hit the target. "Technology" is one of them, its catchy music being spoiled by its unimaginative lyrics. The aforementioned "The Way It Sounds" also comes across as awkward, spoiling its worshipful lyrics.
Despite these faults, The Emperor's New Band continues This Train's track record of great albums, and is a worthy addition to any Christian's CD collection.
4 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 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…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…
