Although
Train
's singles got heavy rotation on "
alternative"
radio stations, there's nothing cutting-edge about the band's sophomore effort,
Drops of Jupiter
.
is a
classic rock
wannabe band in the mold of
Counting Crows
, although that's not always a bad thing. In fact, the best moments on
are the most blatant rip-offs, which means the band can sound endearing even when they don't sound unique. Does the hit title track remind you of
Madman Across the Water
-era
Elton John
? Well, it's no coincidence.
Paul Buckmaster
, who arranged the soaring strings on much of
John
's best work, reprises that role here, and session keyboardist extraordinaire
Chuck Leavell
channels
on the piano. And when lead singer
Pat Monahan
sings "When I get this feeling" in
"It's About You,"
just try not to sing "I want sexual healing" over the actual lyrics that follow. Overall, this is a safe, solid second effort from a band that knows how to write hit singles. ~ Mark Morgenstein