JOHN TRAIN
Looks Like Up (Record Cellar)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

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John Train is five Pennsylvanians providing an eclectic blend of country/folk/pop flavored support for the songs written by one of their number, lead singer/guitarist Jon Houlon. When you hear these songs, you'll quickly understand why four capable players would devote their attentions to that kind of support role, because they're great to listen to and they sound like great fun to play.

The lineup includes Mike Brenner on dobro (who doubles as the group's producer in the studio), Steve Demarest on bass, Bill Fergusson on mandolin and Mark Tucker on steel guitar. On the album, they're augmented by a variety of guest including percussionists, a string quartet, keys, horns, whatever it takes to get the songs across.

And such songs! Houlon is a smart lyricist, alternately wielding words like weapons and weaving words like fine tapestry. His voice is mixed high enough to make the lyrics intelligible, though the band plays well enough to provide a level of distraction from the words. That means you might have to listen a couple times through to catch on, but once you've heard this one once, you'll want to hear it a bunch of times anyway.

Track List:

Lonely Next Door * If I'm Gonna Get Blamed * Misery Loves Company * I Wish It Was The Time * Nobody's Seen The Wind * Cracked And Crumbled * 500 Miles * Did You Come By Your Bitterness Honestly? * Playground Attraction * You Won't Say My Name * Nova Scotia * Savannah

© 2002 - Shaun Dale