Save Me, San Francisco (Bonus Track Version)

iTunes Review

San Francisco’s Train has taken its sweet time putting together each album. For 2009’s Save Me, San Francisco, the group is now a trio with session musicians filling out their grand sound. The results took four years (with Monahan’s solo album Last of Seven in the middle) and a multitude of studios, engineers and producers to achieve their widescreen pop-rock approach. The title track kicks things off in a mild Stones shuffle. “Hey, Soul Sister” follows with a sprite beat that recalls the lightweight and catchy guitar-pop of Third Eye Blind and Sugar Ray. “I Got You” begins and ends with the Doobie Brothers’ “Black Water” taking over the tune. Train are now clearly rock veterans and singer Pat Monahan, while keeping the music forever young, is finally looking to settle down. There are plenty of radio-ready pop-rock romps like “If It’s Love.” But by the album’s closing track Monahan comes up with “Marry Me,” an acoustic ballad that takes the band full-circle and back to their club origins.