California 37

Multi-million selling, stadium-straddling, Grammy award-winning MOR demi-gods Train return to the fray with their long-awaited sixth album California 37. To these ears, it’s a record that sees the band struggle to better their past successes. The impeccably paced pop rock of ‘This’ll Be My Year’ (which takes over from where Billy Joel’s ‘We Didn’t Start The Fire’ left off) and the highly effective Def Leppard/mariachi band mash-up of ’50 Ways To Say Goodbye’ definitely keep things interesting. Similarly, singer Pat Monaghan’s lyrics, intriguingly reference everyone from Andre The Giant to Johnny Depp. But the bulk of the tracks – epitomised by ‘Sing Together’ – are too sweet for me, missing that all important threat of danger and excitement that these songs need to properly fulfil their potential.