A Look Back: Train, For Me It's You

By Garrett Heisler | published Saturday, November 16, 2013 |
Thursday Review Contributor

In the early aught years, with multiple Grammy Awards and multiple platinum records under their belts, Train was on top of the world. But the business side of music can be fickle, and record sales slumped for Train by the time their fourth album was released; For Me It’s You received upbeat reviews but its sales were sluggish, even dismal. With a horrible divorce and constant arguing between band members Train’s career seemed at its end.

But For Me It’s You deserves another, closer look, especially now that the reconfigured band has again achieved a rebooted success.

In early 2006, Pat Monahan began some early recordings in his San Francisco apartment with nothing more than a recorder and his melodic vocal notes. It seemed the world was out to destroy everything he had worked for that is until he met Amber Peterson. With a new found inspiration and happiness, songs for the new album rolled out one after another, like clockwork the band resumed to its former glory with a single released later that year named "Cab.”

The single was well-received and shortly afterward the rest of the album was completed. This 2007 album from Train showed a new side of the band which music lovers had never seen before. The album starts off with the slow and melancholy song "All I Ever Wanted" and it does a fine job of setting up the rising action and tone of the album. With the slow introduction song out of the way songs like "Get Out" and "Cab" lead the album down the classic train path with amazing pitch, sound, and energy that fans know and love.

"Give Myself to You" is the first turning point of the album. It was also the second single off the record and got its own music video featuring am infomercial setting. It is one of the more catchy tracks and is the most upbeat on the album. Its cleaver chorus is complemented with amazing drum and piano reinforcement that will make anyone into an instant Train fan.

Pat Monahan wants the listener to know he's had enough in the song "All I Hear" with a very powerful chorus and meaning this song represents what the entire album is about and is also my favorite song on the album. It also leads the listener to the official second half of the album were things get deeper and more emotional. Each song holds its own emotion and they all come together perfectly by the albums ending act. The second half can be compared to the band’s “Abbey Road” medley because of the way the songs seem to melt into one another. Each song making the listener feel something different from the tract before it. The second half of the record is some of the best work the band has done in there short career and is refreshing.

When the album was finished Pat had written two perfect ending tracks but couldn't decide which ones to use for the final product. The first track "Skyscraper" is slow at first but works its way into being one of the best songs on the record. The song describes an autumn day in New York where Pat met his wife Amber for the first time. Ultimately the song was not emotional enough to be the closing track for the album. The last track for which the album is named was the best choice. The closing track focuses on everything we have learned from the rest of the album, and brings us to a happy note. The song is very relatable and is true to its roots. I believe it to be one of Train’s more meaningful songs, and a perfect way to end an album.

The album starts and ends in a short 60 minutes, but the songs will be playing in your head for years to come. The album is very enjoyable and will have you wanting more train.

Since the album’s release Train has released two albums and rocked the world with tours. The band is no longer arguing and Pat and Amber are raising two children of their own. Although Train is more known nowadays for the hit song "Hey Soul Sister," this album is still true Train and reminds me of the way they were before they hit it big.

For Me It's You is in my opinion the last great train album and everyone should give it a listen. Since the album’s release in 2007 I have probably listened to it well over a hundred times and even had to buy another copy, but it was well worth the ten dollars.

The band has been a favorite of mine for years and I deeply enjoy their work, but this album is why I'm a fan. It has everything we love in a train alum and can make anyone an instant fan.