Customer Reviews

You're Not Alone

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

ONE flippin' "review" for this album?(and if you call track listings and "good cd" a "review") This is just sad...

and even sadder to think about how many horrendous bands of this era found some level of success with a sub-standard passionless sound while Black Train Jack suffers in oblivion with out of print albums and hardly a footnote on the web. It's a cold world I know, but Black Train Jack were lightning in a bottle; a band / experience that deserves SO MUCH MORE.

BTJ played caffeinated '90s "melodic pop-punk" in a more polished Descendents style with a healthy dose of NYC posi-hardcore attitude. Think Dave Smalley fronted Dag Nasty meets Scott Renolyds era ALL in a Pre-H2O 90's era (got all that? lol). Black Train Jack had some killer musical chops, a vocalist with range, a sense of humor and a great live show. (I had only seen them as a warm up act for Down By Law and the Mighty Bosstones, but they blew me away both times)

There are some excellent excellent tracks on this disk: Lottery, Not Alone, Handouts, That Reminds Me and even that Steve Miller Band cover...

If I was a trust-fund baby I would purchase the rights to Black Train's catalog and re-master / re-issue them because they are great and more people out there would seriously dig this band. Until then all I can do is state my honest opinion on the web.

I saw them play in cincinnati at a bar in the nineties. I was underage so they told the guys working the bar that I was with the band (after offering to play a basement show instead of the venue if we could find a basement.) Afterwards they took my friends and I out to dinner (and paid) on a traveling diy bands earnings. These guys and that night were my single largest insperation for posi-edge.

No don't hide, don't hide away at home.
Bring out the truth that's deep down below
Don't ever leave those things that you believe
You'll fight the lies because you're not alone

Under appreciated band...

Wish they were still together, never got to see them live.

Tracks...

1) Handouts
2) Not Alone
3) The Joker
4) What's The Deal
5) The Struggle
6) Alright Then
7) Lottery
8) Regrets
9) Back Up
10) The Reason
11) Mr. Walsh Blues
12) That Reminds Me