2008 Woodie Awards
Album Review: Pat Monahan's solo debut cheesy
Stephanie Dennen
Issue date: 10/23/07 Section: Entertainment
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10/23/07 - Back in 1999, Pat Monahan dazzled us all with Train's biggest hit single "Meet Virginia." Eight years later, Monahan has released his first solo album, Last of Seven.
Both new and familiar, Monahan's solo project incorporates few elements of Train. In fact, many tracks could easily be an imitation of Train- an idea that never fails to be amusing.
What's the point of leaving a band to produce a solo album that sounds similar other than to stroke your own ego every time you see your own name in the store?
Case in point, the Cigar received a press kit for the album that included an 8x10 glossy of Monahan. Not signed, in case you're wondering. Very cheesy move, if you ask me.
Equally cheesy are the old family photos in the liner notes. Cute, but cheesy.
Vain head-shots and awkward baby pictures aside, Last of Seven isn't too bad actually- if you don't mind the fact that it's something moms will probably sing in their cars on the way to picking up their kids.
The songs are mostly of the easy-listening variety. Not quite the rock-ish sound that was Train and certainly not the same man that brought us great word-play songs, like "Meet Virginia" or "Drops of Jupiter."
With the exception of the single "Her Eyes," none of the songs come close to what one would expect from a combination song writer/lead singer. Even then, the single, while catchy, sounds more like someone trying to imitate Train, than actually having been part of Train.
Last of Seven plays much like a Gavin DeGraw or Maroon 5 album. The title track, "Last of Seven" is a brief intro that sounds quite like DeGraw's 2004 hit "I Don't Want To Be."
I feel like "Two Ways to Say Goodbye" will be one of the singles Monahan will release next from this album. It's radio-ready- that is to say it will please a large audience of middle-school girls and their moms.
"Someday" is very similar in its overdone boy-band way. It's a power-pop ballad, right out of the late '90s like a Backstreet Boys or 98 Degrees hit, which I think I would really have enjoyed, if I were still 10 years old.
Both new and familiar, Monahan's solo project incorporates few elements of Train. In fact, many tracks could easily be an imitation of Train- an idea that never fails to be amusing.
What's the point of leaving a band to produce a solo album that sounds similar other than to stroke your own ego every time you see your own name in the store?
Case in point, the Cigar received a press kit for the album that included an 8x10 glossy of Monahan. Not signed, in case you're wondering. Very cheesy move, if you ask me.
Equally cheesy are the old family photos in the liner notes. Cute, but cheesy.
Vain head-shots and awkward baby pictures aside, Last of Seven isn't too bad actually- if you don't mind the fact that it's something moms will probably sing in their cars on the way to picking up their kids.
The songs are mostly of the easy-listening variety. Not quite the rock-ish sound that was Train and certainly not the same man that brought us great word-play songs, like "Meet Virginia" or "Drops of Jupiter."
With the exception of the single "Her Eyes," none of the songs come close to what one would expect from a combination song writer/lead singer. Even then, the single, while catchy, sounds more like someone trying to imitate Train, than actually having been part of Train.
Last of Seven plays much like a Gavin DeGraw or Maroon 5 album. The title track, "Last of Seven" is a brief intro that sounds quite like DeGraw's 2004 hit "I Don't Want To Be."
I feel like "Two Ways to Say Goodbye" will be one of the singles Monahan will release next from this album. It's radio-ready- that is to say it will please a large audience of middle-school girls and their moms.
"Someday" is very similar in its overdone boy-band way. It's a power-pop ballad, right out of the late '90s like a Backstreet Boys or 98 Degrees hit, which I think I would really have enjoyed, if I were still 10 years old.