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Staff IconSteel Train - 1969 (Cover Artwork)

Steel Train

1969 (2003)
Drive-Thru Records

Reviewer Rating:
User Rating:


Contributed by: Scott
(others by this writer | submit your own)


Published on December 16th 2003


The Jackson 5, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Bob Marley, David Bowie, The Beatles, and Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Name one band out of those that A)should ever be attempted to be covered or B)has been covered with any degree of success. You'll be hard pressed to find anyone who fits into either of those categories. Steel Train does nothing to change that, either.

I've never heard this group's original material so I can't comment on their normal sound, but these songs just sound weak. The handclaps in David Bowie's "Space Cadet" sound as unenthusiastic as handclaps could sound. Their version of "I Want You Back" is just a bland coffeehouse rock version of an otherwise classic R&B tune. Then, the painfully whitebread quintet takes a stab at Bob Marley with miserable results. Remember guys - just because you smoke pot doesn't mean you can play reggae.

Also, they try to cover the Beatles' "I Want You (She's So Heavy)," one of the best songs of that band's career. Did Steel Train honestly think they could do it justice? Musically it's virtually note-for-note, but vocally singers Scott and Jack can't convey anywhere near the emotion that John, Paul, and the boys pulled off.

I don't mean to hate on Steel Train. I'm sure they love the sixties. But doing an entire EP based off cover songs from one year is just a terrible, terrible idea. This idea is only made worse by the absolutely vanilla sounds this group put to tape. If you like this, just go to your local "alternative" bar by the college in your city on open mic night, you'll hear the same stuff.

MP3
I Want You Back




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    Anonymous (December 16, 2004)

    Scott is a beotch

    Anonymous (December 16, 2004)

    I think they are great for only being together for only one year.I also think they did a great job on Space Oddity.By the way, Paul MCcartney has heard their cover and he said it was beautifully done.

    Anonymous (December 23, 2003)

    WOW you are a dumb mother fucker i hope you first born comes out with one arm

    Anonymous (December 21, 2003)

    Someone in NOFX is Jewish?

    Good thing Hitler didn't kill him!

    notfeelingcreative (December 20, 2003)

    To the person two posts down a joke about slavery ha ha ha that was hillarious... unles you're black, you need to watch what you post, shithead! I don't understand people's sense of humor. Maybe next nofx related piece you can post a joke about the holocaust!

    maverick (December 19, 2003)

    "scott, i hate you. you should never post again on this site after writing that first paragraph in your review."

    You got it dude, I'm gone!

    Later, everyone!

    -Scott

    Anonymous (December 19, 2003)

    There's a black guy in this band?

    Where's this train goin', the underground railroad?

    Anonymous (December 18, 2003)

    scott, i hate you. you should never post again on this site after writing that first paragraph in your review.

    Anonymous (December 18, 2003)

    waste of plastic

    Anonymous (December 18, 2003)

    pearl jam covered fortunate son when i saw them last. granted referencing pearl jam isn't going to get me far on this site, but hearing it in person was fucking brilliant.

    Anonymous (December 18, 2003)

    I think this cover rules. Their lead singer's voice is really nice. Wonderful instrumentation & a really warm performance. I enjoy it.

    notfeelingcreative (December 17, 2003)

    Hmm that song is just horrible!

    Edgie (December 17, 2003)

    -AAA- covering Ska Sucks.

    Anonymous (December 17, 2003)

    Like a glutton for punishment, I then went to their website and listened to their version of Helplessly Hoping which is terrible too. The instrumentation is by the numbers, but the vocals are just so karaoke.

    Anonymous (December 17, 2003)

    Minutemen - Don't Look Now (CCR) kicks ass and made me open up to Creedence. There's some great stuff in Our Band Could Be Your Life about how CCR addressed a lot of punk-oriented themes.

    Oh, and this I Want You Back MP3 is absolutely awful. It's the worst song I've heard in a long, long time.

    Anonymous (December 17, 2003)

    social distortion - bad moon rising

    Anonymous (December 17, 2003)

    dropkicks cover "fortunate son" by ccr.

    hungryjoe (December 17, 2003)

    The Breeders did a fantastic cover of "Happiness is a Warm Gun" on Pod.

    Anonymous (December 17, 2003)

    JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN SMOKE POT DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN PLAY REGGAE.

    Brilliant.

    Minor Threat

    blood_brothers_are_good (December 17, 2003)

    this band probably has more talent than any band on drive thru records, with the exception of the rx bandits. its a shame they signed to drive thru where their talent will never be recognized, and where they will never be able to shed this association they have built up with shitty pop-punk bands. i only wish their talent could be transalted into a style of music that i enjoy.

    Anonymous (December 17, 2003)

    Well, the mp3 from this review really isn't that bad.

    I saw Steel Train once; they were actually pretty enjoyable.

    Anonymous (December 16, 2003)

    steel train is lost. why would they sign to drive thru records when they play shitty eclectic music that no 14 yr old NFG fan likes. i guess i shouldnt complain, some bands just have to be the laughing stock.

    Anonymous (December 16, 2003)

    the beltones covered concrete jungle. my favorite street punk group covering my favorite marley song. how convenient.

    Anonymous (December 16, 2003)

    and The Nerve Agents' version of Suffragette City owns.

    Anonymous (December 16, 2003)

    All My Loving by MFATGG is a pretty sweet cover.

    Anonymous (December 16, 2003)

    Rivers of Babylon is actually by the Melodians, not Jimmy Cliff. However, I'm refering to the version off the "Harder They Come" soundtrack, which features many Jimmy Cliff songs. And I wouldn't be suprised if he covered it given its popularity.

    And this band sucks!

    Fuzzy (December 16, 2003)

    Rivers of Babylon is by Jimmy Cliff

    Anonymous (December 16, 2003)

    Name one band out of those that A)should ever be attempted to be covered or B)has been covered with any degree of success

    umm Bob Marley should definetly be covered to keep his legacy and ideals alive...and he has been covered many many many times

    sublime: trenchtown rock, rivers of babylon

    nufan, wyclef jean, joe strummer, joe strummer & johnny cash: redemption song

    there are many more but i'm too stoned to figure them out

    but if you take it seriously bob marley should be covered over and over again

    spirit_in_black (December 16, 2003)

    I can't imagine their cover of "Bad Moon Rising" could even touch Lagwagon's version. That shit rocks.

    Anonymous (December 16, 2003)

    I liked this Ep. It was fun to listen to all the songs. I thought the band did pretty well in covering some of their influences.

    -Eric

    FortyMinutesWest (December 16, 2003)

    All abored!

    Damn I'm clever.

    Anonymous (December 16, 2003)

    "Remember guys - just because you smoke pot doesn't mean you can play reggae."

    Those are the wisest word i have ever heard before.

    On a somewhat different note, I hate stoners who claim to be giant Marley fans, but know absoltuely nothing about him or Rastafarianism beyond "Dude, weed is awesome. I'm hungry."

    maverick (December 16, 2003)

    To the guy below me:

    I haven't ruled out Steel Train as a whole, just this EP. I can tell they have some sort of musical talent, it's just very poorly executed on this disc.

    -Scott

    Anonymous (December 16, 2003)

    Its pretty nice that I can already expect a large group of haters to come here and type nasty shit. I cant wait. I like these guys, but their original stuff is way better. noice...

    Anonymous (December 16, 2003)

    it's funny that you said the whitebread version of a bob marley song cause their singer is black.

    Also, this band is shitty, and if you like them your wrong.

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