Westbound Train Searching for a Melody

It’s been said before and I’ll say it again: This train is bound for glory. There is simply no other way to put it. Coming at you from Boston, Westbound Train is taking the US ska scene by storm. People are talking about this band and if you have heard any of their music, you’ll know why. For those of you who haven’t heard, Westbound Train has found a mix of rocksteady, reggae, and soul that has yet to be seen anywhere else. Led by Obi Fernandez on vocals and trombone and backed with a well balanced group of horns and rhythm instruments this group has laid down eleven of the smoothest ska songs you’ll ever hear. Focusing mostly on love and affection the lyrics fit the music perfectly. Look no further than “I’ve Got This Feeling” for a great example of this intertwinement of sound. Obi sings and is backed by an unknown female voice while the band plays a steady ska beat. When the vocals take off, the saxes are right there with Obi. When Obi cuts out, Jeff comes in on the keys and really shines. Obi then does a solo near the end of the song until Henrik leads the rest of the guys back with the skins. This is just one example of the seamless blend of sound that make these songs so great. Another example is “Tomorrow I’m Leaving”, particularly the breakdowns in between verses by the horns and percussion section. The only thing I’m not really fond of on this album is the intro to “Reflections”. While this is an otherwise solid track with vocals by King Django and Predator, the intro always makes me want to check and see if my CD player is working right, it just sounds like something is thumping around inside of it. This one thing does not take too much away from the rest of the album and shows that Westbound is not afraid to take risks when it comes to making music. This album is great for: Studying, long drives home late at night (particularly after shows), and in the car on a date or whenever you could use some romantic background music. Rating 10.