CT Ska Productions - Westbound Train Five to Two CD

Westbound Train
Five to Two

Even though Westbound Train’s most current release, Five to Two, has been previously reviewed by Dave of the CT Ska staff, I found his commentary far too brief to describe the work of art that this disc is. I can say that Five to Two is nothing less than addictive – having memorized every lyric on the disc, I still find the urge to listen to it far too often for my own good. This 11 track compilation of reggae and ska is in a class of its own, presenting a catchy and professional creation that lures in new fans constantly, even those unacquainted with any music of the same genre. When these guys replaced Allister on the 12.27.05 Webster Theater show, I had 10 friends call me up for tickets who had never been to a ska show in their lives.

Five to Two kicks off with “Forever,” the first song I had ever heard by the band on MySpace, making me an instant fan. The tight and catchy horn lines, laidback ska grooves, and smooth vocals of Obi Fernandez make this track seemingly flawless. This is definitely one of my favorites on the disc, with smooth yet complex individual performances to blend into a tune that’s not only infectious, but extremely danceable. “Talk Loud” speeds up the pace a little bit, but is still smooth and laidback enough to be uniquely Westbound Train. Backing vocals, harmonized horn lines, and a really nice trumpet solo keep the tune interesting, driven by a relaxed yet precise rhythm section. This groove is kept going by “Can You Please?,” a soulful track with harmonized chorus vocals and heartfelt and smooth lyrics by Fernandez. Percussion and keyboard accents in this tune intensify it towards the end, concluding with the repeated chorus “I just wanna love you, baby all night long.” The next track, “A New Hope” has been one of my favorites to hear live, combining a high-energy ska groove with melodic qualities in both horns and vocals to create another high point on the disc. Even though this is one of my favorites, I often skip it just to get to one of my favorite tunes of all time. “Bigger Things in Mind” kicks off with a recording of Alex Desert of Hepcat in a voicemail recording to Westbound Train, which sounds a little bizarre, but it blends extremely well into the keyboard intro and yet another excellently written horn line. The lyrics of the track are about the band’s hometown of Boston, and a nice sing-along chorus makes this tune more than exceptional. Another well-played trumpet solo and excellently placed horn accents complete the verses and blend so well into the choruses – I can’t say enough about how seamless and perfect this track really is.

“Waiting For Tonight” is a reggae-paced instrumental that takes the individual talents of every member of Westbound Train and shows them off in turn. I love the horn blend on the melodies, featuring an excellent tenor sax, trumpet, and trombone combination – even the lead vocalist picks up a horn. Smooth and complex keyboard and guitar solos round out the tune in all of its instrumental magnificence. Both “Soapbox” and “To Know” feature the vocal capabilities of Alex Desert, adding a nice foreign element to the release. Alex’s style on “Soapbox” is somewhat foreign to me, as Fernandez’s lyrics are complimented by the shrill rants so atypical of Westbound Train’s style. The tune grows on you, but Alex’s contribution to “To Know” is immediately noticed and can be appreciated instantaneously. As Gideon Blumenthal, Westbound Train’s keyboard player put it, “As soon as Alex starts singing, you know it’s a black dude.” Fernandez and Desert blend magnificently for harmonies unlike those heard elsewhere on the release. “When I Die,” an acoustic track, shows off another really awesome element of the band, as these guys can strip down their music to guitar and vocals and it’s still infectious and brilliant. I only hope to hear a version of this tune arranged for the entirety of the band at some point soon. The next tune, “Lyric Architect,” features King Django for the entirety of the track with the accompaniment of Westbound Train’s rhythm section to keep the tune part of the Westbound Sound. I like the guest appearances of artists on the disc, giving some of the band’s close companions some exposure in the process of crafting a masterpiece. “One Day” puts a giant exclamation point on the disc, presenting another favorite of mine. The song is typical for this release, combining awesome harmonies and horn accents with their excellent grooves into a song that sticks in your head for days.

Overall, I can’t be a bigger fan of Westbound Train and Five to Two. Every track presents something unique and exquisite while remaining catchy and familiar, a formula that these guys have mastered. Hailing from Boston, Connecticut can be expecting to hear from Westbound Train again shortly. I hear that they’ll be recording shortly, and will be out with another release in the Summer of 2006, so watch out for it.

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