Artist Steel Train

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Steel Train

Following an awkward adolescence spent pumping out emo urgency for Drive-Thru Records, New Jersey quintet Steel Train enters a new phase of its life on its self-titled, self-released 2010 LP. The record loses none of the energy of its predecessors, rather streamlining it into taut orchestral pop in the vein of Ra Ra Riot (or the peppier moments of the Arcade Fire catalog). Frequently pushing toward infinity, the youthful earnestness of frontman Jack Antonoff's lyrics proves universal on the record's companion release, Terrible Thrills Vol. 1, where his yearning words roll off the tongues of ex-squeeze Scarlett Johansson, past tourmates Tegan And Sara, and former Steel Train guitarist/current Dirty Projectors vocalist Angel Deradoorian.

Updated 06/29/2010