The R Train are classic rock revivalists – and they don’t try to hide that fact! Based out of Brooklyn, the three-piece are a certified power trio and although they draw heavily from the deep pockets of the 60s/70s, the band inject a modern edge into their songwriting.
The Raven is their latest single and the lyrics are adapted from the Edgar Allen Poe poem of the same name. In the poem, a man despairs the loss of his wife and is eventually driven to madness after hallucinations of her ghost haunt him. His wife’s soul confronts him in the form of a raven, and the song’s chorus is based upon the widower’s pleas for the raven to ‘fly away’.
The energy of the track is high from the get-go, with the band slamming down on the first note all together. There is a distinct REM flavor to the track. A heavy chorus saturates the acoustic guitar and the bass and drums lay down a tight, tasteful groove. Even the vocal melody has a Michael Stipe-ish, nursery rhyme quality.
It’s no easy feat to forge a catchy, hard-hitting, alt-rock tune from an 1840s poem, but The R Train have pulled it off in style with The Raven. Do yourself a favor and check out the song – there is a slick, psychedelic music video for it too!
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BELOW: Listen to The Raven and connect with their website and social media platforms. Please support The R Train by visiting them online, and playing, downloading, and/or purchasing their music, or attending a live show! And, as always, thank you for supporting real music!