The R Train Take Us Away with “Timeline”

Hailing from the illustrious area of Brooklyn, New York, bandmates Jeffery, Mike, and Danny take you for a ride in a subway time machine with their new single, “Timeline”. The letter “R” of their band name, “The R Train”, might as well stand for “rock” because this record evokes feelings of nostalgia of 70s rockers like Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, and David Bowie. The R Train gives you a contemporary take on classic rock and roll sound all the way from the drum roll lead-in of the song to the catchy guitar and vocal melodies. The way this song was recorded made me feel like I was simultaneously in the room with them listening to their live performance and also driving down the coast with the windows down on a summer evening.

This time-bending song blends sounds, melodies, and instrumentation from several different points in recent music history. The lead singer’s voice is reminiscent to me of Adam Pascal’s voice and performance in “Rent” the musical especially the song “What You Own”. The song gives you an all-American rock and roll vibe the whole way through. The chorus of this song got stuck in my head after the first round but my favorite part of the song has to be the interlude at 1:46 with the deviation from the regular chord progression and rhythm to a brief darker moment that really emphasizes the emotions of the lyrics.

The lyrics of “Timeline” capture the tumultuous nature of today’s world and made me feel incredibly reflective of the times. We are all truly victims of time and have one life to live so we better live it the best we can. The R Train did a great job of making me feel like I pulled this record out of a time capsule from the 70s with the powerful drums,
catchy electric guitars, and sweeping vocals. If you are looking for a modern take on a classic sound, you’ve come to the right place.