David T. Dunn – “Catch That Train”
David T. Dunn – “Catch That Train” – Single Review
If you’ve grown up with any kind of appreciation for Classic Rock, it’d be pretty hard not to appreciate the sound & style of David T. Dunn’s latest single “Catch That Train.” Emulating the quintessential songwriter’s music, he’s likely to score comparisons to all kinds of artists & bands from John Mellencamp to Bruce Springsteen, Dire Straits…you know the kind of tune we’re talking here. Rhythm, groove, danceable…all that good stuff that’s put the ‘classic’ into the Rock in the first place, you feel me?
In many ways, I’m actually quite impressed with this song. There’s no denying that David’s hasn’t set out to recreate the wheel on “Catch That Train” – but what’s seriously remarkable is just how much this song adheres to the mid-late 80’s era & how faithful it is to that whole style of songwriting. I mean, I grew up with a ton of music like this in my life, up to & including my old man who’s been a professional keyboard player for years and would likely love the organ sounds that flow through the background of this tune from David T. Dunn. I know I dig’em…I think they’re an essential part of this song personally.
I suppose how I ended up feeling about “Catch That Train” after several spins, was that the comforting familiarity in this vibe is going to work in David’s favor. There’s no doubt that you’ll feel like you can see a few of these moves coming from the bass-lines to the vocal melody, steady beat or times where the organ will take that opportunity to pop-up more prevalently in the music – but at the end of the day, my ears concluded that this invitational, warm, & welcoming sound he’s got going on will definitely appeal to many people out there. Essentially, whereas normally hearing something that has a somewhat dated sound can bum you out because it’s not giving you anything you might feel like you haven’t heard before – the opposite effect strangely occurs here on “Catch That Train” – you end up really into this song because it DID come out so right for the style David was seeking to create. Like I’m not even kidding, you could put this song right on to the Classic Rock radio stations and most people would never even think to question it if this single came on – it sounds like it was stripped right out of time, from the past.
Normally this kind of stuff is gonna work against you – but we’ve gotta remember that we’re living in a much different world now than when this particular style of music was at its peak. The reality is, with access to music of all-kinds online, there is absolutely a massive audience for songs like “Catch That Train” with tons of people searching for new artists creating the sounds they still love to this day. It is also true that artists like David are much fewer & far between now than you might think – and that again, could very well work to his advantage – I can think of a thousand people pretty much off the top of my head that would love to hear something like the bands & artists they loved that they haven’t heard before yet. That’s where David comes in…that’s why even though there’s a dated-aspect to the sound, it’s still quite relevant for the world we’re living in now – I’m tellin’ ya, the audience is there.
So he’s got the nostalgia factor working for him, he’s got a well-played tune that’s completely comforting to listen to with just enough pep in its step to get you movin’ too. I think the guitar solo stands out wonderfully…short but sweet…and I honestly love the sound of David’s voice. He’s great on his own throughout the verse and sounds fantastic with the harmonies backing him up; even though he’s got that ‘everyman’ character & persona in his voice like The Boss has, he’s still clearly focused on bringing out the melody in the words as they flow through “Catch That Train.” Lyrically, he’s got a whole bunch of great lines in amongst the Classic Rock inclinations & themes you’d likely recognize; it’s a personal but relatable style of writing that certainly connects to many a listener out there in the world. The warm glow of the organ sounds & gentle guitars really does wonders to set the easygoing vibe in the atmosphere of this tale as David sings about chasing his dreams, no matter where they may lead him; it’s like…you can’t imagine this guy sprinting after them full-on from the laidback sound of this mid-tempo tune, but from the stoically assured tones in his voice and the rich, bold melody he’s created, you also leave this song feeling confident that this artist will reach his destination, one way or the other.
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