Transitions, the third album from Boston ska stalwarts Westbound Train, is finally receiving its first ever vinyl pressing, 17 years after its initial release on Tim Armstrong’s Hellcat Records. The 16-song set showcases the band in peak form, dexterously weaving flavors of early Jamaican ska, reggae, and rocksteady with the ‘60s American influences of jazz, soul, and funk to create their own authentic sound. As AllMusic states in their 4-star review, "Transitions isn't just an homage to the past, but a reinvention of all its power and glory.” Frontman Obi Fernandez provides powerful, emotive vocal performances throughout the record, and Alex Desert of Hepcat lends his signature voice for two cuts. The double LP comes housed in a gatefold jacket, featuring newly penned liner notes from producer and engineer Brian Wallace.
TRACKLIST: A1 Transition 1 A2 Please Forgive Me A3 Good Enough A4 For The First Time A5 The Test B1 Sorry Mama B2 I'm No Different B3 Gone B4 The Runaround C1 Seven Ways To Sunday C2 Soul Revival C3 Transition 2 C4 I Feel Fine D1 Fatty Boom Boom D2 When I Die D3 Travel On
In November 2022, Westbound Train surprised fans with the release of Dedication, their first album since 2009’s “Come And Get It”. They may have taken 13 years between albums, but the group sounds better than ever across these twelve tracks, and their signature soulful ska sound somehow manages to be both timely and timeless all at once. While Dedication is chock full of newly penned numbers as strong as any in the band’s catalog, longtime fans will recognize “Room To Breathe”, an updated version of a tune from their 2005 debut. Initially only available digitally, the music is now coming to vinyl with updated artwork and a lyric insert, just in time for their long awaited return to the stage
TRACKLIST:
A1 Mercy, Wash Over Me
A2 Rollout
A3 The Landlord
A4 Greed (act 1)
A5 Gunfight
A6 Stranded
A7 Greed (act 2)
B1 Room To Breathe
B2 Hang My Head
B3 Thad Don’t Take No Mess
B4 Gutter
B5 We All Need Rescue