Drops of Jupiter

It’s hard to utter strong words about a band like Train. Their 1999 hit, “Meet Virginia,” was pleasant, unobtrusive musical wallpaper and their second album, Drops of Jupiter offers plenty more of the same. At their most inspired they sound a little too much like Counting Crows, at their least inspired, like Dan Fogelberg or some other ’70s softie. They do have a knack for rootsy, hummable melodies, though. There’s a strong Eddie Rabbitt vibe to the twangy “Let It Roll,” but the loping closer, “Mississippi,” with its delicate acoustic guitar work and muted trumpet, is Jupiter’s most memorable tune by a country mile. Everything else is just sort of there—nice enough as background noise but never threatening to make a lasting impression.