The best-selling Pop/Rock outfit Train just released a music video in support of their latest single "Save Me, San Francisco," the fourth single and title track from California rock band's returning-to-roots record. It was their first release for nearly four years. The band consider it's a comeback record. "We just wanted to get back to our roots on this record. We wanted to do things a little more stripped-down like our first album and get back to the whole San Francisco vibe, which is were the band originally came from," frontman Patrick Monahan once said."Save Me, San Francisco" is a focused record, centering around the theme of a wandering young rocker who falls in love and wants to settle down. The title track opens with an acoustic guitar playing a variation on the classic progression, a snare kicks in, and Monahan's voice is in prime Bob Seger confessional style. A piano and electric guitars enter on "whooo-hooo-hooo" chorus, and it's near-perfect radio rock.
As a wedding crasher, Monahan is left broken hearted when the girl of his dreams walks down the aisle in this newly-debuted music video. He's barging in on a white veil occasion and tries to get his supposedly love interest to back out of her nuptials. The video starts with a red herring of a text message from Mrs. Robinson's daughter, Elaine: "Can't wait any longer. Getting married. Today," the perfect excuse for Monahan to drive around San Francisco for three-and-change minutes.
To be fair, it's hard not to hear the track "Save Me, San Francisco" as a victory lap. And, to an extent, the video treats the song as such. A cliché, sure, but one that holds true in this case. And while there's a girl (there's always a girl in a Train song), she's more notional than actual; the song is about the city. Which is why the text message is a fake-out, and why the whole video is a riff. Monahan drives Benjamin Braddock's car, runs out of gas, and asks directions. But this bride isn't interested in Monahan in the least. And why not? She's gay, of course! Score another point for San Francisco.
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