There are a million rock bands out there that sport the straightforward, radio-friendly sound made popular by Matchbox 20 and Vertical Horizon, and that's a shame, because with such a proliferation of bands, some very good records are bound to get lost in the shuffle. Drops Of Jupiter is such a record. And, while there is no shortage of ready-for-public-consumption rock here, there's also enough depth and quality to the music to separate Train from their peers.

The title track of Train's sophomore album is pretty much its centerpiece: in ten words or less, it's the best ballad The Black Crowes never made. Singer Pat Monahan's earnest voice blends perfectly with the epic, string-laden melody of the song, and the song's chorus is almost maddeningly catchy. It's by far the most complex of the songs on this album, but on tracks such as the moody "Mississippi", Train complement their basic guitar sound with an array of horns and an accent of acoustic guitars, lending an added depth that was missing from their debut album. Elsewhere along the album, the band continue to enhance their sound with slide guitar and string arrangements.

Of course, Drops Of Jupiter has its share of basic, straightforward tunes, but songs like "Let It Roll", "Hopeless" and "She's On Fire" retain the pop craftsmanship Train is known for despite their simplicity. Of course, the album does have its less stellar moments. Three or four of the album's eleven songs -- "Respect" and "Something More" spring immediately to mind -- seem so obviously slick and crafted for mass appeal that they end up coming across as disposable pop fodder. Overall, though, Drops Of Jupiter is a very solid album that should be given a listen to, and it separates Train from their contemporaries by overcoming the sophomore slump that seems inevitable for bands of this genre. Recommended.