The Love Train | ||||
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EP by | ||||
Released | February 8, 2019 February 12, 2021 (re-issue) | |||
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Length | 19:58 | |||
Label | Epic | |||
Producer |
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Meghan Trainor chronology | ||||
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Singles from The Love Train | ||||
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The Love Train is the second EP by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor. It was released on February 8, 2019 by Epic Records. All of the material on the EP was produced by Andrew Wells, Chris Gelbuda, Tyler Johnson and Trainor. Critics described the lyrics as romantic as they were inspired by Trainor's marriage to Daryl Sabara.
"All the Ways" was re-released to radio as the lead single of The Love Train on February 11, 2019. Trainor described the EP as a predecessor to her then upcoming third major-label studio album, Treat Myself . It peaked at number 10 on the US Digital Albums chart and number 37 on Top Album Sales.
Meghan Trainor initially announced that her third major-label studio album, Treat Myself , would be released on August 31, 2018. However, it was delayed to January 25, 2019, and removed from iTunes that month. [3] On February 4, 2019, Trainor announced the release of an EP, called The Love Train, [4] [5] which she described as a teaser for Treat Myself. [6] The Love Train was inspired by Trainor's marriage with Daryl Sabara. [6] [7] Epic reissued the EP with three additional tracks on February 12, 2021, with the AJ Mitchell duet version of the track "After You", that was available on her third studio album Treat Myself, and "Throwback Love” and "Goosebumps” from the Target deluxe edition of her second studio album Thank You . [8]
The opener and lead single, "All the Ways" is a love song, inspired by the work of ABBA. [6] [9] Mike Wass of Idolator described the song as having "cute synths" and a "pure-pop sensibility." [10] "Marry Me" is a ukelele-driven song about Trainor's desire to make things official with her significant other. [7] Trainor said that she wrote the song in a hotel room with Sabara. [6] "I'm Down" has been described as a "dancefloor" anthem with a "big" chorus. [7] [6] "After You" is a piano ballad that sees the singer pleading for her lover to stay by her side. [7] Wass described "Foolish" as having "frantic beats"; lyrics include "They say that fools rush in. But I, oh I, I wanna be foolish with you". [7] "Good Mornin'" is an "atmospheric" song featuring Trainor's father playing the organ. [7]
Several music videos were released to promote The Love Train, one per day during a week. On February 10, 2019, a music video for "I'm Down" was uploaded to Trainor's YouTube account. [11] One day later, the music video for "Foolish" was released. It was edited by her brother Ryan Trainor and features footage from Meghan and Sabara's wedding reception. [12] [13] On February 12, the music video for "After You", directed by Charm La'Donna, was released. It features dancers Kaycee Rice and Sean Lew. [14] On the following day, the music video for "Good Mornin'" was released. It was directed by Baxter Stapleton and also featured two dancers. [15] On February 14, the music video for "Marry Me" was released. Created by Toon53 Productions, it also featured Trainor's wedding footage. [16] [17] One day later, the music video for "All the Ways" was released. Directed by Brian Petchers, it stars Bailee Madison. [18] The Love Train was also promoted through a press release, which drew controversy because of its "graphic nature and bizarre phrasing", with sexually ambiguous terms such as "wet", "junk" and "bangin'" being used. [19]
"All the Ways", which was initially released as a promotional single for Treat Myself on June 20, 2018, [20] was serviced to hot adult contemporary radio as the lead single from the EP on February 11, 2019, after Epic announced the album was delayed. [21] [22] Described as "fun" and "danceable" by Billboard , the song was originally used in a 2018 Target marketing campaign. [9] It peaked at number 16 on the US Adult Top 40 chart. [23]
The Love Train peaked at number 10 on the US Digital Albums chart and number 37 on Top Album Sales. [24] [25]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
Idolator's Mike Wass described the EP as "overflowing with lush production and endearing sentiment" and "a major success." [7] Writing for BroadwayWorld, Danielle Taylor was positive about the EP, and stated "the production on these tracks are (sic) fantastic and will hold us over until Trainor's next studio album is released". [26] Radio.com's Kyle McCann wrote that the EP "gives fans a few bops to vibe to", and added "we're feelin' each of the six songs". [27]
In a mixed review, Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic called The Love Train a "breezy stopgap EP", further describing it as a "celebration of romance" coming from Trainor, "who had reason to extol the virtues of love". He added that the press release was "ridiculously overheated" and "carnal," also stating that the EP is "heavy on soaring ballads and persistent dance-pop that don't quite fit into the trends of the late 2010s." [1]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "All the Ways" |
| Wells | 2:55 |
2. | "Marry Me" | Trainor | Chris Gelbuda | 3:36 |
3. | "I'm Down" |
| Wells | 3:16 |
4. | "After You" |
| Johnson | 3:26 |
5. | "Foolish" |
| Wells | 3:19 |
6. | "Good Mornin'" (featuring Gary Trainor) |
|
| 3:26 |
Total length: | 19:58 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
4. | "After You" (featuring AJ Mitchell) |
| Johnson | 3:26 |
7. | "Throwback Love" |
|
| 3:13 |
8. | "Goosebumps" |
| Reed | 3:41 |
9. | "After You" |
| Johnson | 3:26 |
Notes
Credits are referenced from the EP's liner notes: [28]
Chart (2019) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Digital Albums (Billboard) [24] | 10 |
US Top Album Sales (Billboard) [25] | 37 |
Country | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
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United States | February 8, 2019 | Epic | [31] | |
February 12, 2021 |
| [8] |
Meghan Elizabeth Trainor is an American singer-songwriter and television personality. She rose to prominence after signing with Epic Records in 2014 and releasing her debut single "All About That Bass", which reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and sold 11 million copies worldwide. Trainor has released five studio albums with the label and has received various accolades, including the 2016 Grammy Award for Best New Artist.
American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor has released five studio albums, two extended plays (EP), two live albums, 30 singles, 28 music videos, three independent albums, and 18 promotional singles. She self-released the albums Meghan Trainor (2009), I'll Sing with You (2011), and Only 17 (2011); they were pulled from circulation after she signed with Epic Records in February 2014. Trainor's debut single, "All About That Bass", was released on June 30, 2014, and topped the Billboard Hot 100 for eight consecutive weeks. The single became the longest-reigning number-one by an Epic recording artist in the United States, surpassing the seven-week record held by Michael Jackson's songs "Billie Jean" (1983) and "Black or White" (1991). It topped the national charts of 58 countries and became one of the best-selling singles of all-time. As of 2015, it had sold over 11 million units internationally. "All About That Bass" was certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and preceded Trainor's debut EP, Title (2014), which peaked at number 15 on the Billboard 200 in September 2014.
"Marvin Gaye" is the debut single by American singer-songwriter Charlie Puth, featuring singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor, from his third EP, Some Type of Love (2015). It later served as the lead single for his debut studio album, Nine Track Mind (2016). Puth co-wrote it with Julie Frost, Jacob Luttrell and Nick Seeley, and produced it. Artist Partner Group released it as a single on February 10, 2015. The doo-wop and soul song is named after singer Marvin Gaye, whose name is used as a verb in the lyrics.
"I'm a Lady" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor, for promotion of the film Smurfs: The Lost Village (2017). Trainor and Martin Renea co-wrote the song, and co-produced it alongside the Monsters and the Strangerz. Epic Records released the song for digital download and streaming as a single on February 24, 2017. Backed by percussion-heavy instrumentation, it is a retro-pop song, with the lyrics discussing loving oneself and empowerment. The song received mostly positive reviews from music critics, who noted its anthemic nature and praised the message.
"Can't Blame a Girl for Trying" is the debut single by American singer Sabrina Carpenter from her debut extended play of the same name (2014), serving as the opening track of the EP. The track appears on her debut studio album, Eyes Wide Open, serving as the second track of the record. The song was produced by Brian Malouf and written by Meghan Trainor, Al Anderson and Chris Gelbuda. The song was released by Hollywood Records as the lead single from Can't Blame a Girl for Trying on March 14, 2014 onto iTunes and was premiered a day before exclusively on Radio Disney. "Can't Blame a Girl for Trying" is a midtempo pop folk song with influences of pop music backed by an acoustic guitar. Lyrically, the song speaks about being foolish in love and making mistakes, but never blaming those who make them. According to Carpenter, the song perfectly describes a thirteen-year-old girl and a teenage girl.
"No Excuses" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor, released on March 1, 2018, as the lead single from her third major-label studio album, Treat Myself (2020). Trainor co-wrote it with Jacob Kasher Hindlin and Andrew Wells, who produced it as well. The track was announced in February 2018 along with its official single artwork. The pop song, with country and R&B influences, has lyrics against sexism. The song received acclaim from music critics, some of whom noted that it was a return to the sound of Trainor's album Title (2015).
"Let You Be Right" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor. It was written by Trainor, Andrew Wells and Jacob Kasher Hindlin, and produced by Wells. "Let You Be Right" was announced on May 8, 2018, along with its official single artwork the day after. Epic Records released it on May 10, 2018, along with "Can't Dance". Both songs were intended to be part of Trainor's third major-label studio album Treat Myself (2020), but did not make it to the final cut. Lyrically, the midtempo throwback disco and pop song sees Trainor trying to reach a compromise with a feuding lover.
"Can't Dance" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor. It was written by Trainor, Andrew Wells and Jacob Kasher Hindlin, and produced by Wells. "Can't Dance" was announced on May 8, 2018, along with its official single artwork the day after. Epic Records released it on May 11, 2018, a day after "Let You Be Right". Both songs were intended to be part of Trainor's third major-label studio album Treat Myself (2020), but did not make the final cut. Lyrically, the pop and dance song sees Trainor asking a shy male to join her on the dance floor.
Treat Myself is the third major-label studio album by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor. Epic Records released it on January 31, 2020, after delaying it for over a year from its originally scheduled release date. Trainor worked with producers including Mike Sabath, Tyler Johnson, Ojivolta, and Andrew Wells. Initially inspired by pop artists and her experiences with panic disorder, Trainor rewrote the album to adapt to changing trends in the music industry and the rising popularity of hip-hop. It features guest appearances by Sabath, Nicki Minaj, Lennon Stella, Sasha Sloan, the Pussycat Dolls, and AJ Mitchell.
"More than Friends" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Jason Mraz featuring American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor from his sixth studio album Know. (2018). It was written by Mraz, Trainor, Jonathan Green and Andrew Wells, and produced by the latter. Atlantic Records released it on October 8, 2018, as the fourth single from the album. A "bubbly" and "quirky" acoustic love song, “More than Friends” is about a pair of friends interested in taking their relationship to the next level, with implications of a summer romance.
"Just Got Paid" is a song by English DJ and record producer Sigala, singer Ella Eyre, and American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor from the former of the three's debut studio album, Brighter Days (2018). The song features a guest appearance by rapper French Montana. The performers co-wrote it with Steve Manovski, George Astasio, Jon Shave, Nile Rodgers, and Jason Pebworth, with production from Sigala, Manovski and Joakim Jarl. Ministry of Sound Recordings and B1 Recordings released it on 7 September 2018, as the tenth and final single from the album. The funk and electronic dance music song has a disco vibe, "poppy" vocals and its lyrics deal with living a luxurious lifestyle despite not being wealthy.
"All the Ways" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor. The song was released on June 21, 2018, as a promotional single for the initial intended release of Trainor's third studio album, Treat Myself, and later only appeared on its Target deluxe edition following the album's 2020 release. The song was serviced to hot adult contemporary radio as the lead single from Trainor's second EP, The Love Train, on February 11, 2019.
"With You" is a song by American DJ Kaskade and singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor. Kaskade and Trainor co-wrote the track with Robert Gerongco, Samuel Gerongco, Terence Lam, Sarah Aarons, Finn Bjarnson, Richard Beynon, and Thomas Shaw, while Kaskade co-produced it with the latter three. Released as a single on June 14, 2019, through Columbia Records, the song is an electropop track. The lyrics talk about emotional conflict and Trainor's partner sending her mixed signals when she could be using her time better.
"Wave" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor, featuring producer Mike Sabath, from her third major-label studio album Treat Myself (2020). The track, which was written and produced by the duo, was released on September 27, 2019, as the second single from the album. Backed by panoramic piano and ostentatious background vocals, the electropop and house song lyrically tells the story of the emotional fallout of a failed relationship.
"Nice to Meet Ya" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor featuring Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj. The third and final single of the former's third major-label studio album Treat Myself (2020), they were released on the same day. It was written by the artists alongside Scott Harris and production duo Ojivolta. Backed by an instrumentation of tingling drums and a hip hop beat, the pop and R&B song has feel-good and characteristically confident lyrics.
"Evil Twin" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor for her third major-label studio album Treat Myself (2020). It was written by Trainor, Joshua Kear, Ethan Snoreck and Tyler Johnson, and produced by Johnson and Andrew Wells. The track was released on December 13, 2019, as the third promotional single from the album. Backed by electropop production, the '60s-inspired song has lyrics about the wild side of Trainor, that makes bad decisions on her part. "Evil Twin" received critical acclaim upon release, with some critics highlighting it as a standout track on Treat Myself and praising its bold lyrics and disco-influenced production.
"Make You Dance" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor for her third major-label studio album Treat Myself (2020). The song was written by Trainor, Andrew Wells, Anthony Rossomando and Grace Barker, while production was handled by Asa Welch. It was released on July 10, 2020, as the lead single from the album's deluxe version and fourth in general through Epic Records.
A Very Trainor Christmas is a Christmas album and the fourth major-label studio album by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor. Honest OG Recording and Epic Records released it on October 30, 2020. Trainor involved her family members in the creation, co-writing its songs with her brothers, Ryan and Justin, among others. Featured artists include Earth, Wind & Fire, Seth MacFarlane, Trainor's cousins Jayden, Jenna, & Marcus Toney, and her father, Gary. The album includes cover versions of Christmas standards, such as "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" (1951) and "Last Christmas" (1984), as well as six original recordings.
"Holidays" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor from her fourth major-label studio album and first Christmas album, A Very Trainor Christmas (2020), featuring musical group Earth, Wind & Fire. Trainor wrote the song with Philip Bailey, Eddie Benjamin, Verdine White, Ralph Johnson, and its producer, Mike Sabath. It became available as the album's fifth track on October 30, 2020, when it was released by Honest OG Recording and Epic Records. "Holidays" is influenced by several genres and incorporates trumpets, layered harmonies, and horn bleats in its production.
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