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BARD
Track list: The Last English King (5.50), Broken English (14.09), This Is Where We Came In (5.22), Harold Rex Interfectus Est (1.02), Blacksmithing (3.03), Malfosse (.053), Love Is Her Thing (3.50), How The Earth
From This Place Has Power Over Fire (1.53), A Short Visit To Earth (6.18), For Winter (16.47), A Long Finish (8.20).
Big Big Train were formed in 1990 as a song writing collective built around Andy Poole, Greg Spawton and Ian Cooper. These were joined in 1991 by Martin Read - and this quartet all appear on this recording.
The band's first demo tape 'From the River to the Sea' was issued in October 1991 and re-recorded and released as a self-financed CD six months later. A second demo tape, 'The Infant Hercules' was released
early in '93 and the band then spent time writing their first proper album, 'Goodbye to the Age of Steam', which featured vocals by Martin Orford and Gary Chandler.
The next album, 'English Boy Wonders' was released in the autumn of 1997, and late the following year Big Big Train went through various line up changes. The band have been working on this album since 1999.
The band's website tell that this is likely to be their last ever album - the current musical climate means that self produced albums of this type do not sell in huge quantities, there is a lack of suitable venues
and a greater lack of promoters willing to book progressive bands - and they confess to a lack of confidence...
Yet, this is a super album. Mixed and mastered by Rob Aubrey who also helped with the recording process, it features the pairing of Greg Spawton - who writes most of the music, plays guitars &
keyboards and sings - and Andy Poole who shares the credits for some tracks and plays bass. Other musicians include drummer Phil Hogg; keyboards by Tony Muller and Ian Cooper; and vocals from Martin Read and
Jo Michaels.
Delicate and intricate instrumentation flows through all of the tracks on the album, creating a laid back, yet vibrant atmosphere.
Many of the tracks have a deceptively simple air: but listen again and you will notice the smooth and satiny richness, and the gentle velvety lushness of the music.
It's difficult to pick out a favourite track here and I enjoy listening to the album as a single entity. The music ebbs and flows, the pace and intensity of the sounds changing as the compositions unfold -
skillfully executed, yet always warm and welcoming ... this is sophisticated music for grown ups...
If you are a fan of either Jadis or No-Man, this will probably appeal to you; if you are a fan of melodic rock in general, I urge you to visit Big Big Train's website and listen to some of the sound bites available
there. This is a splendid album, full of style and finesse and it comes very highly recommended.
Marisa 13th March, 2002
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GATHERING SPEED
Tracklist: High Tide Last Stand (7.06); Fighter Command (10.44); The Road Much Further On (8.39); Sky Flying on Fire (6.04); Pell Mell (6.35); Powder Monkey (9.07); Gathering Speed (7.35)
Tracklist: High Tide Last Stand (7.06); Fighter Command (10.44); The Road Much Further On (8.39); Sky Flying on Fire (6.04); Pell Mell (6.35); Powder Monkey (9.07); Gathering Speed (7.35);
Almost two years after their successful 'Bard' album, Big Big Train are back once more with their latest offering 'Gathering Speed'. This new release is a concept piece set in the period of the Battle of Britain, and
the songs revolve around the death of a fighter pilot during that conflict. This, in itself, is unusual - but another twist here is that, rather than following a single thread, the story unfolds as an
exploration of loss through the eyes of both the subject and of his family. The songs look at the emotional and psychological impact of death and, while the subject matter may at first seem to be on the gloomy
side, it is dealt with sensitively and the result is quite thought provoking.
The core of the band remains unchanged since 'Bard' and consists of founder members Greg Spawton (guitars, keyboards & vocals), Andy Poole (bass) and Ian Cooper (keyboards) - but a few changes have been made with
the rest of the lineup. Back to the fold after a stint with The Enid comes drummer Steve Hughes, and stepping up to take the lead vocal spot is Sean Filkins.
Additional backing vocals are provided by Laura Murch who, I must say, has done an excellent job.
The album opens with 'High Tide Last Stand'.
Here the scene is set by the unmistakable sound of a Rolls Royce Merlin engine roaring overhead. Musically this is a nice easy going introduction to the album, and there seem to be some strong Camel influences at work here, while vocally things are a little more 'Yes' like, particularly with the superb use of vocal harmonies throughout. This is a piece full of contrasts with driving rhythm section and fast keyboard runs set against more sedate piano play and gentle acoustic guitar passages, but meshing together effortlessly.
'Fighter Command' continues to make use of strong vocal harmonies.
This track has a generally more melancholic atmosphere, but it flows smoothly and it is easy to get caught up in mood. Overall comparisons can be made to both Jadis and Pink Floyd, the similarities to the latter being particularly emphasised by the moving female vocal section, provided by Laura, that closes the piece - full marks for this one.
'The Road Much Further On' gets underway with acoustic guitar work set against string sounds and, quite fittingly, there is sadness and tension to be found here. The music is fairly sparse initially, presumably
to allow the vocals to come to the fore, but is none the less effective for this. The vocals themselves are crisp and clear and are delivered with a feeling.
Sean proves to be an excellent addition to the band. His voice reminds me sometimes of the singer in James while at others there is more a mood of Menel-era IQ.
Next we have the one purely instrumental piece of the album, 'Sky Flying on Fire' which, in terms of style and sound, does not seem to be too far removed from some of Steve Hackett's earlier works.
Although pleasant enough, I have to be honest here and confess it did not really hold my attention too well and, even now, I find it hard to express any valid opinions about the track one way or the other.
The keyboard playing from the start of 'Pell Mell' shows what can only be referred to as a significant Genesis influence, but even so the track does a great job of blending old and new ideas with the chuntering
guitar sound provides the perfect foil for the keyboards.
Again I found myself impressed with Sean's vocals here as he is called upon to cover quite a wide range over the course of the song, and this is accomplished very well indeed.
After the slightly hectic pace of 'Pell Mell' there is a sudden cut into the more subdued 'Powder Monkey', where the main character finally meets his fate. The suddenness of this changeover creates a sense of
shock, but gradually the muted musical tones give way to a more uplifting section that carries the listener aloft.
Ultimately we come to the title track, 'Gathering Speed', which rounds off the album in fine style.
Guitar and keyboards work well together throughout, while bass and drums really hold everything together to perfection. Despite the drama that has unfolded before us, this piece strives to impart a mood of quiet serenity and also manages to leave the listener on a high.
There is really only one criticism I have regarding this release and that relates to the packaging itself.
The CD comes with a simple four page insert and, while this presumably cuts down on production costs, it would have been nice to have had the lyrics included. All is not lost in this respect however, since the band have posted the lyrics and extensive notes about all the tracks on their website although, sadly, I had not realised this fact until I got to this point of the review. On the plus side though at least the opinions presented here are an honest 'as heard' review of the album.
In conclusion then, I found the smooth flowing style of this album and the way the subject is dealt with to be both emotive and evocative. The music itself creates a nice crossover between traditional and
neo-progressive rock styles, and the final outcome is an album that never fails to please. When it was released, I found 'Bard' to be a pretty good album, but I think the band have made significant advances
since then and 'Gathering Speed' is to my mind well worth checking out.
Simon 28/03/2004
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THE DIFFERENCE MACHINE
Tracklist:
Hope this finds you (3:12); Perfect Cosmic Storm (14:40); Breathing Space (1:47); Pick up if you're there (13:39); From the Wide Open
Sea (1:20); Saltwater falling on uneven ground
(12:38); Summer's Lease (7:34)
LINEUP:
Gregory Spawton: Keyboards, guitars
Becca King: Viola
Tony Wright: Saxophone, flute
Nick D'Virgillio: Drums, vocals
Sean Filkins: Vocals
Dave Meros: Bass
Pete Trewavas: Bass
Steve Hughes: Drums
Andy Pool: Bass
REVIEW
Late 1994 I attended my very first prog concert and at the entrance members of a young new band were handing out flyers about ther debut album. This was the album 'Goodby to the Age of Steam' by Big Big
Train. Unfortunately I never got round to listen to the album and I lost track of the band. Until 2007...
For some unknown reason I found the band was releasing a new album, their 5th studio release, called The Difference Machine. Since this band is around for some 15 years, I figured it was time to listen to their music.
I have given the album a lot of play time and I can say that I really missed out on this band. It is a very warm and atmospheric sounding album, that has an excellent and modern production, with very
balanced keyboard arrangements, resulting in a classic sounding prog album. The album basically consist of three large pieces, two smaller ones and two filler tracks.
'Hope this finds you' is a warm instrumental that sets the stage for the music to come. This is followed by the first epic, 'Perfect Cosmic Storm'. After a somewhat psychedelic beginning, this song turns
out to be a true classic. The songwriting is pretty awesome, as is the execution. Musicially it is one of the most beautiful prog epics I have heard. Subtle guitar arrangements, solid rhythm and slightly melancholic
vocals. The music, and that goes for the entire album, has elements of early Genesis, maybe even a hint of Yes, but also of Carptree and IQ. The booklet revealed to me two well known guests play on this song:
Nick D'Virgillio and Dave Meros from Spock's Beard.
'Breathing Space' is just what we get, before this train moves on to 'Pick up if you're there', the second epic. Here the emphasis is a bit more on the vocals. Although Sean Filins will not end up in my
fav singers list, his vocals fit the music very good. Again the arrangement of the song is well done. A bit more uptempo and less psychedelica, but again very beautiful, especially with the vintage keyboard sounds
and some nice guitar solos. Notably is the bass player: Pete Trewavas (Marillion), who does an excellent job here.
After the second filler track we move on to the third epic, 'Saltwater falling on uneven ground'. And for the third time I am impressed by the songwriting. And I wish I had caught this train way earlier. I
love the bass in this song, as it really stands out, this time played by Big Big Train core member Andy Poole. This song very much breathes the same atmosphere I felt with the last Carptree album...mysterious yet
enchanting.
The last station on the album is 'Summer's Lease', and it is just more of the same: beautiful melodies, warm atmospheres and enchanting music. And I love the saxophone parts by Tony Wright, who's subtle
play adds to the beauty quite a bit.
Wow, I really love this album! This is the kind of music you expect on a prog rock album. Not showing off on your instrument, but creating beautiful songs and melodies. The Difference Machine is a timeless
album, that will touch the hearts of many music fans. And if you are like I was, not familiar with Big Big Train, I can only say: get this album and enjoy it's warm and beautiful songs. I am grateful for finally
having discovered this great band.
Score: 10/10
Marcel Haster - January 2008
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