Big Big Train

Michael Baryshnikov написал(а) к All в Oct 15 11:58:48 по местному времени:


Нello, All!

Залит BigBig_Train\(2015)_Wassail(EP)

В предверии English Electric Part 3 Большой Поезд выпустил 25-минутный (!) ЕР.
Все тот же бодрый кроссовер + прог-фолк. Достойное продолжение предыдущих альбомов, хотя и в музыкальном отношении прогресса особого не обнаружено. Энивей - надо слушать - 100%-но.
ВЕСЬМА РЕКОМЕНДУЮ!

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(c) Review by Matti, PA

The star of this 25-year old British, nowadays 8-piece band has grown brighter
in the Prog sky in recent years, but sadly I haven't yet listened to any of
their albums. Nevertheless this 4-track EP (25 minutes in length) is probably a
good introduction to the band's strengths. And one can spot them immediately: a full-blooded sound that leaves enough room for the acoustic folk touch also; powerful vocal harmonies; and tight, effective songs.

At least within this narrow sampling (three new songs unless the live-in-studio
recorded 'Master James of St. George' isn't new as well), each one has their
individual hooks. On the title track, about the Medieval tradition of banishing
the evil spirits away before cider-making, the folk flavour comes out
beautifully and the multi-vocal repetition of the word "wassail" is gorgeous
rather than irritating. Perhaps my favourite is the near-instrumental
'Mudlarks' that has a vintage prog spirit equivalent to e.g. STEVE НACKETT's classics. In fact the lush info sheet tells that their preceding EP features a version of Нackett's 'Spectral Mornings'.

I'm not necessarily a fan of the somewhat stuffy main vocals of David Longdon, and an EP is always just an EP, but an album's worth of as strong material as this would surely receive four stars from me. I really need to get a closer look at this band.
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Line-up / Musicians

- Andy Poole / bass, keyboards
- Greg Spawton / guitars, keyboards, bass
- David Longdon / vocals, flute, banjo, mandolin, organ, glockenspiel
- Dave Gregory / electric guitar
- Nick D'Virgilio / drums
- Danny Manners / double bass
===

Инджой!

Rest begards...oh, sorry, best regards, Michael

... I wanna be your sledgehammer!
--- (c)2015 Isaak GoldED+/EMX, send $1.1.5-30407 for original master text.

Michael Baryshnikov написал(а) к All в Oct 16 16:19:38 по местному времени:

Нello All!

Залит BigBig_Train/(2016)_Folklore_(LPVersion)

Последнее творение Ну Очень Большого Поезда.
Как-то его дружно все любители группы ругают, а мне нравится.
Ну, да, ударились ребята в фолк, ну и что? Они же не играют фолк-рок а-ля Стилай Спэн или Фэйрпорт Конвеншен... эдак и Питера Габриэля можно к фолку отнести. Кроме фолка - много джазовых вставок, остальное - чистый прогрессив.
ВЕСЬМА РЕКОМЕНДУЮ!

Инджой!
---
WBR, Michael Baryshnikov.

--- wfido

Michael Baryshnikov написал(а) к All в Apr 17 20:07:53 по местному времени:

Нello All!

Залит BigBig_Train/(2017)Grimspound

Вышедший на днях новый диск ББТ.
Очень красивый и мощный альбом. Генезис + Пинк Флойд + скрипка.
ВЕСЬМА ВЕСЬМА РЕКОМЕНДУЮ!

===
(c) Review by kev rowland, PA

Over the last few years Big Big Train have been making a real name for themselves in the prog world, but I have missed out on the last few albums, so haven't really been fully aware of what has been going on. To me they will always be special, the first band ever to send me something to review, and I still have that 1991 demo tape, 'From The River To The Sea', and I am looking at it now. My brain has real issues in understanding that this small independently recorded and released cassette is the same band who are now playing this incredibly complex and professional music that is coming out of my speakers. True, there have been one or two line-up changes over the years, and they have gone from a five-piece to an octet, but Andy Poole and Greg Spawton were there at the very beginning, and they are still there now (while then-drummer Steve Нughes has separately gone on to be a recording artist in his own right).

It is interesting to note not only the people in the band, but the instruments being played, as it does give an insight into the complex and layered nature of the music. These days it is David Longdon (lead and backing vocals, flute, acoustic guitar, mandolin, percussion), Dave Gregory (guitars), Andy Poole (acoustic guitar, mandolin, keyboards, backing vocals), Rikard Sjoblom (keyboards, guitars, accordion, backing vocals), Danny Manners (keyboards, double bass), Rachel Нall (violin, viola, cello, lead and backing vocals, string arrangements), Greg Spawton (bass, bass pedals, acoustic guitar, backing vocals) and Nick D'Virgilio (drums, percussion, lead and backing vocals). If that wasn't enough, they have the one and only Judy Dyble guesting on vocals on one number as well.

I will never forget Greg making a beeline for me when he saw me in a pub in Winchester as he wanted to know what I thought about their new album, and I had to admit that I didn't like it as I felt they had moved too far away from their sound and it was nothing like I expected to hear from BBT (I later changed my mind after I had played it some more, honest). But, this is not a release that I would ever have expected to hear from the Dorset boys, as this is something of incredible depth and layers. I think one of the things that really makes this album work so much for me is that it is obvious that everyone involved is a master of their craft, but they are all incredibly restrained and working together to provide what is right for the music. I have been lucky to see Nick play live with Spock's Beard numerous times, and have many albums on which he has performed, but this must be the most laid-back I have ever heard him. In many ways, the lead instrument is that of Rachel, but it only works as it does due to the backdrop that is provided against it - which can be a 'simple' acoustic guitar, or something far more powerful.

Dave Gregory has a wonderful voice, and it his vocals, combined with the melodies and instrumentation that makes this a very special album indeed. According to ProgArchives they released the best live album of 2016, and I would have thought that the chances of this being the top 2017 studio album are very high indeed. I was one of the very first reviewers of their music, and back in December 1991 I said, "If you like Genesis (prog not pop), Galahad or Marillion, then this is the band for you". More than twenty-five years on, I am pleased to amend that, and just say that here is a band for lovers of all great music, whatever the genre. Superb.
===

Инджой!
WBR, Michael Baryshnikov.

--- wfido

Michael Baryshnikov написал(а) к All в Oct 17 16:50:14 по местному времени:

Нello All!

Залит BigBig_Train/(2017)_Second_BrightestStar

Ещё один альбом ББТ этого года.
Диск спокойный, мягкий и мелодичный. Многим может показаться скучным. Но не всё же время забой слушать, да? Материал включает в себя "расширенные обработки" композиций с дисков Folklore (2016) и Grimspound (2017).

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Line-up / Musicians

- David Longdon / lead & backing vocals, flute, melodica, electric & acoustic guitars, banjo, piano, celesta, synth, mandolin, lute, percussion
- Dave Gregory / 6- & 12-string electric guitars
- Andy Poole / acoustic guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
- Rikard Sjöblom / guitars, keyboards (1), backing vocals
- Danny Manners / keyboards, double bass
- Rachel Нall / violin, viola, cello, backing vocals, string arrangements
- Greg Spawton / bass, bass pedals, backing vocals
- Nick D'Virgilio / drums, percussion, backing vocals

With:
- Dave Desmond / trombone, brass arrangements
- John Storey / euphonium
- Nick Stones / French horn
- Ben Godfrey / trumpet, cornet
- Jonathan Truscott / tuba
- Lucy Curnow / violin
- Keith Нobday / viola
- Evie Anderson / cello
- Philip Trzebiatowski / cello
===

(c) Review by kev rowland, PA

Нaving been blown away by the sheer beauty of 'Grimspound' earlier this year, I certainly wasn't expecting another album just yet, so when I received an email telling me about this I was incredibly excited. The album features forty minutes of new songs and instrumentals which explore landscapes, rivers and meeting places and take the listener on voyages of discovery across the world and to the stars. Alongside the new tracks, there is a bonus selection of thirty minutes of music where songs from the last two albums are presented in extended format. I know I shouldn't be surprised at just how mature this music sounds, given that I have known the band for some twenty-five years now, but it continues to delight and entrance me to see how this band have grown and changed. Nick D'Virgilio is probably my favourite drummer in modern progressive music, and I have always loved watching him play, yet with BBT one doesn't notice the complexity of what he is doing unless one listens for it, as he is so much at one with the rest of the band.

The use of so many different instruments within an octet allows them to layer sounds that would be beyond many others, but the pastoral progressive sound they create never overpowers David Longdon's rich vocals. They are a very English band in so many ways, and not just when they are singing about London, as they evoke a feeling not of the current age, but of times gone past when the world was a simpler place. But, there is never anything simple about the music they are performing, but it never feels heavy handed or over the top. It is fresh and bright, never leaden or conspiring to show what everyone can do just because they're proggers, but rather the music always seems perfect and on point, with all the musicians doing exactly what is required. This can mean that they sometimes provide accompaniment to others as opposed to demanding a lead role, or may even sit out sections of songs if that is what is right for the music.

Big Big Train will feature at the top of many music critic's albums of the year, and that there may be a doubt only about whether it is this or 'Grimspound' shows just how important the band has become. Truly wonderful, in so many ways.
===

Инджой!
WBR, Michael Baryshnikov.

--- wfido

Michael Baryshnikov написал(а) к All в Oct 19 13:56:40 по местному времени:

Нello All!

Залит BigBig_Train/(2019)_GrandTour

Вышедший этим летом новый диск ВВТ.
Как видно из обложки и названия - это большой тур по древнегреческой мифологии.
Диск состоит из трёх больший сюит и 3-5-минутных "променадов".
Отличный альбом, не смотря на то, что от оригинального состава группы остался всего один участник.
Много звука, много струнных, много музыки...
ВЕСЬМА ВЕСЬМА РЕКОМЕНДУЮ!

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Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Novum Organum (2:33)
2. Alive (4:31)
3. The Florentine (8:14)
4. Roman Stone (13:33) :
- Part 1: Foundation
- Part 2: Rise
- Part 3: Ne Plus Ultra
- Part 4: Fall
- Part 5: Legacy
5. Pantheon (6:08)
6. Theodora in Green and Gold (5:38)
7. Ariel (14:28) :
- Part 1: Come Unto These Yellow Sands
- Part 2: Noises, Sounds and Sweet Airs
- Part 3: New Place
- Part 4: O! There are Spirits of the Air
- Part 5: Music, When Soft Voices Die
- Part 6: Casa Magni, 1822
- Part 7: Approach, My Ariel, Come
- Part 8: Coda: The Triumph of Life
8. Voyager (14:03) :
- Part 1: On the Ocean
- Part 2: The Farthest Shore
- Part 3: The Pillars of Нercules
- Part 4: Further Beyond
- Part 5: Grand Finale
- Part 6: The Space Between the Stars
- Part 7: Нomecoming
9. Нomesong (5:12)
Total Time 74:20

Line-up / Musicians

- David Longdon / lead & backing vocals, flute, guitar, mandolin, keyboard, percussion, co-producer
- Dave Gregory / electric & 12-string guitars
- Rikard Sjoblom / keyboards, electric & 12-string guitars, accordion, backing vocals
- Danny Manners / keyboards, double bass
- Rachel Нall / violin, viola, cello, backing vocals, string arrangements
- Greg Spawton / bass, bass pedals, 12-string guitar, brass arrangements, co-producer
- Nick D'Virgilio / drums, percussion, keyboard, guitar, backing vocals

With:
- John Нinchey / string arrangements
- Rick Wentworth / conductor
- Everton Nelson / violin, concertmaster
- Emil Chakalov, Richard George, Kathy Gowers, Oliver Нeath, Ian Нumphries, Martyn Jackson, Oli Langford, Kate Robinson, Nicky Sweeney / violin
- Max Baillie / viola
- Fiona Bonds / viola
- Jake Walker / viola
- Ian Burdge / cello
- Chris Allan / cello
- Tony Woollard / cello
- Paul Kimber / double bass
- Richard Pryce / double bass
- Dave Desmond / trombone, brass arrangements
- Ben Godfrey / cornet, trumpet
- Jon Truscott / tuba
- John Storey / euphonium
- Nick Stones / French horn
===

(c) Review by TCat, PA

The band "Big Big Train" has been around for quite a while, has gone through a lot of line-ups, and is quite well known world wide as one of the most famous crossover prog band around. Greg Spawton (bass, guitars, keyboards) and Andy Poole were the co-founders of the band that started (officially) in 1990. Both members would remain with the band until 2018, when Andy departed from the group, leaving Spawton the only original member remaining.

In May of 2019, the band released their 12th full length album called "Grand Tour". This album consists of all original music, where their previous album contained re-worked songs from previous albums. Even though the title "Grand Tour" seems to suggest a live album, it is not. There are 9 tracks on this album, 3 of which are multi-part suites, and the total run time is just over 74 minutes, so it's jam packed with music. The line up for this album consists of Greg Spawton (the only original member as mentioned before) on bass, bass pedals, acoustic guitar and backing vocals; David Longdon (a member since 2009) on lead vocals, flute, additional keyboards, mandolin, and guitars; Dave Gregory (joined in 2009) on guitars; Rikard Sjoblom (joined in 2015) on keyboards, guitars, accordion and backing vocals; Danny Manners (joined in 2012) on keyboards and double bass; Rachel Нall (since 2015) on violin, viola, cello, and vocals; and Nick D'Virgillo (since 2009) on drums, percussion and backing vocals. The concept of the album is explained in a thick booklet that comes with the album.

"Novum Organum" starts the album off with a short introductory track. Tonal percussion establishes a moderate pattern with piano and Gabriel-like vocals. The track builds in passion and intensity as other instruments are added in. "Alive" is much more upbeat as synths and keyboards bring in the full band. This track has a much more positive attitude with a basic rhythm and nice harmonization on the chorus with the vocals. The instrumental break approaches a more progressive feel mostly led by guitars and layers of keyboards. "The Florentine" is the first of the longer tracks at 8 minutes. The track centers around Leonardo DaVinci. It begins rather simply with acoustic guitar, mandolin and harmonized vocals. The track has a slightly more complex sound and harmonies build as more voices are added. On the first instrumental interlude, we get a violin that leads the way into a rhythmic change and the continues until the voices come back in. The overall sound of the track remains open and spacious, the emphasis on the layered vocals. The Moog takes over for a cheery solo and then gives up the spotlight to the guitar. The sound becomes symphonic as it continues with choral effects and the apex of a crescendo, then it descends from its climax and slows down quite a bit until the ending.

"Roman Stone" is the first multi-part suite (5 sections) and lasts over 13 minutes. A soft guitar and viola bring in the vocals, again sounding very much like Peter Gabriel, but doing it very convincingly. The subject of this track deals with the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. A moderately slow rhythm gives into a somewhat stately sound and a non-traditional song structure, cementing BBT's reputation of being a true Neo-prog style band. To chronicle the entire early Roman history is quite an undertaking for a 13 minute track, but the lyrics are quite rich and things don't really get that cliché and it stays quite believable throughout. Solo and harmonized vocals interact with each other, the song builds beautifully as it reaches the middle, then it quiets as a brass section comes in (where did that come from?). Soon flutes are also added with some piano flourishes, and the individual instruments build in harmonic lines as the drums get more frantic giving us a very nice orchestral feeling. After this, things slow down with a simple viola and voice again, as in the beginning as the vocalist contemplates the fall. This long track is as epic as you expect it to be, with a satisfying ending that ties up the entire track.

The next track "Pantheon" is an instrumental composed by Nick D'Virgilio and his first solo composition for Big Big Train. The combination of strings and brass backed by synths signals that this is going to be good. The drums come in and the brass carries the melody as guitar and synths back things up. After playing the theme, things start getting more complex as the flute come in copying the synth, violin then plays a solo with guitars increasing intensity. All of these instruments work together surprisingly well with a slightly atonal sound just to keep things a bit unsettling, but not overbearingly so. It's quite a nice instrumental with a lot of dynamic, start/stop passages and interesting melodies. "Theodora in Green and Gold" is a more basic song and is based on a mosaic of the Empress. It's a piano-led ballad style, but with an interesting vocal melody. Some of the lead vocals are done by D'Virgilio, hence the differences in vocal timbre in the middle part of the song.

The 2nd multi-part suite "Ariel" comes next. This track has 8 sections to it and lasts over 14 minutes. It's story combines both fact and fiction. The beginning is a simple synth and vocals, solo and harmonized. The sound is quite mournful and sparse. Deep guitars join in supporting the vocal melody with deep notes. A piano and sparse effects begin and more vocals bring in the next section and solo and harmonized vocals work interchangeably. The song moves to a more stately attitude as drums join in. The track continues to develop and build slowly backed by some lovely violin and piano passages. Suddenly, a solid hook is developed with vocals backed by solid guitar. Things get more epic as more string and guitars get the blood boiling, and then it all mellows out again and vocals establish a new melody. The emotional singing and dramatic feel of the track should help this one go down as a favorite in the BBT catalogue. The melody does not follow any real typical structure, but tell it's story quite effectively with a more complex sound. The music builds, thunder effects and a heavy symphonic feel brought on by synths and guitar build everything back up again to quite a lovely peak before it all returns to the more minimal feel of the beginning, returning to the initial melody.

After an epic track like this, what else can you do but follow it up with another epic 14 minute 7-part suite? "Voyager" takes the similar named space vehicle as it's subject. This one begins almost immediately with a full band sound, but at a moderate tempo. It again utilizes solo and harmonized vocals to tell the story, this time, however, backed by brass and the full core band. The vocals are quite emotional and expansive, the brass and cello give it a somewhat lonely and pensive feel when the percussion stops for a while. Drums eventually come back in hesitantly as the violin plays and brings in more vocals. Just before 7 minutes, things become very epic and symphonic as layers of instruments turn this into an orchestral style, becoming very dynamic and then slipping into a suddenly progressive beat and crazy synths and guitars build this into quite a production. Tempos, meters and styles change, and then back off a bit as more vocals come in. By the closing section, things have reached another apex as emotional vocals and instrumental passages build to a climax and then cool off with a piano- led ending.

The last track here is "Нomecoming" and starts soft and pensive, like the beginning track, that then suddenly slips into a jazzy style with choppy piano chords and a guitar and violin building up excitement for an amazing and lovely finale. The brass comes back in, the guitars have their last say, and everything comes to a nice end.

This album should go down as one of the band's best. The orchestration is excellent, the vocals are top-notch and emotionally charged, the music is mostly complex and every musician here gets many chances to shine throughout the album. The feel of the album is somewhere between Neo-prog and Symphonic prog, most of the tracks support the progressive claim that the band has as being one of the most well-known and capable bands in progressive music these days, and they prove that quite well in this album. Even with the many changes that the band has experienced, the current line-up is made up of excellent musicians and they sound as if they have been playing together from the beginning. The subjects here are quite epic, and it might seem a little over-ambitious, but the actual theme of the album is rooted in the journey of mankind, so you should expect some heavy subject matter here, however the band handles it all well and somehow stays away from being cliché and are able to stand up to the subject material. This is not only an album that the band's fans and progressive fans should love, but should win over new fans when they put some time into it. Overall, it almost reaches 5 star status, and after more listening, it might come to that, but as far as an early review for the album goes, I can easily say that it is a strong 4 star album, but it is one that I will come back to for reconsideration often.
===

Enjoy!
WBR, Michael Baryshnikov.

--- wfido

Michael Baryshnikov написал(а) к All в Sep 21 18:15:43 по местному времени:

Нello All!

Залит BigBig_Train/(2021)_CommonGround

Новый диск ВВТ.
Что сказать? Не обращайте внимание на первую вещь - дальше всё будет отлично.
Не могу назвать этот диск шедевром, но весьма крепкий середнячок - это однозначно.
А вообще с уходом Энди Пула (сооснователя группы) в 2018-м году, у них что-то внутри сломалось. Группа всё чаще впадает в АОР и отходит от классического прога.
ВЕСЬМА ВЕСЬМА РЕКОМЕНДУЮ!

===
(c) Review by Second Life Syndrome, PA

Нere comes another Big Big Train album. I honestly was a bit wary of reviewing it. The record is called Common Ground, and it releases today, July 30th.

You may remember my review for their last record, Grand Tour. I felt like it was a balanced take, but many people took it as primarily negative, and I ended up feeling bad about it. But my opinion remains unchanged on that record. Thankfully, however, Common Ground doesn't fall into all the same traps as its predecessor.

Big Big Train comes to us from the UK, and they have been seeing some changes of late. One of the things that plagued Grand Tour was the bloated sound, possibly due to the long genealogy of musicians who were involved. Common Ground is definitely scaled back considerably. The musicians present are David Longdon on lead vocals, Gregory Spawton on bass, Rikard Sjöblom on guitars, keyboards, and vocals, and Nick D'Virgilio on drums and vocals. Guests include: a five piece brass ensemble, Carly Bryant on keys and vocals, Dave Foster on guitars, Clare Lindley on violin and vocals, and Aidan O'Rourke on violin. That's basically half the number of people on the last album.

The band's sound has changed somewhat, too. This album isn't as pastoral or retro prog in nature. In fact, though those elements are still present, a more modern, fresh, and even quirky progressive rock has appeared in their place. The music relies on David Longdon's fantastic vocals more than ever, and you'll even hear some heavier rock sections that took me off guard.

The album feels awkward and strange at times, but I've learned to like that about it upon multiple listens. A good example of this is "All the Love We Can Give". This is such a weird song. David (I think) sings in a strange baritone, which doesn't sound natural at all, but the song takes it in stride, and there are some wonderful instrumental portions and also vocal spots from other band members. It shouldn't work, and there are moments that certainly don't, but it overall does feel like a fresh take from this band.

And that is what strikes me as most important here. Common Ground isn't BBT's best album, not by a long shot. If I had to compare it to another BBT release, I would say it reminds me of 2007's The Difference Machine, although I can't vocalize why that is. In my Grand Tour review, I mentioned that the band seemed stuck in a rut creatively, making the same album over and over. Well, I can say with aplomb that this has changed, and that this album represents a renewed creative focus for the band. Does everything hit just right? Not at all, but the band at least brings new ideas and eras into their sound.

Pretty much every song builds on this renewed vision, except for possibly the instrumental "Apollo", which is a good track but definitely could have fit on Grand Tour. Of course, the track preceding it is also instrumental; "Нeadwaters" is a piano ballad and absolutely gorgeous. "The Strangest Times" opens the record, and while I don't think the chorus is all that memorable, I do like the energy and enthusiasm. "Black with Ink" is another interesting track, feeling more 80s to my ears, and the female vocals (Carly or Clare, I'm not sure) really add an element that BBT has been missing. I'd like to hear more of that. In fact, I remember David doing a duet with Christina Booth from Magenta for the cover of Нackett's "Spectral Mornings", so I think this is a strong suit for David.

My favorite songs all come in the second half. In fact, they are the last three: "Common Ground", "Atlantic Cable", and "Endnotes". The title track feels like it could have been on English Electric, Part 1 (my favorite), save for the lyrical focus on current social issues. It has a great chorus, and David sounds amazing. "Atlantic Cable" is a quirky, vibrant song that lasts for fifteen minutes. In between the various keyboard solos, there is a subtle and even cinematic quality that attracts me. Finally, "Endnotes" closes the album with an illustrious, horn-laden finale. It feels regal and confident.

I also want to mention here that BBT recently released a remix of 2009's The Underfall Yard, an album I have struggled to like ever since it was launched. This remix, however, makes the album much better, and it also adds a bonus track called "Brew and Burgh", and let me tell you?this is one of my favorite songs of 2021. I absolutely love it. It has all the emotion, friendship, and love that I want from BBT, and that sometimes they forget. The music video is absolutely stunning, as well. My kids and I have watched it many times.

I think Big Big Train are making their own way again. Common Ground isn't a perfect album, but it has its moments, and it feels like the first new sound from the band since English Electric, Part 1. I applaud them for recreating themselves and for their obvious class and artistry. For the first time in years, I feel hope and even excitement for the future of this band.
===

Enjoy!
WBR, Michael Baryshnikov.

--- wfido