This article is about the music of Big Big Train as released on their CD's; it is not a history of the band. If you would like to read about the band's history see the BBT website or Wikipedia.
The Summit: Big Big Train at their best: The Difference Machine (2007)
and English Boy Wonders (2008 re-release.)
The Difference Machine
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This 2007 release is the band's best selling album. It consists of three epic songs, three short linking instrumental tracks and a final, elegiac piece, Summer's Lease. A number of the tracks on the album can be freely downloaded from the band's website , the band's MySpace page or at LastFM
The Difference Machine features performances from Nick D'Virgilio, Pete Trewavas and Dave Meros, who later stated that The Difference Machine 'is one of the best prog releases of the decade.'
The Difference Machine shows a harder edge than previous BBT releases with significant post-rock influences blending with the band's progressive sound. The emphasis is on lengthy, complex songs and intricate music. Influences include Genesis, Van Der Graaf Generator, Sigur Ros, Mew and Oceansize.
Key songs are Perfect Cosmic Storm, Pick Up if You're There, Salt Water Falling on Uneven Ground and Summer's Lease (which featured on the covermount CD available with Classic Rock magazine's July 2008 issue.)
English Boy Wonders
This is the re-released version of English Boy Wonders, which is due in November 2008. The re-release is a re-worked, partially re-recorded and entirely re-mixed version of the band's 1997 album. Again, a number of the tracks are available for free download from the BBT website (check out the download of the month page), Last FM and MySpace.
English Boy Wonders is a lengthy CD, containing almost 80 minutes of the band's best songs. It is a very diverse album, featuring a number of different styles including progressive rock, English pop, alternative rock and fusion. Influences include Genesis, King Crimson, Radiohead, XTC, The Cure, Anthony Phillips and Prefab Sprout. Despite the diversity of music, it is a cohesive album, with a number of songs sharing linked themes.
English Boy Wonders featues Martin Orford on keyboards and flute.
Key songs: The Shipping Forecast, Albion Perfide, Reaching for John Dowland, Boxgrove Man, Fell Asleep, Brushed Aside, Pretty Mom
Just below the summit: Gathering Speed (2004)
and Goodbye to the Age of Steam (1994)
Gathering Speed
This is a concept album from 2004, telling the story of a Battle of Britain fighter pilot. It was the band's first release to feature vocalist Sean Filkins who also features on The Difference Machine and the forthcoming album, The Underfall Yard (expected in 2009.)
Gathering Speed saw Big Big Train in nostalgic mood, with Mellotrons and 12-strings to the fore. However, it also showed the first signs of the band's post-rock influence. It has a slightly more pastoral sound than The Difference Machine but it is very much an album in the grand progressive rock style.
Downloads of some of the songs on the album are available at MySpace , LastFM and at the band's site.
Key tracks: Fighter Command, The Road Much Further On, Powder Monkey.
Influences: Genesis, Steve Hackett, Anthony Phillips, Oceansize, Sigur Ros.
Goodbye to the Age of Steam
This was the band's first album, dating from 1994. Age of Steam established the band's typical early sound, pastoral English prog with an indie-pop influence.
The band were new to the recording studio and some of the inexperience shows, but not to the detriment of the album. The album features two epic tracks, two classical-guitar based instrumentals and a number of shorter songs demonstrating a quirky, progressive-rock influenced style. Many of the songs are linked and there are a number of recurring musical themes and motifs.
Downloads of some of the songs can be found on the band's site (click on the downloads link when you get to the site.)
Influences: It Bites, Genesis, XTC, The Cure, Steve Hackett, Anthony Phillips
Key tracks: Wind Distorted Pioneers, Blow the House Down, Blue Silver Red, Losing Your Way
On the foothills: Bard (2002)
Bard
Bard is a transitional album. Age of Steam and English Boy Wonders were recorded in commercial studios and initially released through the specialist progressive rock label, GEP. Bard was the first time that we recorded an album in our own studio (which at that time was fairly basic) and released an album on our own label. Our first singer Martin Read left the band during recording and many of the vocal duties were handled by other band members.
Bard is a qualified success with a number of strong songs hampered by inexperience. However, it was an important album for us in that it gave us the confidence to continue building our studio and our own label.
Bard is a very pastoral album, focusing on the quieter side of the band's music, including a number of ambient sections.
Influences: Genesis, Steve Hackett, The Cure
Key tracks: The Last English King, This Is Where We Came In, For Winter
In the valley: other releases for those who want to have everything by Big Big Train:
From the River to the Sea (1992), The Infant Hercules (1993),
English Boy Wonders original release (1997)
From the River to the Sea
The teenage scribblings of a group of It Bites wannabees. Recorded on Fostex 1/4" 8 track tape, this was originally released as a demo tape (remember those?) and then, later, as a demo CD with two extra tracks.
Influences: It Bites
Key tracks: Downhilling, Least Peculiar Thing
The Infant Hercules
Essentially a live performance recorded on the band's own 8-track for posterity. Rough around the edges, but showing a little promise. The songs were stronger. Later versions of the demo included Far Distant Thing, a song recorded for a radio session just prior to the Goodbye to the Age of Steam sessions.
Influences: It Bites, Genesis
Key tracks: Kingmaker, Lincoln Green, Red Five
English Boy Wonders (original version)
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Released in an incomplete and hastily-mixed state as our recording contract with GEP was coming to an end, this version is inferior in every way to the 2008 re-release. Copies on Amazon have been priced at close to £200 from time to time, so now something of a rarity. I even sold my girlfriend's copy (oops).
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