Author Topic: Big Big Train v. "The Likes Of Us" OUT NOW; European Tour Sept/Oct 2024!  (Read 108438 times)

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Offline RoeDent

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Re: Big Big Train v. The Second Brightest Star (Out on June 23rd!!!)
« Reply #175 on: July 11, 2017, 12:45:34 PM »
After some days of thought and deliberation, I've come up with my own "Albion III" Tracklist (Wassail/Folklore/Grimspound/TSBS), divided into 4 conceptual LPs:

LP1 - The Lore & Myths
Side 1 - Folklore, Along The Ridgeway, Salisbury Giant, Grimspound
Side 2 - Wassail, Haymaking, The Leaden Stour, The Ivy Gate

LP2 - The London Sequence
Side 1 - Turner On The Thames/London Plane, Mudlarks, Lost Rivers Of London
Side 2 - London Stone, Skylon, A Mead Hall In Winter

LP3 - In Science And Art
Side 1 - Meadowland, The Second Brightest Star, Experimental Gentlemen
Side 2 - The Transit Of Venus Across The Sun, Terra Australis Incognita, As The Crow Flies, The Gentlemen's Reprise

LP4 - The True Stories
Side 1 - Brave Captain, The Passing Widow, Winkie
Side 2 - On The Racing Line/Brooklands, Telling The Bees


This was the best I could muster up, being a young 33 y/o American with little knowledge of British history and folklore, using only what I could find in the lyrics and liner-notes for ideas on how to conceptualize the post-EEFP music. Each "LP" runs about 49/50 minutes long, though the third one comes in at a shorter 42:17.

I wanted to open the whole thing with the first three tracks of Folklore because the sequencing was pretty good already, and with that in mind, I sought to collect the other tracks with roots in folklore and myth, and I think I've done that to a fair degree here. The challenge was finding an arrangement that worked with each song, and closing Side 1 with "Grimspound" seemed approrpriate. My other goal was to open side 2 with "Wassail", so that left placing the last three tracks into a good-sounding order. I put "Haymaking" next because continuing the beautiful violin playing at the end of "Wassail" seemed to work, and closing with "The Ivy Gate" fits pretty well, with its rainy fadeout.

For the sequence of the second LP, I wanted to keep the LP/Mudlarks/LROL sequence from the Folklore vinyl, so that left finding a home for "London Stone" and "Skylon" on side 2, and opening with "London Stone" book-ends that side very well with its melodic reprise in "A Mead Hall In Winter". Everything seemed to fall into place pretty well with this LP after all was said and done. It was the first of the four that I finished re-arranging!

For what I dub the "In Science And Art" LP, I wanted to open with "Meadowland" to echo the closing of the previous LP (with its obvious connection to AMHIW). "Experimental Gentlemen" had to come first before "Terra Australis Incognita" and the Reprise, so it had to be on Side 1, which was fleshed out with "The Second Brightest Star". Oddly enough, sequencing "Experimental Gentlemen" before "Transit" worked thematically according to the story in the liner notes about Captain Cook's voyages. This just meant sorting the last three songs into an order that worked, and closing with the short reprisal mirrors opening with one on this LP.

Lastly, the "True Stories" LP, the songs whose inspiration comes from real people, places and times (with slight exception to the closer). Going through the liner notes and lyrics, I started to see a selection of songs that were based on true stories, and oddly enough, there seemed to be enough to cover a 50-minute LP! I wanted to close with the sequence the closed Folklore, no doubt, and so that meant sorting out the other 3 tracks into an agreeable order. Opening with "Brave Captain" seemed like a no-brainer to me, and closing the first half of this LP with "Winkie" worked for me, as I felt putting "The Passing Widow" between those two giant prog songs felt like a beautiful breather.

(Shared from my post in the BBT Facebook group)

-Marc.

That looks awesome! I love the titles you've given to the individual discs.

Offline Fritzinger

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Re: Big Big Train v. The Second Brightest Star (Out on June 23rd!!!)
« Reply #176 on: July 12, 2017, 04:26:23 AM »
After some days of thought and deliberation, I've come up with my own "Albion III" Tracklist (Wassail/Folklore/Grimspound/TSBS), divided into 4 conceptual LPs:

LP1 - The Lore & Myths
Side 1 - Folklore, Along The Ridgeway, Salisbury Giant, Grimspound
Side 2 - Wassail, Haymaking, The Leaden Stour, The Ivy Gate

LP2 - The London Sequence
Side 1 - Turner On The Thames/London Plane, Mudlarks, Lost Rivers Of London
Side 2 - London Stone, Skylon, A Mead Hall In Winter

LP3 - In Science And Art
Side 1 - Meadowland, The Second Brightest Star, Experimental Gentlemen
Side 2 - The Transit Of Venus Across The Sun, Terra Australis Incognita, As The Crow Flies, The Gentlemen's Reprise

LP4 - The True Stories
Side 1 - Brave Captain, The Passing Widow, Winkie
Side 2 - On The Racing Line/Brooklands, Telling The Bees


This was the best I could muster up, being a young 33 y/o American with little knowledge of British history and folklore, using only what I could find in the lyrics and liner-notes for ideas on how to conceptualize the post-EEFP music. Each "LP" runs about 49/50 minutes long, though the third one comes in at a shorter 42:17.

I wanted to open the whole thing with the first three tracks of Folklore because the sequencing was pretty good already, and with that in mind, I sought to collect the other tracks with roots in folklore and myth, and I think I've done that to a fair degree here. The challenge was finding an arrangement that worked with each song, and closing Side 1 with "Grimspound" seemed approrpriate. My other goal was to open side 2 with "Wassail", so that left placing the last three tracks into a good-sounding order. I put "Haymaking" next because continuing the beautiful violin playing at the end of "Wassail" seemed to work, and closing with "The Ivy Gate" fits pretty well, with its rainy fadeout.

For the sequence of the second LP, I wanted to keep the LP/Mudlarks/LROL sequence from the Folklore vinyl, so that left finding a home for "London Stone" and "Skylon" on side 2, and opening with "London Stone" book-ends that side very well with its melodic reprise in "A Mead Hall In Winter". Everything seemed to fall into place pretty well with this LP after all was said and done. It was the first of the four that I finished re-arranging!

For what I dub the "In Science And Art" LP, I wanted to open with "Meadowland" to echo the closing of the previous LP (with its obvious connection to AMHIW). "Experimental Gentlemen" had to come first before "Terra Australis Incognita" and the Reprise, so it had to be on Side 1, which was fleshed out with "The Second Brightest Star". Oddly enough, sequencing "Experimental Gentlemen" before "Transit" worked thematically according to the story in the liner notes about Captain Cook's voyages. This just meant sorting the last three songs into an order that worked, and closing with the short reprisal mirrors opening with one on this LP.

Lastly, the "True Stories" LP, the songs whose inspiration comes from real people, places and times (with slight exception to the closer). Going through the liner notes and lyrics, I started to see a selection of songs that were based on true stories, and oddly enough, there seemed to be enough to cover a 50-minute LP! I wanted to close with the sequence the closed Folklore, no doubt, and so that meant sorting out the other 3 tracks into an agreeable order. Opening with "Brave Captain" seemed like a no-brainer to me, and closing the first half of this LP with "Winkie" worked for me, as I felt putting "The Passing Widow" between those two giant prog songs felt like a beautiful breather.

(Shared from my post in the BBT Facebook group)

-Marc.

That looks awesome! I love the titles you've given to the individual discs.

Dude that's awesome, I will have to listen through the whole thing like this when I drive to the Loreley festival tomorrow. I sometimes thought "no I would have done this differently", but after reading your text, I fully get it now.

BTW I am also in the BBT FB group, I am the guy who posted the three pictures with my friend taking the Sunday off listening through the Trilogy!
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Offline The Letter M

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Re: Big Big Train v. The Second Brightest Star (Out on June 23rd!!!)
« Reply #177 on: July 12, 2017, 12:03:06 PM »
--snip--

-Marc.

That looks awesome! I love the titles you've given to the individual discs.

Thanks! Yeah, the titles were pretty much on-the-fly, and with a bit more thought and time, I probably could've picked a couple better ones, but they seem to fit each LP's "theme" that is weaved throughout the songs on them.

Dude that's awesome, I will have to listen through the whole thing like this when I drive to the Loreley festival tomorrow. I sometimes thought "no I would have done this differently", but after reading your text, I fully get it now.

BTW I am also in the BBT FB group, I am the guy who posted the three pictures with my friend taking the Sunday off listening through the Trilogy!

I saw your pics! Looks like a cracking good time! :tup Let me know what you think of my running order after you give it a chance. Granted, it's a 3+ hour tracklist, so you can take it in four chunks, as the faux-LPs I have made up, and give me your thoughts on those. I made it so that each LP can sort of stand alone and flow like its own album with a beginning, middle and end, but there are a lot of themes, both lyrically and melodically, that flow throughout the whole album, like how LP2 ends with "A Mead Hall In Winter" and LP3 begins with "Meadowland", which a sort of mini-sister song to "Mead Hall" in that it shares some lyrics and melodies.

-Marc.
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Offline soupytwist

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Re: Big Big Train v. The Second Brightest Star (Out on June 23rd!!!)
« Reply #178 on: July 24, 2017, 02:19:22 AM »
Finally got my copy of Second Brightest Star over the weekend.   Firstly it's more 'Big Big Train' music, which is great, but overall it does feel a little bit like the leftovers, which is basically what it is.   You have five new tracks, and a couple of instrumentals (London Stone & Terra Austrailis) that are slight reworks of sections of songs we've heard before - which I don't really think add much at all.   The five new track are all fine 'Leaden Stour' is probably the only one I'd class as a really good BBT song,  I'd have personally liked to have seen 'Lost Rivers of London' make this album as I think it's a absolute gem hidden away on the Wassail EP.

The extended versions of Brooklands and London Plane (a new amazing intro) are worthy additions, not so sure about Gentleman's Reprise though.

Overall a nice enough package, but it feels like what it is - the last few remaining songs from a very productive era.  It's definitely the weakest album, but then again it probably was always going to be, and you can't be to harsh on a band that have given up so much music in such a small space of time!
« Last Edit: July 24, 2017, 03:25:57 AM by soupytwist »

Offline ariich

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Re: Big Big Train v. The Second Brightest Star (Out on June 23rd!!!)
« Reply #179 on: July 24, 2017, 07:15:15 AM »
I like the main album (the first seven tracks) a lot - great accompaniment to the last two albums. The three "reworkings" seem completely pointless to me.

Ariich is a freak, or somehow has more hours in the day than everyone else.
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Offline RoeDent

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Re: Big Big Train v. The Second Brightest Star (Out on June 23rd!!!)
« Reply #180 on: July 24, 2017, 02:22:29 PM »
I kind of treat TSBS as two separate EPs. More often than not, I'll probably just stop after track 7.

Offline soupytwist

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Re: Big Big Train v. The Second Brightest Star (Out on June 23rd!!!)
« Reply #181 on: July 26, 2017, 09:23:20 AM »
I have an Uncle who I believe would really like this band, he's very much into his 70's prog.  He's not tech savoy so I can't just point him in the direction of spotify, so I attempted to create him a couple of CD's worth on Material - once I started this task I realised two CD's simply wasn't enough - so I upped it to three................and now it's ended up at four.

It's taken me the entire afternoon to do this.  Each CD has 10 Tracks of which I've tried to stick to a formula, and tried to mix the tracks from the albums around, and keep the quality over the 4 CD's roughly even.   Each CD is roughly the same length all in the 78-79 minutes long.

This is material from "The Underfall Yard" onwards.

The formula for each CD is.
Track 1 - A Quality attention grabber.
Track 2 - Upbeat.
Track 3 - Shorter of two epics.
Track 4 - A Mid length great track.
Track 5 - Shorter Filler.
Track 6 - Longer of two epics
Track 7 - Ballad.
Track 8 - Longer Filler.
Track 9 - Short Song/Instrumental.
Track 10 - Closer.

Filler is just a term for the songs that didn't fit the other places.  Anyway these are the 4 CD's (name shorted as I was working this out of a spreadsheet /geek).

CD1

1. Folklore
2. Brambling
3. Kingmaker
4. Swan Hunter
5. Leaden Stour
6. Meadhall
7. Grimspound
8. Boy In Darkness
9. Sailisbury Giant
10. Butterflies

CD2

1. Winkie
2. Keeper of Abbeys
3. Brave Captain
4. Seen Better Days
5. Skylon
6. London Plane (Extended Version)
7. Leopards
8. Winchester Diver
9. Uncle Jack
10. Hedgerow

CD3

1. Make Some Noise
2. Lost Rivers
3. Gentlemen
4. Wassail
5. Fat Billy
6. Underfall
7. Upton Heath
8. St Giles
9. Meadowlands
10. Telling the Bees

CD4

1. Judas
2. Master James
3. Victorian Brickwork
4. Venus
5. The Ivy Gate
6. Brooklands
7. Passing Widow
8. Rebreather
9. Haymaking
10. Permanent Way

Sadly these didn't make the cut (ironically these 10 tracks could easily be a fifth CD or good quality).

Worked Out
The Lovers
East Coast Racer
Last Train
Ridgeway
Wide Open Sea
Summoned By Bells
Second Brightest Star
Edgelands
Crow Flies

« Last Edit: July 26, 2017, 09:32:34 AM by soupytwist »

Offline Fritzinger

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Re: Big Big Train v. The Second Brightest Star (Out on June 23rd!!!)
« Reply #182 on: November 17, 2017, 05:06:22 AM »
These guys are on fire! I hope this is not cheesy though.

Quote
MERRY CHRISTMAS by Big Big Train
Three times Progressive Music Award winning band, Big Big Train, will be releasing their first Christmas single on December 8th 2017.
The single is called Merry Christmas and will be released on 8th December on limited edition 7-inch snow white vinyl (with a gatefold cover), digipack CD, high-resolution and standard-resolution download and streaming. The vinyl, CD and high-resolution download versions of the release will feature a ‘b’ side called Snowfalls.
The artwork for Merry Christmas has been painted by Sarah Louise Ewing and will also feature on a new range of Christmas cards.
A donation to the Night Stop homelessness charity will be made for every copy of the vinyl, CD, download and Christmas card sold.
Merry Christmas is available to pre-order now from the band’s official stores:
https://www.burningshed.com/store/bigbigtrain/
(for vinyl and CD pre-orders)
https://www.themerchdesk.com
(for vinyl and CD pre-orders, Christmas cards and other merchandise)
Merry Christmas is also available to pre-order from Amazon, HMV and other good online and high-street record stores.
The high-resolution (24/96) download version of Merry Christmas will be available to buy on Big Big Train’s Bandcamp shop on the 8th December:
https://bigbigtrain.bandcamp.com/
Big Big Train vocalist David Longdon says: ‘Merry Christmas is a song about rediscovering our childlike belief in the magic of Christmas, despite living in an over commercial and sometimes cynical world. After all, what wouldn’t you give to believe again, like you believed back then?’
Alongside Big Big Train’s full line-up which performed recently at the band’s three sold-out shows at Cadogan Hall in London, Merry Christmas features the beautiful singing of The Chapel Choir Choristers of Jesus College, Cambridge.
Bass player Greg Spawton: ‘We wanted Merry Christmas to be a proper Christmas song. Christmas music needs a choir, a brass band and, of course, sleigh bells’.
The promotional film for Merry Christmas stars Mark Benton and will be premiered on the 1st December.
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Offline The Letter M

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Re: Big Big Train v. The Second Brightest Star (Out on June 23rd!!!)
« Reply #183 on: November 17, 2017, 06:43:25 PM »
These guys are on fire! I hope this is not cheesy though.

Quote
MERRY CHRISTMAS by Big Big Train
Three times Progressive Music Award winning band, Big Big Train, will be releasing their first Christmas single on December 8th 2017.
The single is called Merry Christmas and will be released on 8th December on limited edition 7-inch snow white vinyl (with a gatefold cover), digipack CD, high-resolution and standard-resolution download and streaming. The vinyl, CD and high-resolution download versions of the release will feature a ‘b’ side called Snowfalls.
The artwork for Merry Christmas has been painted by Sarah Louise Ewing and will also feature on a new range of Christmas cards.
A donation to the Night Stop homelessness charity will be made for every copy of the vinyl, CD, download and Christmas card sold.
Merry Christmas is available to pre-order now from the band’s official stores:
https://www.burningshed.com/store/bigbigtrain/
(for vinyl and CD pre-orders)
https://www.themerchdesk.com
(for vinyl and CD pre-orders, Christmas cards and other merchandise)
Merry Christmas is also available to pre-order from Amazon, HMV and other good online and high-street record stores.
The high-resolution (24/96) download version of Merry Christmas will be available to buy on Big Big Train’s Bandcamp shop on the 8th December:
https://bigbigtrain.bandcamp.com/
Big Big Train vocalist David Longdon says: ‘Merry Christmas is a song about rediscovering our childlike belief in the magic of Christmas, despite living in an over commercial and sometimes cynical world. After all, what wouldn’t you give to believe again, like you believed back then?’
Alongside Big Big Train’s full line-up which performed recently at the band’s three sold-out shows at Cadogan Hall in London, Merry Christmas features the beautiful singing of The Chapel Choir Choristers of Jesus College, Cambridge.
Bass player Greg Spawton: ‘We wanted Merry Christmas to be a proper Christmas song. Christmas music needs a choir, a brass band and, of course, sleigh bells’.
The promotional film for Merry Christmas stars Mark Benton and will be premiered on the 1st December.

If it's got the same general style and feel of a song like "Wassail", I'll be excited.

I saw this yesterday and meant to post about it, so thank you Fritzinger for doing so - I also updated the thread title to reflect the new release. Agreed, this band has been on fire this and last year, with so much new music! I'm worried that we'll go through a drought of two or three years until their next big release, though, which, from what I gathered last time, will be a concept album (so it'll probably be something big and long). They also have their multi-volume Retrospective of old songs re-recorded by the current line-up, so I look forward to hearing that whenever they get around to it.

Until then, I've pre-ordered the single CD from  burningshed and look forward to hearing it in a few weeks!

-Marc.
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Offline Fritzinger

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Re: Big Big Train v. Merry Christmas (New Single out on December 8th!!!)
« Reply #184 on: November 18, 2017, 03:25:53 AM »
I think they should all the time they need, and I'm sure their next album will kick ass.

Also I hope that if they rerecord old music, they rerecord  full albums (although I somehow doubt it).
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Offline The Letter M

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Re: Big Big Train v. Merry Christmas (New Single out on December 8th!!!)
« Reply #185 on: December 08, 2017, 09:18:09 AM »
The new single is out today, available for listen and purchase on Bandcamp. I ordered the CD from Burningshed but went ahead and bought it digitally from Bandcamp cuz I couldn't wait. It's a great single, both songs are what I'd expect, but the end of Snowfalls is particularly noteworthy.

-Marc.
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Offline The Letter M

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Re: Big Big Train v. Merry Christmas (New Single out on December 8th!!!)
« Reply #186 on: December 11, 2017, 07:13:57 PM »
So it's been a few days since the single came out and I'm wondering if anyone else here has heard it yet? Roe, Fritz? Bueller?

The A-side is pretty good, very festive and uplifting in its chorus, but the verses point out some of the darkness that the holidays have turned into in recent decades, which is a bit of a sad thing. They do a great job of breathing life into the sort of mythical air of Christmas and the magical splendor it holds in the eyes of children, and so having the boys choir at the end really helps sell that child-like innocence that Christmas can hold.

The B-side is the stand-out, though, with an ending that blows my mind. It's hard to describe, but it builds up and crescendos with such great release that it's one of the most satisfying endings I've heard to a song like it in awhile. Everything about "Snowfalls" is absolutely stellar and must be heard for any BBT fan.

Hope to hear what you other guys have to say about this single. I've been listening to it all weekend and it's gotten me back in the mood for a BBT binge, which is perfect music for the holidays without being directly Christmas music.

-Marc.
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Offline soupytwist

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Re: Big Big Train v. Merry Christmas (New Single out on December 8th!!!)
« Reply #187 on: December 12, 2017, 01:15:28 AM »
So it's been a few days since the single came out and I'm wondering if anyone else here has heard it yet? Roe, Fritz? Bueller?

The A-side is pretty good, very festive and uplifting in its chorus, but the verses point out some of the darkness that the holidays have turned into in recent decades, which is a bit of a sad thing. They do a great job of breathing life into the sort of mythical air of Christmas and the magical splendor it holds in the eyes of children, and so having the boys choir at the end really helps sell that child-like innocence that Christmas can hold.

The B-side is the stand-out, though, with an ending that blows my mind. It's hard to describe, but it builds up and crescendos with such great release that it's one of the most satisfying endings I've heard to a song like it in awhile. Everything about "Snowfalls" is absolutely stellar and must be heard for any BBT fan.

Hope to hear what you other guys have to say about this single. I've been listening to it all weekend and it's gotten me back in the mood for a BBT binge, which is perfect music for the holidays without being directly Christmas music.

-Marc.

I can only find 'Merry Christmas' on iTunes UK, 'Snowfall' doesn't appear.   I haven't download Merry Christmas yet as I'm hoping a version with Snowfall will appear soon.

Offline Fritzinger

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Re: Big Big Train v. Merry Christmas (New Single out on December 8th!!!)
« Reply #188 on: December 12, 2017, 05:32:35 AM »
Both songs are absolutely beautiful, as expected (at least by me). Snowfalls is a typical BBT song which every fan will love. The ending is stunning.

I am falling in love with this band more and more !!!
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Offline The Letter M

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Re: Big Big Train v. Merry Christmas (New Single out on December 8th!!!)
« Reply #189 on: December 18, 2017, 02:36:21 PM »
After ten days, I still find myself listening to the two new songs nearly every day, sometimes a few times each day. At work, I began a mini-EP version of the album on my playlist, which adds a few more holiday/Christmas-time or sounding songs after the single proper.

Merry Christmas
Snowfalls
Meadowland
British Racing Green
Wassail
The Second Brightest Star
A Mead Hall In Winter

I initially didn't include Meadowland or TSBS, but several fellow Passengers (what we call BBT fans in the BBT group on facebook) suggested those two tunes, and I was OK with adding at least Meadowland given its lyrical/musical connection to AMHIW. With TSBS, the mellow feel of the song definitely feels wintery to my ears, so it was a fine addition.

Snowfalls is a typical BBT song which every fan will love. The ending is stunning.

I know, right?! The ending of Snowfalls is astonishing, one of my favorite musical moments in any new song I've heard this year!

-Marc.
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Offline RoeDent

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Re: Big Big Train v. Merry Christmas (New Single out on December 8th!!!)
« Reply #190 on: January 01, 2018, 11:42:15 AM »
Some sad news to start 2018, I'm afraid. Andy Poole is leaving after 28 years aboard the Train.

https://teamrock.com/news/2018-01-01/andy-poole-to-leave-big-big-train

Offline The Letter M

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Re: Big Big Train v. Merry Christmas (New Single out on December 8th!!!)
« Reply #191 on: January 01, 2018, 01:03:59 PM »
Some sad news to start 2018, I'm afraid. Andy Poole is leaving after 28 years aboard the Train.

https://teamrock.com/news/2018-01-01/andy-poole-to-leave-big-big-train

That's a real bummer. Not the kind of New Years news I like to see, but I hope he left in truly amicable terms and all. Seems like it, at least on the surface, but it sucks that one of the founding members of the band has decided to leave. His contributions will be missed, though he hasn't written/co-written any music since "Hedgerow" on English Electric Part 1. I wonder who they'll get to replace him for the live performances? Perhaps a former BBT member? Another Swedish musician? Another former Spock's Beard member? :lol

-Marc.
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Offline Fritzinger

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Re: Big Big Train v. Merry Christmas (New Single out on December 8th!!!)
« Reply #192 on: January 02, 2018, 06:19:03 AM »
Some sad news to start 2018, I'm afraid. Andy Poole is leaving after 28 years aboard the Train.

https://teamrock.com/news/2018-01-01/andy-poole-to-leave-big-big-train

That's a real bummer. Not the kind of New Years news I like to see, but I hope he left in truly amicable terms and all. Seems like it, at least on the surface, but it sucks that one of the founding members of the band has decided to leave. His contributions will be missed, though he hasn't written/co-written any music since "Hedgerow" on English Electric Part 1. I wonder who they'll get to replace him for the live performances? Perhaps a former BBT member? Another Swedish musician? Another former Spock's Beard member? :lol

-Marc.

Please not Ryo :D


Although it sucks that Andy is leaving, I love the way he revealed this online. Man, this band is so incredibly classy.
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Offline Evermind

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Re: Big Big Train v. Merry Christmas (New Single out on December 8th!!!)
« Reply #193 on: January 13, 2018, 03:35:31 AM »
Finally listened to Grimspound, which is a first full BBT album for me—I've heard a song or two from English Electric and Folklore, but didn't check the full albums—and I think it's safe to say I liked it. The second half is probably my favourite, with The Ivy Gate, A Mead Hall in Winter and As the Crow Flies all being great songs. The album also starts very strong with Brave Captain, but I think it loses a bit of steam after that.

It was only two listens, so I don't remember anything from the title track, and I remember actively disliking vocal melodies in Experimental Gentlemen (this was the only song I didn't like). Still, overall impression was really positive.

I suppose I'll go backwards and check Folklore next.
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Offline Fritzinger

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Re: Big Big Train v. Merry Christmas (New Single out on December 8th!!!)
« Reply #194 on: January 13, 2018, 02:42:21 PM »
Cool, another future BBT passenger :) Don't worry, once you've really gotten into the band, there's no going back.

Folklore is a little more "round" in its entirety I'd say, Grimspound seems a wee bit more rough to me (BBT is never rough but compared to the other albums I mean). What I love about Folklore (and other BBT albums) are the brass arrangements. Grimspound does not have those.

I'd say their most adventurous albums are The Difference Machine and The Underfall Yard, with the last one being a real masterpiece.

Oh, be sure to get the "full" Folklore version with the Wassail EP songs included (basically the vinyl tracklist)! Welcome aboard  :rollin
any rock can be made to roll

Offline The Letter M

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Re: Big Big Train v. Merry Christmas (New Single out on December 8th!!!)
« Reply #195 on: January 13, 2018, 10:54:08 PM »
Welcome aboard, Evermind. If you're at Grimspound, definitely head backwards, and hopefully you'll like more of what you find. I'll echo Fritzinger's comments that you should listen to the "complete" Folklore tracklist, the vinyl version, which you can find on their Bandcamp page available for streaming and purchase. It's really the best way to listen to it, though with the updated/expanded version of "London Place" from The Second Brightest Star, it's a bit less complete. Either way, it's a great album overall, one of my faves.

After that, check out English Electric Full Power, which combines both parts of the separately released English Electric albums with songs from the Make Some Noise EP, mixing up the tracks a bit and creating a very well put together double album that feels cohesive, as if it was meant to be that way from the get go. Before Folklore, it was easily my go-to BBT album, and not just because I'm a sucker for double albums.

After all of THAT, hit up The Underfall Yard and Far Skies Deep Time, which is getting a re-release this year with ALL SIX tracks finally available on one disc - it was released with two different opening tracks; "Kingmaker", a re-recording of an old demo track, and "Master Of Time", a recording of an Anthony Phillips (of Genesis fame) demo track. Both albums are where modern BBT started their beautiful rise to musical perfection. The inclusion of David Longdon as a vocalist and writer really changed how the band put music together, and having Nick D'Virgilio on board full-time made some difference too.

But I am getting ahead of myself. Check those albums out and enjoy! Let us few BBT fans know what you think! :tup

-Marc.
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Offline Fritzinger

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Re: Big Big Train v. Merry Christmas (New Single out on December 8th!!!)
« Reply #196 on: January 14, 2018, 03:50:38 AM »
No one in this forum will ever listen to BBT and then tell us about it  :lol

Forum member: So I've listened to this one BBT alb-
BBT fans: YOU SHOULD TOTALLY LISTEN TO THIS ONE AS WELL AND THE ONE BEFORE IS GREAT TOO YOU'LL LOVE IT GIVE IT A SPIN NOW
Forum member: Right

 :rollin
any rock can be made to roll

Offline majo

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Re: Big Big Train v. Merry Christmas (New Single out on December 8th!!!)
« Reply #197 on: January 14, 2018, 03:57:33 AM »
Welcome aboard, Evermind. If you're at Grimspound, definitely head backwards, and hopefully you'll like more of what you find. I'll echo Fritzinger's comments that you should listen to the "complete" Folklore tracklist, the vinyl version, which you can find on their Bandcamp page available for streaming and purchase. It's really the best way to listen to it, though with the updated/expanded version of "London Place" from The Second Brightest Star, it's a bit less complete. Either way, it's a great album overall, one of my faves.

After that, check out English Electric Full Power, which combines both parts of the separately released English Electric albums with songs from the Make Some Noise EP, mixing up the tracks a bit and creating a very well put together double album that feels cohesive, as if it was meant to be that way from the get go. Before Folklore, it was easily my go-to BBT album, and not just because I'm a sucker for double albums.

After all of THAT, hit up The Underfall Yard and Far Skies Deep Time, which is getting a re-release this year with ALL SIX tracks finally available on one disc - it was released with two different opening tracks; "Kingmaker", a re-recording of an old demo track, and "Master Of Time", a recording of an Anthony Phillips (of Genesis fame) demo track. Both albums are where modern BBT started their beautiful rise to musical perfection. The inclusion of David Longdon as a vocalist and writer really changed how the band put music together, and having Nick D'Virgilio on board full-time made some difference too.

But I am getting ahead of myself. Check those albums out and enjoy! Let us few BBT fans know what you think! :tup

-Marc.
+1
but but but... we are not few at all  :tup
Life's too short to remove USB safely.

Offline RoeDent

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Re: Big Big Train v. Merry Christmas (New Single out on December 8th!!!)
« Reply #198 on: January 14, 2018, 11:12:35 AM »
Far Skies Deep Time, which is getting a re-release this year with ALL SIX tracks finally available on one disc - it was released with two different opening tracks; "Kingmaker", a re-recording of an old demo track, and "Master Of Time", a recording of an Anthony Phillips (of Genesis fame) demo track.

Ooh! Really? Sometimes it pays to wait to buy an album.

Offline The Letter M

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Re: Big Big Train v. Merry Christmas (New Single out on December 8th!!!)
« Reply #199 on: January 14, 2018, 10:41:09 PM »
+1
but but but... we are not few at all  :tup

Well, at least here it seems like there's only a handful of Passengers posting on this board, so it warms my heart to see more people getting into BBT's beautiful music!

Far Skies Deep Time, which is getting a re-release this year with ALL SIX tracks finally available on one disc - it was released with two different opening tracks; "Kingmaker", a re-recording of an old demo track, and "Master Of Time", a recording of an Anthony Phillips (of Genesis fame) demo track.

Ooh! Really? Sometimes it pays to wait to buy an album.

Oh yes, it was released last year through a special distributor but this year, the band get the rights to release it themselves through the usual outlets, so check the band's FB page for news and updates on that. Here's the discogs page if you want more info:
https://www.discogs.com/Big-Big-Train-Far-Skies-Deep-Time/release/11194962

It places "Master Of Time" at the end, but personally speaking, I've always placed it at Track Two, mostly because "The Wide Open Sea" is a great way to close the EP (well, album at this length), but I liked the flow of MOT into "Fat Billy Shouts Mine". I also wanted to keep "Kingmaker" as the opener because it works SO WELL in that position, so I highly suggest that alternative track list whenever you rip the disc.

Personally speaking, I already own the 2010 release from English Electric Recordings (which had "Master Of Time"), and was fortunate enough to have purchase the PROG magazine issue that had "Kingmaker" on it, so I had all I needed for a complete version of FSDT already, but I think this new release features some new mixing and/or mastering, so I may upgrade. Double-dipping has never stopped me before with BBT!

-Marc.
ATTENTION - HAKEN FANS! The HAKEN SURVIVOR 2023 has begun! You can check it out in the Polls/Survivors Forum!!!

Offline RoeDent

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Re: Big Big Train v. Merry Christmas (New Single out on December 8th!!!)
« Reply #200 on: January 15, 2018, 01:35:14 AM »
I probably will put it in the order you said, M. I actually did just assume that was the order it would be in, tbh. Putting the 'epic' second-to-last is not really my favourite way of structuring an album, tbh. It seems to be the way with a lot of albums lately, including several of BBT's (EEFP, Folklore, Grimspound).

Offline Fritzinger

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Re: Big Big Train v. Merry Christmas (New Single out on December 8th!!!)
« Reply #201 on: January 15, 2018, 01:44:58 AM »
Man I wish they would release Far Skies Deep Time on vinyl  :'( This is just an EP but everything on there is good enough to make Far Skies a "real" album... But I guess they will never release it on vinyl :(
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Offline Evermind

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Re: Big Big Train v. Merry Christmas (New Single out on December 8th!!!)
« Reply #202 on: January 15, 2018, 09:21:37 AM »
No one in this forum will ever listen to BBT and then tell us about it  :lol

Forum member: So I've listened to this one BBT alb-
BBT fans: YOU SHOULD TOTALLY LISTEN TO THIS ONE AS WELL AND THE ONE BEFORE IS GREAT TOO YOU'LL LOVE IT GIVE IT A SPIN NOW
Forum member: Right

 :rollin

Right. :lol
This first band is Soen very cool swingy jazz fusion kinda stuff.

Offline RoeDent

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Re: Big Big Train v. Farewell Andy Poole, Founding Member (Effective 1/1/18)
« Reply #203 on: April 28, 2018, 03:42:57 AM »
It's a year today since Grimspound came out. I'm listening to it now in honour of the occasion. I think it took a little bit longer for it to sink in for me than Folklore did, but it certainly has now and it's a fantastic listen!

Favourite tracks a year on?

Offline Fritzinger

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Re: Big Big Train v. Farewell Andy Poole, Founding Member (Effective 1/1/18)
« Reply #204 on: April 29, 2018, 07:51:39 AM »
From day one, and still today, A Mead Hall In Winter! That chorus is just magnificent.
I think Grimspound is also very cool, with its latin (?) outro (similar to Transit Of Venus) and the very dark Ivy Gate.

The only thing that's missing on this album are the beautiful brass arrangement (especially present on Folklore and Underfall). But considering Grimspound started out as some leftovers from Folklore, this is one hell of an album.
any rock can be made to roll

Offline The Letter M

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From May 15th...

Quote
Big Big Train will be releasing a live album called “Merchants of Light” on 27th July.

“Merchants of Light” will be released as a triple vinyl box set and as a two CD digipack. Download and streaming versions will also be available.

The album includes the best performance of each song played at the band’s sold out Cadogan Hall, London shows which took place in the autumn last year.

Big Big Train will also be releasing a single ahead of the “Merchants of Light” album. The single, which will be released on 13th July, features a live recording of “Swan Hunter” and a 2018 remix of the studio version of the song which originally featured on the English Electric album.

The single also includes two previously unreleased tracks: a new version of “Seen Better Days” which features Tim Bowness on vocals alongside Big Big Train’s singer, David Longdon, and a live studio recording of “Summer’s Lease”.

Pre-orders for “Merchants of Light” and “Swan Hunter” are now available at the band’s official stores, Burning Shed and The Merch Desk:

https://www.burningshed.com/store/bigbigtrain/

https://themerchdesk.com/merchdesk/index.php?route=product/category&path=87_115&page=2

Vinyl Box Set


Cover

Folklore Overture
Folklore
Brave Captain
Last Train
London Plane
Meadowland
A Mead Hall in Winter
Experimental Gentlemen part two
Swan Hunter
Judas Unrepentant
The Transit of Venus Across the Sun
East Coast Racer
Telling the Bees
Victorian Brickwork
Drums and Brass
Wassail

Swan Hunter Single

Swan Hunter (radio edit)
Swan Hunter (2018 remix)
Swan Hunter (live at Cadogan Hall, London, October 2017)
Seen Better Days (the brass band’s final piece)
Summer’s Lease (live at Real World Studios, April 2017)

-Marc.
ATTENTION - HAKEN FANS! The HAKEN SURVIVOR 2023 has begun! You can check it out in the Polls/Survivors Forum!!!

Offline Fritzinger

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Crap, I actually saw this, and already pre-ordered the vinyl set (I'm running out of f**kin money...) but totally forgot to post it here! I'm such a bad forum buddy  :blush
any rock can be made to roll

Offline The Letter M

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Crap, I actually saw this, and already pre-ordered the vinyl set (I'm running out of f**kin money...) but totally forgot to post it here! I'm such a bad forum buddy  :blush

Eh, me too, I saw the posts on FB 9 days ago and just never got around to updating this thread (though I have been extremely busy with/at work over the last couple of weeks).

That vinyl set probably will be really beautiful, but I don't have the money or space for it, and it doesn't seem like the CDs are coming with it from the description. Either way, I've got the MOL CD set, the Swan Hunter single, and the 2018 reissue of Far Skies Deep Time sitting in my Burning Shed cart...debating if I want to spend more money right now...

-Marc.
ATTENTION - HAKEN FANS! The HAKEN SURVIVOR 2023 has begun! You can check it out in the Polls/Survivors Forum!!!

Offline Fritzinger

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Crap, I actually saw this, and already pre-ordered the vinyl set (I'm running out of f**kin money...) but totally forgot to post it here! I'm such a bad forum buddy  :blush

Eh, me too, I saw the posts on FB 9 days ago and just never got around to updating this thread (though I have been extremely busy with/at work over the last couple of weeks).

That vinyl set probably will be really beautiful, but I don't have the money or space for it, and it doesn't seem like the CDs are coming with it from the description. Either way, I've got the MOL CD set, the Swan Hunter single, and the 2018 reissue of Far Skies Deep Time sitting in my Burning Shed cart...debating if I want to spend more money right now...

-Marc.

Totally get it. But when it comes to BBT, I just want it all. Love this band. And they specifically wrote under the boxset, that this will be the only pressing on vinyl ever.
There's also so many other great vinyl releases I can't miss, but can't really afford either :D Like Gilmour's Pompeii album, Pink Floyd Pulse, Led Zeppelin How The West Was Won, the Yes Steven Wilson remixes... plus Noise Floor, The Sea Within. Guess I'll have to live from frozen pizza and water for a few weeks now.
any rock can be made to roll

Offline The Letter M

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Crap, I actually saw this, and already pre-ordered the vinyl set (I'm running out of f**kin money...) but totally forgot to post it here! I'm such a bad forum buddy  :blush

Eh, me too, I saw the posts on FB 9 days ago and just never got around to updating this thread (though I have been extremely busy with/at work over the last couple of weeks).

That vinyl set probably will be really beautiful, but I don't have the money or space for it, and it doesn't seem like the CDs are coming with it from the description. Either way, I've got the MOL CD set, the Swan Hunter single, and the 2018 reissue of Far Skies Deep Time sitting in my Burning Shed cart...debating if I want to spend more money right now...

-Marc.

Totally get it. But when it comes to BBT, I just want it all. Love this band. And they specifically wrote under the boxset, that this will be the only pressing on vinyl ever.
There's also so many other great vinyl releases I can't miss, but can't really afford either :D Like Gilmour's Pompeii album, Pink Floyd Pulse, Led Zeppelin How The West Was Won, the Yes Steven Wilson remixes... plus Noise Floor, The Sea Within. Guess I'll have to live from frozen pizza and water for a few weeks now.

Understandable - I'm just glad I don't care about collecting vinyl albums. It's pretty pricey, especially with shipping from overseas to the US. I only have less than 20 vinyl albums (most of them have Neal Morse on them, being SB and TA), but other than that, 98% of my music collection is CDs. I just wouldn't have the space for vinyl - heck, I barely have enough room with my 6-foot 4-sided CD media tower as it is!

Besides, I have several other hobbies/obsessions my bank account needs to fuel other than music, so I'm trying to spend wisely... key word "trying".  :lol :huh: :'(

-Marc.
ATTENTION - HAKEN FANS! The HAKEN SURVIVOR 2023 has begun! You can check it out in the Polls/Survivors Forum!!!