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░ ██ ██ Artist: Big Big Train ██ ██
▓ █░░ ■█ Album: Folklore █■ ░░█
■ █▓▀ █ Year: 2016 █ ▀▓█ ░
█ ▓ Rel. Date: 2017-01-03 ▓ █
▒ ▒ Genre: Progressive Rock ▒ ▒
█▄ ░ Label: English Electric Recordings ░ ▄█
░ █▄ ░ Source: CD ░ ▄█
░ █▓ Type: Album ▓█ ░
▓ █ Quality: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo █ ░ ▓
▓ █ █ ░ ▓
▄ ■ ■ ▓ ■
░█ █░ ▀
█ 'Great album' is a Big Big Refrain for Big Big █
█ Train, as their latest album "Folklore" is another █
█ stellar achievement in their career, pretty much 6 █
█ in a row since "Gathering Speed", back in 2004. █
█ Now firmly established with a solid core of █
█ devoted musicians, this amazing band has reached █
█ pretty much the prog throne, left vacant by the █
█ dormant Porcupine Tree and with little challengers █
█ looming on the horizon. Their exemplary sound and █
█ vision has enthralled a wide cross section of the █
█ progressive community, recognizing those precious █
█ elements that make prog so, well,? progressive! █
█ Everything is first class, from the artwork, the █
█ production, the clear arrangements, the █
█ magnificent melodies, the lyrics and mostly, the █
█ creative delivery that is effortlessly █
█ jaw-dropping. David Longdon is speedily becoming a █
█ world class vocalist while shedding his 'Gabriel █
█ meets Collins' clone label which was once quite █
█ apparent but now has morphed into his own style █
█ altogether. Greg Spawton is a clever composer and █
█ slick guitarist, especially when regularly flanked █
█ by the mythical Dave Gregory of XTC fame. The bass █
█ duties are ably handled by co-leader Andy Poole █
█ whose imprint on their style is indelible. Nick █
█ D'Virgilio needs no introduction, he is simply one █
█ of the top 5 rock drummers on the planet with a █
█ career path that rivals the very best of his █
█ craft. The recent addition of Rikard Sjoblom of █
█ Beardfish adds even more keyboard splendor, █
█ dueling with Dave Manners on all matter of █
█ ivories. Solid crew! █
█ The seven and a half minute title track sets the █
█ tone from the get go, a forceful romp that █
█ showcases Longdon's incredible mastery over his █
█ lungs, tempestuous organ and tortuous guitar █
█ solos, all expertly held together by the █
█ Poole-D'Virgilio tandem, with occasional █
█ synthesizer blasts, some deft flute trills and █
█ Rachel Hall's violin. The crew wastes little time █
█ delving into an epic ride on "London Plane", a █
█ slick trip down memory lane as Longdon masterfully █
█ displays his Gabriel-esque rasp, a swirling █
█ adventure that takes its 10 minute timeline █
█ perfectly, evoking a variety of soft yet █
█ passionate emotions , very English. The pastoral █
█ feel is augmented by the bucolic interface of █
█ exquisite acoustic guitar and slippery violin, █
█ furthered by some aggressive electric guitar █
█ phrasings that underline what a huge axeman Dave █
█ Gregory is. Soaring vocals exude strong British █
█ tendencies verging on nostalgic but these █
█ musicians have always had a very historical █
█ perspective on their craft, and rightly so. They █
█ are not interested in re- inventing the prog █
█ wheel, just perfecting it! I always tire of █
█ supposed music experts who constantly rail at prog █
█ not being innovative enough! Really? As compared █
█ to what? Pop? Metal? Progressive rock has polished █
█ itself into a well- defined art form, which is why █
█ it has survived torrents of petty ridicule and █
█ indignant scorn from the ignorant and profiteering █
█ masses (which continues today on the net). █
█ The pensive and innocent "Along the Ridgeway" █
█ seeks to perpetuate this unruffled solemnity, a █
█ glorious melody shaped by some startling backing █
█ vocals, providing lead singer Longdon with the █
█ spotlight to decorate the melody with his powerful █
█ and heartfelt voice, aided by some sparkling █
█ piano, violin and organ additions. Its companion █
█ piece "Salisbury Giant" serves to elevate the mood █
█ further, raising it to a loftier plane, the violin █
█ carving the delicate purity of a melancholic past. █
█ The contrast between puerile and mature is simply █
█ breathtaking. █
█ Staring at the stars is surely a habit for the █
█ curious and wandering artistic mind and "The █
█ Transit between Venus across the Moon" addresses █
█ the vastness of our universe whether external or █
█ internal, and the symphonics really shine through █
█ majestically, including strings and woodwinds to █
█ add a sense of endless discovery. David Longdon's █
█ raspy lilt does wonders here, delivering the █
█ urgent and despairing lyrics with apparent control █
█ and stellar dedication. A whirlwind guitar solo █
█ spirals lovingly amid the dense orchestrations, █
█ like some shining comet gliding intensely through █
█ the glittering space of time and matter. █
█ The sprightly "Wassail" is strongly reminiscent of █
█ more modern British prog-folk, as I could not help █
█ drawing slight comparisons to old Traffic circa █
█ 'John Barleycorn must Die', both in the rampant █
█ organ churning up a storm, as well as Longdon █
█ doing a lil Stevie Winwood vocal and the overall █
█ energy in the endearing contrasts between pastoral █
█ serenity and bluesy wail. 'The apple of my eye', █
█ indeed! This is quite an energetic tune, almost █
█ beckoning an impromptu sing along in the pub █
█ reaction. The slick fiddle section furthers the █
█ bucolic feel. █
█ The rather stunning surprise track here is without █
█ a doubt the rollicking "Winkie", an evolution of █
█ the previous piece, highly cinematographic, as if █
█ some soundtrack composition with amazing singing, █
█ both lead and backing and including some █
█ effect-laden radio voices to add to the score. █
█ D'Virgilio thumps enchantingly, driving the mood █
█ with aplomb, thus giving the lead voice the █
█ perfect platform to bellow strong and proudly. █
█ Plenty of shifts and turns, swerves and reversals █
█ to keep the most ambitious listener content, the █
█ kaleidoscope of sounds presented are brilliantly █
█ portrayed and evoked with heartfelt zeal. █
█ The longest piece is the nearly 13 minute █
█ extravaganza "Brooklands" and aims at the █
█ poignancy heartstrings, muscled by a sensational █
█ bass and drum foundation, as well as a series of █
█ speedboat soloists that slither over the brooding █
█ waves with apparent comfort, powered by musical █
█ engines of eternal drive. The sizzling guitar █
█ breaks are phenomenal, the flute interventions █
█ perfect, D'Virgilio pounding masterfully like some █
█ race car driver gone berserk, while Longdon cries █
█ wonderfully into his microphone, all contributing █
█ to anointing this epic with the highest praise, █
█ perfect BBT's highest evolution yet. 'Lucky man', █
█ indeed! █
█ This impressive set list finally rests upon the █
█ laurels of a gentle breeze, bees fluttering in the █
█ sunshine, an unpretentious ballad that seeks no █
█ progressive challenge, nothing more than a melodic █
█ au revoir that is both comfortable and content. █
█ Longdon does sound a lot like Uncle Phil here, but █
█ the delicacy of the slithering countrified guitar █
█ solo (is that you Mr.Gregory?), the relaxed piano █
█ and strings , as well of the gentle choir █
█ background exude tears of happiness flowing down █
█ some cheek. Unpretentious and beautiful. █
█ In all honesty, both "English Electric" chapters █
█ left me only slightly satisfied, perhaps needing █
█ more of a revisit that I had initially thought , █
█ this gorgeous album on the other hand seems █
█ overtly more concise, attractive and seductive. █
█ Maturity, vision and team work has paid off █
█ handsomely, with a truly distinctive set-list of █
█ brilliant songs, with determination and principled █
█ vision. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ As the title suggests, on Folklore Big Big Train █
█ take a more folk-oriented spin on their █
█ nostalgia-themed Genesis- inspired prog. The folk █
█ influences peak, to my ear at least, on Wassail, a █
█ bid to go into full-on folk territory at points █
█ which doesn't quite work. Overall, the album seems █
█ to me to adopt the more gentle, sedentary approach █
█ of the second English Electric album and take it █
█ further, to a point where I can't really follow █
█ it; it doesn't help that I can sit through a whole █
█ listen of the album and then discover to my █
█ surprise that it's finished without successfully █
█ making a single lasting impression on me. It isn't █
█ boring, as such - it's quite pleasant from █
█ beginning to end - but it regularly threatens to █
█ become boring. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ While carrying forward some of the bombast of the █
█ previous four releases, I find my self greatly █
█ appreciative of the more laid back songs on this █
█ album. Dave Longdon's vocal approach to the █
█ delivery of these lyrics is also, in my opinion, █
█ an improvement over some of the previous releases. █
█ There is no disputing that he has a wonderful, █
█ powerful, and exciting voice but, as I've said in █
█ the past, I find quite a disconnect in the way he █
█ chooses to sing/deliver the lyrical content with █
█ the meaning/message of the lyrics: Exactly how or █
█ why does one choose to get so emotional--and █
█ loud--when singing about these characters and █
█ scenes from English history? I love the presence █
█ of violin on almost every song (kudos, Andy, Greg █
█ and RACHEL HALL!), as well as that of strings and █
█ horns on many of the songs. Really nice fit with █
█ your music. Maestro Nick D'Virgilio is flawless as █
█ always and Dave Gregory lays down several of my █
█ favorite tracks I've ever heard from him. And of █
█ course, a big shout out to founders Andy Poole and █
█ Greg Spawton: your perseverance and passion has █
█ truly paid off! BBT is a force! █
█ 1. "Folklore" (7:30) the sounds of folk █
█ instruments gives the album's opening some promise █
█ but then the orotund vocal and anthemic background █
█ chorale I don't know why these songs and lyrics █
█ always have to sound so overpowering--as if █
█ they're trying to create rock anthems. (8/10) █
█ 2. "London Plane" (10:10) What?! After what I just █
█ wrote here they go and turn in a 180 degree █
█ turnaround. Tender, delicate, gentle slow pacing, █
█ tasteful (as opposed to pretentious) solos make █
█ this song a very welcome experience. Do I detect a █
█ Richie HAVENS quality to Dave's voice? Awesome! █
█ The revved up middle section for instrumental show █
█ is okay--unnecessary but notably restrained. Then █
█ the finale is sheer prog heaven--with one of my █
█ all-time favorite Dave LONGDON vocal sections in █
█ the ninth and tenth minutes. (9/10) █
█ 3. "Along the Ridgeway" (6:06) opens quite █
█ beautifully, piano and horns interplaying over █
█ bass and drums. Dave's vocal starts out a little █
█ less bombastic than usual, almost delicately--as █
█ do the conjoining background vocals. The second █
█ section with its staccato beat is just as █
█ engaging, though brief, giving way to a new layer █
█ of a weave of strings and picked electric guitar █
█ over which Dave and background vocals continue █
█ their singing. This is a great song--far more █
█ understated and less showy than their other stuff. █
█ At the 3:00 mark a nice instrumental section with █
█ GENESIS-like time signature ensues in which a █
█ Roger McGUINN (THE BYRDS)-like electric 12-string █
█ guitar solo, electric violin, and organ take turns █
█ soloing. At 3:48 the full soundscape continues in █
█ support of Dave's vocal return. Then at 4:15 █
█ things quite down in the background into a kind of █
█ jazzy soundscape before the full strings and horn █
█ sections join in briefly. My favorite song on the █
█ album. I could see this one being doubled in █
█ length. (9/10) █
█ 4. "Salisbury Giant" (3:36) is an odd little duck █
█ in that it opens with a feeling as if it is meant █
█ to be an instrumental interlude as full band with █
█ organ, slide guitar, and strings plod their way █
█ through an interesting GENESIS/BEATLES █
█ conglomeration. The song kind of twists and turns, █
█ never truly establish its identity, until Dave █
█ Longdon's vocals enter for the final 90 seconds. █
█ (8/10) █
█ 5. "The Transit of Venus Across the Sun" (7:18) █
█ opens with Christmas in the park sounding horn █
█ ensemble (which is then joined by violin and more █
█ horns) in a Pachelbel-Yule-ish weave. Then, at the █
█ 1:35, cymbol crescendo closes the door on the █
█ classical instruments and introduces 12-string █
█ guitars, piano, bass and drums in order to support █
█ Dave Longdon while he sings us along a RICHIE █
█ HAVENS-like celestial journey. The third section █
█ of the song that begins at the 4:11 mark notes the █
█ introduction of a chorus of what sounds like Latin █
█ chanting. This shifts into English at 4:45 as the █
█ accompanying instrumental support builds. Then, █
█ just as quickly, everything fades at 5:20 to leave █
█ us with finger-picked 12-string guitar and tuned █
█ percussion before everyone rejoins for Dave's █
█ final vocal and an symphony-supported electric █
█ guitar solo from Dave Gregory. Nice song. A top █
█ three for me. (9/10) █
█ 6. "Wassail" (6:47) takes a kind of bombastic █
█ approach to medieval troubadour song. THE STRAWBS █
█ were able to do this in the 70s. For my ears and █
█ mind this one is just a little too over the █
█ top--especially the chorus and the lead vocal █
█ overall. The instrumental foundation is awesome, █
█ it just gets too powerful in the chorus sections. █
█ (8/10) █
█ 7. "Winkie" (8:26) I think this one is intended to █
█ tell a war hero story in a kind of KATE █
█ BUSH-JETHRO TULL way. This one takes me back to █
█ 2004's World War II-oriented Gathering Speed. Good █
█ song with nice bass play throughout. (8/10) █
█ 8. "Brooklands" (12:38) opens in what feels and █
█ sounds like a very typical (formulaic) BBT way. █
█ Nice pace with batterie master Nick D'Virgilo's █
█ typically syncopated drumming, Dave Longdon's █
█ typcially impassioned vocals, and Dave Gregory's █
█ distinctive guitar sound. Again, not being a █
█ lyrically-oriented music listener, I wonder how █
█ much of the music is lost on me because I take no █
█ joy or meaning from the words; vocals are merely █
█ another instrumental melody line added into the █
█ music. There are some nice sections to this █
█ song--like the "lucky man" section of the sixth █
█ minute and the ensuing GENESIS-like instrumental █
█ section (which is pretty amazing--especially █
█ Nick's work). But overall, once again, full █
█ engagement and full impact are lost on me. (8/10) █
█ 9. "Telling the Bees" (6:03) offers a nice shift █
█ in sound for first 40 seconds--a kind of early █
█ ERIC CLAPTON or STEVE WINWOOD sound and style. █
█ Plus, it's a love song. And a good one at that! █
█ Great pedal steel guitar solo! My final top three █
█ song from the album. (9/10) █
█ Not a masterpiece but a solid four star album: █
█ Excellent addition to any prog rock music █
█ collection. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ My second Big Big Train acquisition after "English █
█ Electric" and an album I felt somewhat essential █
█ to my collection. Not only had I been entertaining █
█ the idea of purchasing another BBT album but the █
█ artwork impressed me so, and furthermore, for the █
█ first time since becoming a member on PA, I was █
█ actually interested in purchasing new releases of █
█ the year. █
█ After a few listens to the whole album plus █
█ additional listens to selected tracks, my █
█ lingering impression is that this band have a █
█ knack for musical perfection. First, they know █
█ their place as a progressive rock/folk band; the █
█ music embraces both the electric and rockin' side █
█ when called for but also keeps a firm handle on █
█ the folk side with its accoutrement of acoustic █
█ instruments such as acoustic guitar, violin, █
█ viola, cello, flute, mandolin, and even accordion. █
█ Dave Longdon, who initially left me with the █
█ impression that he sounded a lot like Genesis-era █
█ Peter Gabriel when I first heard "English █
█ Electric", has now proven to me he has his own █
█ distinct voice. █
█ As can be expected from this band, the nine songs █
█ offered here are carefully crafted with lyrics █
█ poetically depicting English imagery, history, and █
█ folklore and sung with expression and feeling. The █
█ instruments contribute with an impeccable sense █
█ for timing and mood. The drums come in with a █
█ shuffle or jazzy intro, or roll and rock the █
█ skins. The piano lays down beautiful blossoming █
█ paths while the organ throws out meaty notes. The █
█ band can play for speed and complexity, subtlety █
█ and grace, tension and atmosphere. Just listen to █
█ that foreboding intro to "Salisbury Giant" or see █
█ the pigeons take flight with the flutes in █
█ "Winkie". Swing your pint glass of apple cider to █
█ "Wassail" and smile to the endearing lyrics and █
█ melody of "Telling the Bees". █
█ Yes, this is an album that has been crafted to █
█ perfection. And yet there is one nagging thought I █
█ have about it: there are few parts that really █
█ make my ears prick up and have me asking, "What █
█ track is this? This is fantastic!" I really like █
█ "Winkie" for the story and how the music and █
█ lyrics help create the image of the story. █
█ "Salisbury Giant" has a great intro. "London █
█ Plane" and "Brooklands" have pretty cool █
█ instrumental sections. There's something in each █
█ track really. However, there aren't any songs that █
█ hit me with that extra jolt that has me cuing up █
█ the culprit song for replay day after day. █
█ That final thought aside, the modern prog fan █
█ can't really go wrong with Big Big Train and this █
█ album really shows what they are made of. An easy █
█ four stars with an eye on 4.5. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ Subtle, not bombastic. that's why I think a lot of █
█ people simply don't get Big Big Train. Their music █
█ is rich, complex and full of layers that are hard █
█ to perceive at first listening. Or second. So I █
█ can understand why so many other reviewers seem to █
█ fail to see the point: like 70's Genesis, Big Big █
█ Train is a band that takes you in a gentle way, █
█ with a music that seems to be simpler that it █
█ really is, even banal if you don't pay close █
█ attention. But if you do, you?ll find pure gold. I █
█ had this new CD for several months and I █
█ deliberately delay a review because I wanted to be █
█ sure if my first impression was right. It sounded █
█ like a masterpiece when i got the album. After █
█ dozens of spins I can assure now with much more █
█ confidence: it IS a masterpiece. I had my doubts █
█ if this band could deliver such an outstanding █
█ work after already producing such brilliant albums █
█ like The Underfall yard and English Electric parts █
█ I and II. But they did it. And I'm very happy the █
█ chance to review such fine piece of art. █
█ I already had their EP Wassail, that showed the █
█ band at their peak, promising a full CD that could █
█ actually match its precedents. In fact, after the █
█ band recruited singer/multi instrumentalist David █
█ Longdon it seems they found, finally, the right █
█ chemistry that so many prog acts seem to look for █
█ all their lives: the right balance between the old █
█ and new, the simple and complex, originality and █
█ familiarity. Most important, they know how to █
█ write fine melodies. On this new CD the inclusion █
█ fo violinist Rachel Hall as a permanent member █
█ gave the band a more folk-ish element (hence the █
█ title) that adds very well to their overall sound. █
█ The songwriting is strong as ever, showing the █
█ enormous maturity those guys got since their early █
█ times: all the tracks are great, with no weak █
█ tracks to be found anywhere. The combination of █
█ excellent songs with exquisite arrangements plus █
█ emotional and spotless performances make Folklore █
█ one of the best albums of music in general I've █
█ heard this year. █
█ I won't bother to cite every quality of this CD or █
█ even comment on every track. Suffice to say this █
█ is really a work of art, where every note counts. █
█ Music so well crafted, played and produced that is █
█ hard to believe someone is doing such labor of █
█ love nowadays. It may take a few spins to really █
█ get into Folklore, but you?ll be very well █
█ rewarded if you do. █
█ If you like symphonic progressive music in the █
█ vein of the great bands of the 70's at their peak, █
█ like Genesis, but with originality too and a █
█ modern twist, this one's for you! █
█ █
█ A truly prog masterpiece. █
▓ ▓
▒ ▒
░ 1. Folklore 7:31 ░
░ 2. London Plane 10:10 ░
░ 3. Along the Ridgeway 6:06 ░
░ 4. Salisbury Giant 3:37 ░
░ 5. The Transit of Venus Across the Sun 7:18 ░
░ 6. Wassail 6:47 ░
░ 7. Winkle 8:26 ░
░ 8. Brooklands 12:39 ░
░ 9. Telling the Bees 6:02 ░
░ 68:36 ░
░ ▒ ▒
▓ █ ░ ▓ ░
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