Progarchives, the progressive rock ultimate discography
Big Big Train - Make Some Noise CD (album) cover

MAKE SOME NOISE

Big Big Train

Crossover Prog

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

Bookmark and Share
snelling
4 stars This music is just fantastic. Full of so much emotion and beauty, with subtleties all over the place, the latest ep offering, 'Make Some Noise' is superb. The 'ep' (the length of a vinyl lp) begins with the title track, which sounds like Big Big Train gone commercial. Its good for what it is, but a far cry from the depth of the two real standouts, 'Seen Better Days', and 'Curator of Butterflies'. I don't know why, but the first time I heard the latter, as the closing track from English Electric Vol. 2, I thought it was kind of nice, but nothing special. Now that albums opener, 'East Coast Racer' on the other hand WAS special, and still is, but 'A Curator of Butterflies'? Not really. But hearing the 'branch line edition' here, it, after a few listens, has blossomed to become one of my favorite songs. Ever. Yes, it really is that good, with more passion in a single line than many will produce over the length of an entire cd. And the passion builds throughout the entire piece. It is the perfect autumn anthem. It has become personal. Also, the album includes some of the finest tunes from EE1 and 2, such as the charming, 'Uncle Jack' (love it when the lady sings, 'honeysuckle') and the gorgeous 'Swan Hunter'. 2 more new tracks, the piano based instrumental, 'Edgelands' and 'The Lovers', are both lovely as well. I will also say this is one of the most well performed collection of songs I've heard as well, with fantastic piano rolls, guitars, strings, horns, and such, all weaving and blending into a magnificent sort of art. A type of art that not everyone understands, but those that do cannot possibly imagine how anyone can't. And so, I find this to be among the greatest collection of songs I've heard in ages. The perfect autumn anthem.
Report this review (#1064006)
Posted Sunday, October 20, 2013 | Review Permalink
Walkscore
3 stars Obsolete now, with EE Full-Power.

The Make Some Noise EP came out after the first two EE volumes. It mixes together selected tracks from EE1 and EE2 with four new songs: "Make Some Noise", "Seen Better Days", "Edgelands", and "The Lovers". Of these, there is only one real gem, "Seen Better Days". The others are somewhat blah (while some really like the song "Make Some Nosie", it falls flat for me) and even on the new full-power version of EE, those other three are (for me) the weakest tunes. I guess at the time, they had these four new songs and wanted to present them as somehow part of the EE concept. Not sure why they didn't just make a third EE volume using these and other new songs. In the end, they created the double-CD 'full-power' version of EE, mixing these four new tunes with the two original volumes of EE, while moving around some of the tracks for balance. Because the full-power version is generally available, there is really no reason to pick up this EP, even really for completists (the version of "Keeper of Abbeys" here is a slightly different one, the "branch line edition" version, but I don't find it anything special or worth searching out) . In terms of song quality, this EP is a mix of a couple of greats, but mostly just OK tracks. On its musical merits, I give it 7.0 out of 10 on my 10-point scale, which translates to 3 PA stars. But really, just get the full-power EE.

Report this review (#1743141)
Posted Thursday, July 13, 2017 | Review Permalink
cirrusbay
4 stars Interesting compilation, blending some of the English Electric songs, 2 of which are edited, with some new songs. Of the new songs, 'Seen Better Days' is my favorite, a real standout and among the best of the tracks from the EE sessions, with powerful emotional melodies, some good chord changes, and that wonderful sense of being outside, with the vast, almost-melancholy sense of open space that only Big Big Train can produce, and produces so very well. 'The Lovers' is also good, and the piano segue way leading into it is very nice. The title track is decent, more of a straightforward rocker, but fun and certainly good for what it is. Not a track however that properly represents Big BIg Train. The other tracks are all good ones, I love each of them, particularly Uncle Jack, Swan Hunter and Curator of Butterflies, but when all is said and done, the only thing from Make Some Noise that is not on EE Full Power, are the slightly shorter versions of 2 songs. Four stars for the quality of the material for any that want more of an intro to the band, but really English Electric Full Power is the one to get instead, their magnum opus.
Report this review (#2047273)
Posted Tuesday, October 23, 2018 | Review Permalink

BIG BIG TRAIN Make Some Noise ratings only

chronological order | showing rating only

Post a review of BIG BIG TRAIN Make Some Noise

You must be a forum member to post a review, please register here if you are not.

MEMBERS LOGIN ZONE

As a registered member (register here if not), you can post rating/reviews (& edit later), comments reviews and submit new albums.

You are not logged, please complete authentication before continuing (use forum credentials).

Forum user
Forum password

Copyright Prog Archives, All rights reserved. | Legal Notice | Privacy Policy | Advertise | RSS + syndications

Other sites in the MAC network: JazzMusicArchives.com — jazz music reviews and archives | MetalMusicArchives.com — metal music reviews and archives

Donate monthly and keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever.