BIG BIG TRAIN

After releasing six splendid studio albums between 2007 and 2017, Big Big Train were treading water with this one. Only the first seven tracks were new, and most of them turned out to be rather lacklustre ballads. David Longdon sounds tired when singing about 'the new Elizabethans' in 'Skylon'. He's far more convincing in 'The Passing Widow', which was written by violinist Rachel Hall who also takes up harmony vocals; unfortunately the lyrics are terribly sentimental. Hall did a much better job with 'Haymaking', a jaunty instrumental that shows BBT at their best, providing Tull-like variations on an irresistibly folksy tune. The highlights of the album are the extended versions of 'Brooklands' (17 mins. 33 secs.) and 'London Plane' (13 mins. 14 secs.) that follow. Here the band's playing is highly energetic, and we get to hear some fascinating things. On 'Brooklands', for example, Longdon sounds so much like Peter Gabriel it's uncanny... On 'Turner by the Thames' (a new introduction to 'London Plane') there's an incredible fast passage featuring trombone, cello, flute, electric guitar and piano - all playing together but clearly distinguishable. Eventually all these instruments (including the rhythm section, of course) are enveloped by mellotron in its choral setting (going 'aaah, aaah'): no-one but Big Big Train would have dared it or could have pulled it off. 'London Plane' itself features a couple of brief but crazy organ solos, presumably played by Rikard Sjöblom, and a fast, very Tull-like instrumental workout for flute and electric guitar. (I don't really know what that workout is supposed to be doing in the middle of the tune, but I find it breath-taking.) To round the album off, 'The Gentlemen's Reprise' is another short but exuberant (almost-) instrumental, with virtuoso guitar playing from Dave Gregory.

Verdict:

Two stars for tracks 1, 3, 4, 6 & 7. Three stars for track 5. Four stars for tracks 2, 8, 9, 10.

That leaves us with about 36 minutes of first-rate Symphonic Prog, which is almost as much content as CLOSE TO THE EDGE, so I'll award the entire album three stars.

"The Difference Machine" is the seventh (counting the two demo albums) full-length studio album by UK progressive rock act Big Big Train. The album was released through English Electric Recordings in August 2007. After years of label issues, financial issues, and lineup changes, Big Big Train opted to set up their own label in 2007 (English Electric Recordings) and to start to release their albums (and related projects) through that label. "The Difference Machine" is the first release on English Electric Recordings. It´s the successor to "Gathering Speed" from 2004 and it´s the point where Big Big Train went from being a part-time hobby project to becoming a real professional band (although "Gathering Speed" certainly has its moments of glory too).

Although it wouldn´t be until the release and success of "The Underfall Yard" (English Electric Recordings, December 2009), that Big Big Train would have their final breakthrough, the overall quality of "The Difference Machine" has significantly changed in a positive way compared to the previous releases by the band. Sean Filkins already showed that he had a strong voice and a pleasant melodic delivery (influenced greatly by Peter Gabriel/Phil Collins) on "Gathering Speed", but on "The Difference Machine" he comes into his own and delivers an even stronger vocal performance. The sound production on "The Difference Machine" is also a feature where Big Big Train have succeeded in enhancing the quality of their output. Every album before this one featured decent, but not great sounding production values, while "The Difference Machine" features a professional, organic, and detailed sound production perfectly suiting the band´s progressive rock sound.

Stylistically late 70s Genesis is still a strong influence on the band´s sound (both Yes and King Crimson could also be mentioned as valid influences and there´s a jazz-rock influence heard here and there, which should be mentioned too), but there are also moments of 80s neo-progressive rock, and there are even a few moments where I´m reminded of late 90s/early 00s Porcupine Tree. So Big Big Train have a lot of different influences in their music, and they seamlessly combine them into their own sound. This is both melodic, beautiful, mellow, powerful, epic, symphonic, atmospheric, and above all cleverly written music. It´s challenging but never at the expense of melody and memorability. So most of the time the progressive nature of the music is pretty subtle, although Big Big Train are certainly compenent and technically well playing musicians and also deliver more challenging and harder rocking moments.

"The Difference Machine" are made up of three longer epic tracks (14:40, 13:39, and 12:38 minutes long), which are all succeeded by a shorter "intro" track and then the 7:34 minutes long closing track "Summer's Lease". It´s a high quality release throughout and every track feels like a beautiful and intriguing musical journey. There are so many different things happening all the time but even when the tracks change in the most abrupt manner, it still feels like a natural continuation of what came before. Nothing sounds forced or placed somewhere just to be there. There is a plan and obviously a great understanding of composition and form. A 4 - 4.5 star (85%) rating is deserved.

THE DIFFERENCE MACHINE has not exactly established itself as a Big Big Train classic, seeing as it received only one (admittedly enthusiastic) review here between 2013 and 2025. I must have bought the album soon after I'd discovered THE UNDERFALL YARD, not knowing anything about BBT's earlier releases. As a matter of fact I'm still unfamiliar with everything BBT did before THE DIFFERENCE MACHINE, but I do know all albums from the David Longdon and Alberto Bravin years. From today's point of view, I found it highly interesting to look back and wonder if THE DIFFERENCE MACHINE showed us 'classic BBT' in embryonic form. And to a certain extent that proved indeed to be the case: it'd be dead easy to imagine 'Perfect Cosmic Storm' (the album's most ambitious track) on THE UNDERFALL YARD, with David Longdon on vocals. Nick D'Virgilio's already there on drums, the main melody and the choruses are typically Greg Spawton, but the greatest surprise is that Spawton does not actually play bass (that role is taken by Dave Meros) - instead, he plays (delightfully scratchy) rhythm guitar throughout and even delivers a couple of brief but thoroughly convincing solos. Spawton also takes care of the guitars on the album's other 'mini-epics', but I must admit I had some trouble with those. 'Pick Up If You're There' is virtually tuneless, but it features some truly mean guitar combined with great saxophone, and Pete Trewavas is a highly exciting guest on bass. 'Saltwater Falling on Uneven Ground' reminded me a little of U2, but I didn't know what to make of Sean Filkins, the lead vocalist: now he adopts a fake U.S. accent, now he sounds like an innocent English choirboy. On 'Summer's Lease', the final track, Filkins also came over far too sweet - it's a good thing Rob Aubrey (BBT's sound engineer) was then about to discover David Longdon, who would take the band to a wholly new level of attainment. As for the meaning of the album: some of the lyrics are obscure, but it seems Greg Spawton was trying to equate the death of love with the death of stars. Perhaps he hadn't yet found his real theme: on subsequent albums his words would sound more convincing, with all those elegies for a long-lost England...

I'm finding this album hard to review. On the one hand, in 'Brave Captain', 'Meadowland' and 'A Mead Hall in Winter', it contains some of BBT's most original and riveting tracks. On the other hand, the album feels strangely diffuse and also didactic, and in spite of excellent musicianship throughout, the spark that characterised THE UNDERFALL YARD, ENGLISH ELECTRIC (pts. I & II) and FOLKLORE is sometimes missing. Songs like 'The Ivy Gate' and 'As the Crow Flies' just don't do much for me. As for the didacticism, Greg Spawton's liner notes contain the passage: 'Whilst the Enlightenment is undoubtedly a Good Thing, some Enlightenment thinking is quite austere, with an emphasis on knowledge above all other things. For me, the "sweet-spot" for humanity is in the crossover between the values of the Enlightenment and Romanticism...' All of which makes me want to shout, O.K. Greg, move on to the next slide - and could you perhaps develop those thoughts a little by Monday? Even 'Brave Captain' is, in a sense, a history lesson, but David Longdon (who wrote both the words and the music) clearly hadn't made up his mind if he wanted to compose a patriotic song (when I attended a BBT gig in London, there were quite a few military men in the audience) or an anti-war song (viz. the lyrics 'You were a poster boy / who shunned your own fame / who didn't take to the accolades / even when propaganda / screamed your name'.)

Enough with the moaning! Both 'Meadowland' and the title track I find deeply moving. (What other prog band would dare to write a simple hymn to all those who seek 'science and art / and beauty and music / and friendship and love'?) 'On the Racing Line' is a lovely instrumental, 'Experimental Gentlemen' is catchy in a TRICK OF THE TAIL kind of way, and all things considered we've got at least 50 minutes of superior 'symphonic prog' here, embellished with gorgeous solos on electric guitar (mainly by Dave Gregory, I suppose), Rachel Hall (violin) and various keyboards (Rikard Sjöblom and Danny Manners). Although BBT have released quite a few albums since GRIMSPOUND, I honestly cannot say (as of February 2025, when I'm writing this review) they've ever really captured the same heights again.

How do you create a classic of 21st century symphonic prog, clearly influenced by Genesis, Yes and Jethro Tull - but still highly original? ('Cause that's what we're talking about here...)

First of all, find strong songwriters. THE UNDERFALL YARD, an earlier Big Big Train masterpiece, was almost entirely written by founding member Greg Spawton. He did a great job, but both of the ENGLISH ELECTRIC albums feature compositions by Spawton AND by vocalist David Longdon, which leads to far more variety. Although neither of these gentlemen can be called a wordsmith on the level of, say, Bob Dylan, they don't shy away from weighty themes. 'East Coast Racer', for example, is about a locomotive setting the world record for steam trains; 'Worked Out' deals with the hard life of English miners; and 'Keeper of Abbeys' is about someone who looks after a ruined abbey in North England. By the way, David Longdon must be the first British songwriter to adorn one highly catchy tune (on ENGLISH ELECTRIC PT. 1) with the chorus

Infamous forger and restorer - Judas Unrepentant / Branded a charming old lovable rogue - Judas Unrepentant / Hey! Judas Unrepentant / Hey! Judas

On ENGLISH ELECTRIC PT. 2, Longdon is once again responsible for several bright and highly infectious melodies, e.g. 'Leopards' (about an unreliable lover who keeps changing their spots) and 'Swan Hunter', which he co-wrote with Spawton. The latter came up with 'The Permanent Way' and 'Curator of Butterflies', two of the most moving tunes in the BBT canon. Believe me, it really is refreshing to follow the ruminations of intelligent rockers who are deeply touched by history and the passing of time!

Secondly, you need expert musicians to bring your songs to life. BBT used to be a peculiar band: around the time of their ENGLISH ELECTRIC recordings they never gigged, and most of them didn't even meet in the recording studio. The musicians involved were all given tunes to work on, and then developed their own highly personal arrangements in their own time. Since most of them are superb instrumentalists, they came up with some magnificent ideas. Lead guitarist Dave Gregory devised some truly riveting solos; Rachel Hall created the most beautiful parts for violin; guest keyboardist Andy Tillison provided some truly whacky synth and organ solos; Danny Manners turned out to be a master pianist; Dave Desmond wrote deeply moving arrangements for brass quartet (not the kind of sound you'd expect from any other prog ensemble!) and Nick D'Virgilio was encouraged to go wild in the studio - something that later caused him a certain degree of trouble, when he had to figure out how to play his parts live! To top it all, Spawton and Longdon wrote highly accomplished vocal arrangements. (When BBT eventually started playing live, it was sheer joy to hear how Nick D'Virgilio, Rikard Sjöblom, Rachel Hall and others brought the backing vocals to life.)

ENGLISH ELECTRIC PT. 2 is almost an hour long, and there's not a weak moment on the album. If you bear in mind that other, equally strong, BBT albums with David Longdon at the helm (i.e. THE UNDERFALL YARD, ENGLISH ELECTRIC PT. 1, and FOLKLORE) are about the same length (while at least half of the 67-minute GRIMSPOUND is superb as well), it seems 'classic' Big Big Train achieved at least as much as their renowned 1970s 'symphonic prog' predecessors. Bravissimi!

Having recently been bowled over by the live set A FLARE ON THE LENS, which has Alberto Bravin on lead vocals, I was bowled over all over again by SUMMER SHALL NOT FADE, the ideal concert collection from what must be considered Big Big Train's classic line-up, the combination responsible for delightful studio albums such as THE UNDERFALL YARD, ENGLISH ELECTRIC, FOLKLORE and GRIMSPOUND. Admittedly, by the time BBT got to play Loreley, founding member Andy Poole had left the band, but in fact Robin Armstrong turned out to be a perfect replacement. All of BBT's strongest albums are well represented here, and the result is almost overpowering: two (occasionally three) expert keyboard players, a brilliant violinist, two wonderfully inspired guitarists, a gorgeous brass quintet and a highly accomplished rhythm section create a sound that, in my opinion, has never been surpassed in this century's progressive rock. And let's not forget the vocalists: lead singer David Longdon is in splendid voice throughout, and at least four band members (possibly more) deliver deeply moving backing vocals. Indeed, it makes me nostalgic to see this particular combination of players in action: Longdon died in 2021, and Rachel Hall, Danny Manners & Dave Gregory were to leave BBT soon after. (Just for this particular band, Gregory wrote some of the most riveting guitar parts in prog history, thus ensuring BBT's name would live on, well, ALMOST forever.) I'm not the kind of reviewer who'll award five stars carelessly, but let's face it: this is a masterly live set by one of the greatest 'crossover prog' bands at the top of their game. Strongly recommended.

BIG BIG TRAIN REVITALISED

I enjoyed this live-album immensely and believe it's a triumph for all concerned. As I started watching the blu-ray, I initially had some misgivings, as the venue where it all was filmed (London's Cadogan Hall) took me back to my own less-than-happy live experience with the band (described in my review of the 2018 album MERCHANTS OF LIGHT). I was soon won over, though, by the charisma of lead singer Alberto Bravin, who looks like a happier and far more relaxed live performer than David Longdon. Of course Longdon's crucial role in Big Big Train cannot be overstated, but I always found him rather scary to watch. Bravin immediately wins the audience over. Even though he gets a little shouty at times, his singing is heartfelt and soars at the right moments. His diction tends to be somewhat unclear - but never to the extent that it diminishes the music.

Big Big Train here perform a mixture of classics old and new - if I may venture to say so - and everybody's commitment is clearly visible. That includes new star violinist Clare Lindley and keyboardist Oskar Holldorf; the latter is far more fun to watch than earlier BBT keyboard players, who tended to merge with the wallpaper. I was especially impressed with the virtuoso guitar playing of Maria Barbieri, who joined BBT only for this particular tour. How she managed to learn all those intricate parts I don't know, but she performs her solos with great gusto. To my regret, she's rather unflatteringly tucked away toward the back of the stage, but she gets quite a few chances to shine, and - much to my delight - on the album's inner sleeve it's her photograph that's included behind the first disc, not Rikard Sjöblom's, who's left out altogether. (Sjöblom's a totally delightful figure on stage, though, doing some truly exciting things on guitar and keys, and also featuring as backing vocalist.) The one band member who probably gets the most camera time - perhaps a little too much - is master drummer Nick D'Virgilio. I personally would have enjoyed seeing far more of Gregory Spawton's bass playing.

On the accompanying live CDs, the sound is crystal-clear, but I'm unsure how often I'll be returning to them - it's just too much fun to hear AND watch this band. As of January 2025, when I'm writing these words, BBT are preparing to go on tour with only one electric guitarist (Sjöblom) - does that mean their current live performances are more straightforward and less sophisticated?

A Flare On The Lens' features the band's full show at Cadogan Hall from the second of their two nights there last year and also includes seven songs which were played only on the first night, which means we have eighteen songs and a total running time of more than 160 minutes (note, this has been cut back on the double vinyl release). From some comments and fades it is obvious this is not a complete set run through as such, something I always like my live albums to be like, but the performances from all those involved are so sumptuous I am prepared to overlook it.

The line-up for these shows was Alberto Bravin (lead vocals, guitars, keyboards), Nick D'Virgilio (drums & percussion, vocals), Rikard Sjöblom (guitars, keyboards, vocals), Greg Spawton (bass, bass pedals), Oskar Holldorff (keyboards, vocals), and Clare Lindley (violin, vocals) along with Maria Barbieri (guitars) and The Big Big Train Brass Ensemble which takes me back to the days when prog bands toured with orchestras so all power to BBT for doing this in the current commercial environment. By now Bravin had taken command of the vocals and it is nice to hear him following his own path through the older material and not attempting to be a David Longdon clone. Mind you, when I say older material, I mean songs from albums as long ago as 'The Underfall Yard' and 'English Electric' ? the former is the older of the two, coming out in 2009, by which time BBT had already released six albums and had two other lead singers. It clearly demonstrates just how much the band has changed since then as the contrast between those early albums and what they produced with Longdon on board is stark as Greg used the opportunity to totally rebuild the band by bringing in the likes of Nick D'Virgilio and Dave Gregory.

This is a progressive rock band who should be selling out arenas and not just large halls, as they are performing massively complex and layered progressive rock which is accessible and majestic in so many ways. Everyone knows their place in the arrangement and ensures they are not overplaying while also demonstrating their skills and providing wonderful harmony vocals yet somehow allowing plenty of room for Bravin to always be the focal point. When I started reviewing the Poole boys a million years ago at the time of their first demo tape, I never imagined they would reach the heights they are achieving today, and I am sure Greg feels the same way. BBT are now one of the top progressive bands around, and this album clearly captures that. If you have a favourite BBT track then it is probably here, from "Folklore" to "Swan Hunter" or "Brooklands", and is an absolutely essential release.

I know Big Big Train are one the the current big prog groups. I have a number of their albums including The Underfall Yard, the title track of which I really like. I struggle to match them up however to the titans of prog like Genesis et al.

This album starts off well, but to be honest although I have given it numerous hearings I am struggling to rate it higher than 2 to 3 stars. To me there is nothing that stands out. The first track starts off well and other tracks have their moments, but to me the overall quality is not there.

I have seen Big Big Train live when they performed this album. The performance stood up better than the CD recording I have and the stage act is very accomplished The new vocalist is polished but I found the vocals and what he was singing about was not very memorable. Having given this a good airing to try to like it, the CD is unfortunately now unlikely to get much further air play.

I adore Big Big Train, but there are a few times that Alberto's voice just gets a little "shouty". Some may like it, but it makes several of the older songs trigger my misophonia, and I just have to request to the band that they leave them out of future setlists entirely. "The Connection Plan" and "A Boy in Darkness", to be specific.

That having been said, this is a great recording. The band is truly comfortable at Cadogan, and it shows. Fantastic sound mixing from Rob Aubrey, fantastic lighting by Yenz Nyholm, and the band is in fine form, with two guitarists, and the full brass section. (both of which the band seem no longer able to afford)