ENGLISH ELECTRIC (PART ONE)

Hurray, Phil Collins rides again - more energetically than ever!

Joking apart, this is yet another enjoyable BBT collection, very much in the vein of its great predecessor, the UNDERFALL YARD. The ingredients are the same. Most of the music is expertly performed and full of yearning. The band seem to mourn the passing of an Old England where "heavy industry" still counted for something. They denounce some of the social cruelties of that same Old England; they express a longing for the landscapes and cities of their youth; now that they've reached middle age, they feel great sadness, since what's left of those landscapes will soon leave them behind...

That, at least, is the impression I get from ENGLISH ELECTRIC (PART ONE). The great question is, of course, if Part Two will be any different in mood. Until we find that out (at the time of writing, the wait can't be long any more) we may ask ourselves to what extent BBT have achieved their musical ambitions. In my opinion, the first six tracks of this particular collection are gripping from start to finish (which makes for a first-rate 42-minute album, just as inspiring as the classics you remember from the 1970s) but thereafter the quality of the music soon deteriorates: on "A Boy in Darkness" David Longdon's voice really starts to grate (OK, I know it's not MEANT to be an upbeat track, but still...) and during "Hedgerow" (a pointless, over-long singalong) I just couldn't wait to switch the album off.

I was glad that this time we were offered some wonderfully exciting keyboard solos from the great Andy Tillison. I wish Dave Gregory were given more chances to shine on his electric guitar! Whenever Gregory does appear, my heart leaps half a mile. FINAL VERDICT: Strongly recommended, but not what I'd call a flawless masterpiece.

P.S. Twelve years after I wrote the above review, I decided to upgrade ENGLISH ELECTRIC (PART ONE) and award it a full five stars. Over the years the album grew on me. Listening to various live performances helped me appreciate the material included. I still think "A Boy in Darkness" is a little strange (what exactly is the point of giving such a downbeat track an upbeat instrumental middle section?) but I also find it terribly moving. "Hedgerow" doesn't annoy me anymore - quite the opposite. In fact, I'm convinced there's not a weak track on the entire album. "East Coast Racer" is one of the greatest 'symphonic prog' openers of recent times, and both "Keeper of Abbeys" and "The Permanent Way" are simply sublime. In my view, together with ENGLISH ELECTRIC (PART TWO) this album forms one of the most enjoyable & emotionally mature statements in 21st century prog. (And BBT didn't leave it there: their 2016 album FOLKLORE would be just as much fun. Bravissimo!)

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