ENGLISH ELECTRIC (PART ONE)

Wow. An incredibly intelligent and moving piece of work. Easily one of the best prog albums I've heard in years and oh so faithful to the genre!

I rate this a cut above The Underfall Yard, which I really enjoyed but it didn't overwhelm me like EE. Big Big Train seems to have evolved from trying to imitate other prog bands, crafting their own dynamic, powerful sound. True, I DO hear Genesis, Gentle Giant, Tull, ELP, Yes and the Moody Blues. The compositions and sound embrace many of the prog greats but Big Big Train takes it to a seamless, passionate perfection. The result -- it doesn't sound like a Genesis or Spock's Beard album but instead a wonderful composite of vocals, instruments, lyrics and artistry.

Favorite track: A Boy in Darkness...starts off a bit slowly and then builds up to a vocal and musical tour de force.