ENGLISH ELECTRIC (PART ONE)

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

Joking apart, this is yet another triumphant BBT collection, very much in the vein of its great predecessor, the UNDERFALL YARD. The ingredients are the same: all music is expertly performed and full of yearning; the band seem to be mourning the passing of an Old England in which "heavy industry" still counted for something; at the same time they denounce some of the social cruelties of that same Old England; they express great longing for the landscapes and cities of their youth; now that they've reached middle age they often feel great sadness, since what is left of those landscapes will soon leave these middle-aged men behind...

That is, at least, the impression I get from ENGLISH ELECTRIC (PART ONE). The great question is, of course, if Part Two will be different in mood. Until we find out (at the time of writing, the wait can't be long any more), we may ask ourselves: to what extent do Big Big Train achieve their musical ambitions? In my opinion, the first six tracks of this album are gripping from start to finish (which makes for a first-rate 42-minute album, just as inspiring as all those classics you remember from the 1970s), but subsequently the quality of the music rapidly deteriorates: on "A Boy in Darkness" David Longdon's voice really started 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 couldn't wait to switch the album off.

I was glad we were offered some wonderfully exciting keyboard solos from the great Andy Tillison this time. I only wish Dave Gregory were given more chances to shine on 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.