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ENGLISH ELECTRIC (PART TWO)

Big Big Train

Crossover Prog


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Big Big Train English Electric (Part Two) album cover
4.11 | 912 ratings | 29 reviews | 40% 5 stars

Excellent addition to any
prog rock music collection

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Studio Album, released in 2013

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. East Coast Racer (15:43)
2. Swan Hunter (6:20)
3. Worked Out (7:30)
4. Leopards (3:54)
5. Keeper of Abbeys (6:58)
6. The Permanent Way (8:29)
7. Curator of Butterflies (8:44)

Total Time 57:38

Bonus tracks on 2013 double-LP edition:
8. Make Some Noise (4:31)
9. Seen Better Days (7:38)
10. Edgelands (1:33)
11. The Lovers (5:33)

Line-up / Musicians

- David Longdon / lead & backing vocals (1-7), flute (3,5,7), vibes (2), tambourine (5), banjo (2,4), dumbek (5), accordion (5), piano & organ (4), synth (4), acoustic guitar (4), percussion (3), shaker (2)
- Dave Gregory / electric (1-7) & 12-string (5) guitars, EBow (1), string arranger (1,7), marimba (3)
- Andy Poole / acoustic (3,5) & 12-string (7) guitars, keyboards (1), e-piano (5), backing vocals (1-7), bass pedals (7), producer
- Greg Spawton / bass (1-3,5-7), electric (1,3), acoustic (3,5) & 12-string (1,3,7) guitars, backing vocals (1-4,6,7), mandolin (1,5), Mellotron (1), organ (5)
- Nick D'Virgilio / drums, cajón (5,7), backing vocals (6)

With:
- Andy Tillison / organ (1,6), synth (1)
- Danny Manners / piano (1-3,6,7), keyboards (1), organ (3), synth (3), double bass (4,5)
- Dave Desmond / trombone & brass arrangements (1,2,6,7)
- Ben Godfrey / cornet (1,2,6,7)
- Jan Jaap Langereis / recorder (6)
- Jonathan Truscott / tuba (1,2,6,7)
- John Storey / euphonium (1,2), trombone (1,2,6,7)
- Megan Fisher / harp (1)
- Rachel Hall / violin (2,3,5,6), string arrangements (2,6)
- Sue Bowran / violin (4)
- Eleanor Gilchrist / violin (1,7)
- Geraldine Berreen / violin (1,4,7)
- Teresa Whipple / viola (1,4,7)
- Abigail Trundle / cello (1,4-7)
- Rob Aubrey / bass pedals (1)
- Violet Adams / backing vocals (6)
- Lily Adams / backing vocals (6)
- Simon Godfrey / backing vocals (3)
- Louis Philippe / string arrangements (4)

Releases information

Artwork: Andy Poole with Matt Sefton (photo)

CD Giant Electric Pea ‎- GEPCD1044 (2013, UK)

2LP Plane Groovy ‎- PLG017 (2013, UK) With 4 bonus tracks from the "Make Some Noise" EP

Digital album

Thanks to gasol777 for the addition
and to projeKct for the last updates
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BIG BIG TRAIN English Electric (Part Two) ratings distribution


4.11
(912 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music(40%)
40%
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection(37%)
37%
Good, but non-essential (17%)
17%
Collectors/fans only (4%)
4%
Poor. Only for completionists (2%)
2%

BIG BIG TRAIN English Electric (Part Two) reviews


Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings

Collaborators/Experts Reviews

Review by Second Life Syndrome
PROG REVIEWER
4 stars Disclaimer: This review was first written for and published on powerofmetal.dk.

Last year saw the release of an amazing album by a band that has been around the block: Big Big Train. The album, "English Electric, Part 1", inferred another album to follow, and this year Big Big Train have delivered. "English Electric, Part 2" is the second part of an opus that pines and reminisces about the good ol' English working man. These songs are not always happy, for these working men have and always will be taken advantage of by those in power. I do believe that Part 1 was a little more impactful and emotive in the presentation of the sorrow ("A Boy in Darkness" blew me away last year) and the nostalgia, however. Still, it's a nice atmosphere.

Part 1 saw Big Big Train at its finest: Last year's album floored me in terms of melody, composition, and overall quality. It was on my Top 10 list for 2012, and I can see myself listening to it for many years to come. Part 2, on the other hand, does not quite reach the same greatness. Honestly, however, I do not think anyone can fairly expect the same level of excellence, for Part 1 was an album for the ages: an instant classic.

What makes Part 2 inferior, you ask? I'm not sure I would use the word "inferior". It certainly does not jive with me as perfectly as Part 1, but the overall composition, melody, theme, and quality are all there. In fact, without Part 1, this album may have blown me away completely. This band has the chops that many metal bands do not even have, and they can play an eclectic range of instruments, from the flute to the mellotron and many others. They have the compositional skills that many in the prog world covet as they can craft perfect songs from epics (such as the track East Coast Racer) to ballads (Leopards). If anything, I feel that the songs are not quite as catchy or instantly classic as on Part 1, but only by a small margin. Their music is always interesting, and the gorgeous flute and violin accompaniments set them apart from many other bands. This album has all of this and more.

The band even made sure that Part 1 and Part 2 feel like parts of a whole as the overture from the track "Hedgerow" on Part 1 makes an appearance at the end of this album. I feel that it tied up the opus quite nicely. So, this album has everything that made Part 1 great, yet I feel that it is slightly lacking. The only reason I can think up is that Big Big Train outdid themselves---just in reverse. They built up hype for this album simply by releasing such an amazing album last year, but they couldn't top it this year. It is a little bit disappointing, but not so much when you realize the heights that they would have to scale in order to top Part 1. In terms of favorites, right now I would point to "Keeper of Abbeys" and "Curator of Butterflies" as the best tracks, although "East Coast Racer" is excellent as well.

All in all, Big Big Train beat themselves at their own game. They released an instant classic in 2012, but still managed to release another excellent album in 2013. All the elements are here for great prog rock, but this release is less impactful and emotive than Part 1. No matter what, however, this is a must-own album for fans of prog rock.

Review by kev rowland
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Reviewer
5 stars Last year Greg kindly sent me a copy of the new Big Big Train album, 'English Electric (Part One)', continuing a relationship that goes back for more than 20 years when the band became the first ones ever to send me music to review that I hadn't paid for. Back then it started me thinking about how I could expand the magazine I ran, and Feedback went from strength to strength. Well, after he had sent me the last album in 2012 I reviewed it for www.progarchives.com and was then approached by one of the site administrators as they wished to know how I had hold of a copy of the album which at that point was yet to be released. I explained the situation, my history etc, and the next thing I knew was that I had been invited to become a prog reviewer to the site instead of just a contributor. So all these years down the track, BBT are still impacting what I am doing.

Now, I rated their last album as one of my top for 2012 and I can see that I'm not exactly in a minority as it is second on progarchives' top albums for 2012, while the new one is currently a smidgen away from the very top spot for 2013: it will be interesting to see if BBT or Steven Wilson are number one by the end of the year. The band describe this album as continuing 'its' journey across the English landscape with an album of seven new songs which tell further tales of the men and women who work on and under the land. Along the way, stories are told of the shipbuilders in Neptune's Yard, of a machine that burned its legend across the pages of the history books, of a keeper of abbeys and a curator of butterflies, and of a second chance at love.'

The word I used to describe the last album was 'maturity', and again that is very much in evidence here. How often do you hear NDV providing straight 4/4? Well there are sections where he is doing just that and others where he makes his presence felt by not playing at all. There is loads of space within this album, as if the guys just relaxed and became conduits for the music and didn't force anything at all. If it felt right then they did it, and if it felt right not to do anything well that was good as well. Musically this is prog, at least for the most part, but they move all over the shop and touch into classic rock, pop, Genesis and anything else that takes their fancy. It is such a grown up album, one that the Dorset lads couldn't have imagined producing all those years ago when they started. The other day I had all of my music out of the shed as I was checking to see how much shelf space it all needed (going up in two weeks time!!), and I came across that early BBT tape. I looked at the photo of the guys, and thought just how much everything had changed. And it is all for the better. A dreamy, wonderful prog album that belongs in everyone's collection, and it can be purchased directly from the band or as a download. Go to www.bigbigtrain.com for more details.

Review by Warthur
PROG REVIEWER
3 stars I think of Big Big Train in the same terms as I think of acts like Galahad or Final Conflict - groups who've been chugging along for years putting out albums which met with indifferent or mixed reviews, who decades into their career turn a corner and finally find their audience. 2012 seems to have been a big year for bands in that position; Galahad, whilst they'd arguably already entered their golden years with Empires Never Last (or, for some, Year Zero), put out two remarkably good albums which proved that this wasn't a fluke for them. Final Conflict put out Return of the Artisan, an absolutely fantastic release which stands head and shoulders over everything they'd previously done. And Big Big Train put out the first English Electric album, which built on the foundation of The Underfall Yard and caught on widely enough to project them right to the top rank of current prog.

It is only natural, then, to approach English Electric (Part Two) with a little trepidation. Was Part One a fluke, or could Big Big Train's creative engine keep up the momentum for the long haul?

As it stands, the band take an unexpected approach here. Those who want more of the same may find themselves disappointed, or curiously pleased; although the misty-eyed nostalgia focus and thematic interests are much the same here as they were on the preceding album, there's a subtle twist added to the musical approach this time around which really brings out the range of instrumentation utilised by the band and which offers a more quiet and contemplative listen than the more boisterous Part One.

Like latter-day Marillion and a few others, Big Big Train have sussed out the secret which eludes a lot of bands: sometimes you can find your aesthetic simply by not going out of your way to be "progressive". Needless complexity is avoided, as are pointless callbacks to the innovations of past prog bands - for example, though close harmony vocals are deployed, the temptation to throw in a Gentle Giant twist here or there for the sake of it is resisted. Yes, David Longdon's vocals still sound like Genesis-era Peter Gabriel, but as with the preceding album there's no suggestion that he's straining to make the mimicry as close as he possibly can.

In fact, the whole album sounds very relaxed and natural - Big Big Train ceasing to worry about their progressive credentials and just getting on with the business of being Big Big Train. As with its predecessor, I find their nostalgia for a never-never-land that people pretend England used to be a somewhat grating theme, but I won't deny that they're a technically competent lot.

Review by ProgShine
COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator
5 stars Big Big Train is an English ensemble formed around 1990 by Andy Poole and Greg Spawton. Nowadays the band has also David Longdon (vocals), Dave Gregory (guitars), Danny Manners (keyboards) and Nick D'Virgilio (drums ' ex Spock's Beard).

English Electric Part Two (2013) was released on March 4th and it's the second and final chapter of Big Big Train's English Electric history.

English Electric was a British industrial manufacturer and here the band tries to capture the history of the people's point of view. Last year they released the first part, and it's the best album of 2012 for me (you can read my review progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=830915). When they were about to release this new album I asked myself: 'is it possible for Big Big Train to top themselves?'

I can't say that English Electric Part Two (2013) is better than its predecessor, but what I can say for sure is that the second part is so close that I almost can't see the difference. In fact, since The Difference Machine (2007), passing through The Underfall Yard (2009), Far Skies Deep Time (2010) and the two parts of English Electric, Big Big Train just can't record a downhill record.

Big Big Train's music could be described by me with two words: evocative and emotional. Evocative because even for someone like me that has never been to England, you can be transported to someplace else, some place within these songs. And emotional because their music is like every good Prog should be, charged with deep feelings and full of heart.

English Electric Part Two (2013) starts with the long 'East Coast Racer' and it's almost 16 minutes. One thing I missed on the first part of the history was a long song, here it is. 'Swan Hunter' shows why David Longdon is the best vocalist on today's music, while 'Worked Out' transports us inside the song. The band's music is so alive and full of details. Harps, brass, violins, cellos, violas, flutes and many other countless instruments and sounds fill our musical world while listening the album.

'Leopards' is almost a solo effort by David Longdon that wrote and played almost everything here. The track has a different and interesting approach to their music. 'Keeper Of Abbeys' has a wonderful violin solo by Rachel Hall and 'The Permanent Way' keeps with the BBT's high standard quality. 'Curator Of Butterflies' closes the album on a high note, melancholic and beautiful.

Greg Spawton has to be mentioned cause he isn't just a fantastic bass player, but a great musician and an amazing writer. Andy Poole did a wonderful job when it comes to the producer role and David Longdon is one of the best voices around. To tie everything together the band uses more synthesizers, delivered by the new member Danny Manners and as usual Nick D'Virgilio drums are always on the spot and clever.

Do I sound like a fan? I have no problem to confess that. I am. And English Electric Part Two (2013) is one of the best albums of 2013 so far, believe me.

Oh and by the way, according to the booklet of the CD, Station Masters will be the next chapter. Can't wait!

(Originally posted on progshine.net)

Review by AtomicCrimsonRush
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator
3 stars The followup to Big Big Train's "English Electric (Part One)" is an accomplished effort with the musicianship being as high quality as the previous album. "English Electric (Part Two)" is not the 5 star masterpiece of the previous album however it has to be said. It tends to rely heavily on a very reserved commercial melodic crossover sound; mainstream rather than progressive which surprised me as I was looking forward to more innovative songs that twist and turn with incredible instrumentals. Instead, this is a very pedestrian album with no genuine highlights to speak of and I was left feeling very disappointed.

Having set the bar so high with Part One, Big Big Train promised much with their subsequent release and it is difficult not to venture into this album with high expectations. I did not expect it to be so radio friendly and melancholy. There are moments that shine of course such as the opener 'East Coast Racer', certainly one of the best songs here, 'Swan Hunter' has a nice rollicking rhythm, and 'Worked Out' is perhaps the one to listen to over and over as it is outstanding. I particularly loved also when the Bluegrass violin jig cranked up; such a fun thing to include in the middle of a song. However the album is nowhere near as consistent as the last album. Many of the songs sound the same and verge into AOR territory. Perhaps I could listen without comparing it to their masterpiece, but even then it really does not offer anything that would resemble the innovative prog of Part One or even have a memorable track that jams into the brain. There are some really dreamy orchestrated sections but it more or less serves to send you to sleep rather than amaze you; perhaps it's a good bedtime album, and that deserves some recognition at least. I wish it offered something experimental or heavy to balance out all the gentle sections; but in essence this is a very gentle reserved album, and there is nothing really adventurous, even though Big Big Train are more than capable of creating mesmerising music. Following 'Worked Out' just about every song is melancholy especially the abysmal 'Leopards' and soft rock of 'Keeper of Abbeys', with its string section and lulling melody. There are nice harmonies on this and it has a quick cadence but it is not prog.

Again, I state I adored Part One and could not fault it, but this Part Two album would be better off as a bonus CD to the original Part One as it feels like filler at times and as though these songs were the ones left off the first part. Nice dreamy music and nice dreamy singing but little else, as harsh as that may sound. It is receiving rave reviews and of course it is a matter of taste, but if you are after something as incredible as Part One you may be bitterly disappointed as I was. I listened and kept hoping the next song would just blow me away but it just didn't happen. A few things towards the end made me sit up and take notice but really this is the sort of music I could put on and fall asleep to. That music of course has its place but I just didn't expect Big Big Train to deliver something so average after their brilliant release previous. Sincerely, I hope they follow up this with something that reaches the heights of Part One, which is an undisputed masterpiece. 3 stars for this release as it is still great musicianship and Big Big Train have a wonderful sound.

Review by lazland
PROG REVIEWER
5 stars The follow up to the extremely popular Part One, this has, latterly, been re-released as a double cd, with new tracks, and, perhaps, is probably best listened to as part of a whole, rather than separate to, its predecessor.

I am, though, probably, one of the few who rather prefers this to the first English Electric album. This, I suppose, is because I am a bit of a sucker for exceptionally well produced, and played, melodic progressive rock. Some may call it "commercial" (not a helpful word, because, at the end of the day, all acts want to be commercial, i.e. Sell a few copies). I simply call it gorgeous and pastoral, and it has, to me, far more of the feel and structure to it of the exceptionally beautiful The Underfall Yard.

It does not have on it a track of the sublime perfection that is Judas Unrepentant, but, then again, I would struggle to name but a handful of albums in recent years which did. What it does, though, is bring storytelling, in a lush musical environment, to the forefront, and BBT are to be congratulated on this.

Opener, East Coast Racer, and Swan Hunter, especially, carry on the band's fine tradition of addressing social, historical, and, yes, nostalgic issues from an England which simply no longer exists, no matter how much many in rural England, especially, might wish it to be so. The brass and string on East Coast....especially bring that evocative feel to the forefront, and David Longdon is perhaps the only vocalist in the world of bringing such a picture to life, and how well he does it.

Swan Hunter is rather interesting from a personal perspective, because my grandfather worked there before joining the British Army. I am, though, rather surprised that no other reviewer has picked up the fact that, far from being some sort of Genesis influenced clone, this track screams out Crosby, Stills, and Nash in its conception, thoughts, and execution. If this was not written as a tribute to that great trio, then I am so far off the mark as to probably never bother reviewing again. It is, by the way, as lush as it sounds, quite superb.

The whole feel of this album is that of a band that are deeply comfortable in making music that engages the mind and is far more complex in its playing than strikes one in the first few listens, one of the reasons why I have taken an age in reviewing it.

There is not one weak track on this work, and I, for one, really welcome the Hedgerow Revisited wonder that is The Permanent Way. It is the perfect accompaniment to that marvellous track, and both should bookend the whole work. Dorset itself is brought to marvellous life.

I regard this cd as being superior to the first part, which I still find to be too inconsistent to merit a masterpiece rating. This is consistently excellent, the harmonies, lyrics, lead vocals, and musicianship, including the wonderful guest spots, combine to create what is perhaps the finest folk influenced album in many a year. I do not kid any readers of this review when I say that Ian Anderson himself would have struggled to create such a landscape as this in the heady days of Songs From The Wood or Heavy Horses. This is the sound of an English band at the top of its game. Simply listen to the pastoral beauty that is Keeper of Abbeys, and never fail to be moved by the lead guitar solo that bursts onto your consciousness to remind you of folk rock at its best.

After many listens, I believe this trumps the first part, and can only struggle to find any faults. If we had such a rating, I would award 4.5 stars, but awarded the perfect five, if only to highlight just what a sheer joy of life and a beautiful country this album brings.

Review by Tarcisio Moura
PROG REVIEWER
5 stars It´s very, very hard to write a review of an album I love so much. Try as I might to be objective - and find mistakes or something to rate it less - I still can´t find any other word to describe it. If The Underfall Yard was very good, and English Electric Part One was excellent, then English Electric Part Two is nothing short of a masterpiece. Really, I could never believe Big Big Train could outdo E E Part One, but they did. Here you´ll find the band at its peak in terms of creativity, songwriting maturity and musical performances.

Some people here in PA will say it lacks something: weirdness, pointless jams, explicit displays of virtuosity, too few dissonant chords, you name it! And, boy , will I agree with that! But if you, like me, likes a first rate symphonic prog rock in the same vein of the 70´s great acts like Genesis, Yes and co, then you´ll love this one. Like those groups this CD is the fruit of team work: no misplaced notes anywhere. Everything seems to fall in place seemlessly, one voice or instrument blending into the other fading ou appearing at the right moments as the music asks for. Bold, and yet tasteful arrangements, beautiful melodies, skillful playing and an energy and conviction rarely seen lately are their strong points. O should mention that David Longdon is becoming one of the best singers in the field, with a astonishing perfomance, both as vocalist and as multi intrumentist throughout the CD.

What strikes me the most is how their songwriting skills grew so much in such short time span. The CD opens with East Coast Racer, a 15 minute+ suite that shows all their potential right from the start, with its several swings and turns, changing moods and time signatures, a real prog heaven. Next comes the relatively simple Swan Hunter. It´s one of the most beautiful and poignant songs I´ve heard in years, reminding me of masterpieces like Genesis Time Table or the Beatles For No One. Those two tracks alone were enough to garantee at least a 4 star rating for this CD, but, fortunatly, the remaining tracks are all of high quality, quite varied in terms of style, but all keeping the high profile till the very end. I could rave about each tune endlessly, but I think you´ve got the point. Tunes like Keeper Of The Alley and The Permanent Way, for instance, are the kind of songs most prog acts would kill to have written them.

In a time where the ego trips seem to rule in prog, this is one of a hell of team work, when technique is used enhance the music not to show off. With a top notch production and a strong sense of direction, this is surely (along with Flamborough Head´s Lost In Time) the best release of 2013. It´s so subtle some people won´t notice how powerful it is until they listen carefully and without prejudice. Just like all the masterpieces are.

Rating: 5 stars with honors. Essential!

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Report this review (#2739110) | Posted by ElChanclas | Sunday, April 24, 2022 | Review Permanlink

4 stars This review is for the original release, not including the bonus tracks from 2013. So is Part Two as good as Part One (which I gave 5 stars)? Almost but not quite. There are some excellent track here: East Coast Racer, Swan Hunter, and Curator of Butterflies. These are top notch Big Big Train ... (read more)

Report this review (#2591276) | Posted by mohaveman | Wednesday, September 1, 2021 | Review Permanlink

4 stars A good follow-up to EE1. Although not quite as good as the first volume of EE, this contains some great music and is up there among their best albums. This volume is slower than the original EE1, which is probably why they sought to shift around the tunes between the two when putting together the ... (read more)

Report this review (#1743140) | Posted by Walkscore | Thursday, July 13, 2017 | Review Permanlink

5 stars 10/10 The year was 2012 and the prog world was taken by storm by veterans of Big Big Train, who regarded a stage of rise after The Underfall Yard and culminated in English Electric pt. 1, one of the biggest progressive records of recent years. Consolidating in fact the band's career, the al ... (read more)

Report this review (#1146064) | Posted by voliveira | Tuesday, March 11, 2014 | Review Permanlink

2 stars If, for whatever reason, you happen to have read my review of English Electric prepare to be bored. If you have not, prepare to be underwhelmed.The concept of a concept album, does not a masterpiece make. No, I didn't love these albums. They were boring.Not even excitingly bad, just bland. The si ... (read more)

Report this review (#1060949) | Posted by R-A-N-M-A | Wednesday, October 16, 2013 | Review Permanlink

2 stars Initial reviews suggested that this album was as good as, or even better than, part one. It isn't, really it isn't - none of the tracks are as good as those found on part one, there is so much padding and noodling, tracks that start well then quickly run out of steam, 'Keeper of Abbeys' being ... (read more)

Report this review (#1035039) | Posted by progaholic | Saturday, September 14, 2013 | Review Permanlink

3 stars I thought English Electric Part I was one of the best modern prog albums I had heard and I really looked forward to hear the second part. Well now I have done it carefully and I must say I am disappointed. This albums doesn't match the other more than on some places and there it feels like the ... (read more)

Report this review (#1029271) | Posted by DrömmarenAdrian | Thursday, September 5, 2013 | Review Permanlink

5 stars The Road Is Clear and Words Remain Unsaid. Is less than Part I? Some consider it slightly behind the great first part. But what if this would have seen the light before? The reality, for me, is that both are essential and seamless. Obviously there are sections better than others, but nothing s ... (read more)

Report this review (#1026813) | Posted by sinslice | Sunday, September 1, 2013 | Review Permanlink

2 stars How I looked forward to finally listening to this band! The descriptions all matched my tastes, the analyses sounded profound. Last, but not least the emotional impacts on the reviewers seemed to be immense. So goes the theory. What this album does for me is, unfortunately, nothing. I cannot s ... (read more)

Report this review (#976645) | Posted by herne | Wednesday, June 12, 2013 | Review Permanlink

3 stars Based on its precursor, my hopes were high for this album. It starts strong with "East Coat Racer" and then "Swan Hunter" but looses steam (pun intended) afterward. Although being fine, this album is not as strong as English Electric Part 1 except for the two first songs. It feels more like left ... (read more)

Report this review (#963376) | Posted by phillihp | Tuesday, May 21, 2013 | Review Permanlink

5 stars Big Big Train is back at it again, this time with the second part of their English Electric series. Being a massive fan of the first, I had high expectations coming into this one. After a myriad of careful listens I've come to the conclusion that this is almost, if not AS good as its predecess ... (read more)

Report this review (#947050) | Posted by Mr. Mustard | Saturday, April 20, 2013 | Review Permanlink

4 stars Now I boarded the big big train. Last year the album English Electric (Part One) already attracted my attention. But while Part One is very much oriented to the Genesis sound, Part Two emancipates from it. Don't get me wrong, I like Genesis very much, but while the songs of Part One sound like ... (read more)

Report this review (#941415) | Posted by Formentera Lady | Tuesday, April 9, 2013 | Review Permanlink

5 stars Being a huge fan of EE part 1, I had high expectations when I purchased this album. This album just blew me away though. No offense to Steven Wilson, but this here is the album of the year. When I was trying to figure out what made this album so much better than part 1, it dawned on me that ... (read more)

Report this review (#938110) | Posted by Crikkle | Monday, April 1, 2013 | Review Permanlink

5 stars Just as I had been wrong about BBT's ability to outdo itself after 'The Underfall Yard' with EE1, here I am once again proven wrong with the release of 'English Electric Part Two'. Though my love for EE1 is huge, I must admit after many listens that EE2 surpasses its predecessor. It is a more ... (read more)

Report this review (#933415) | Posted by lukatherfan | Thursday, March 21, 2013 | Review Permanlink

5 stars It seems that progressive music with mood and melody is thriving nowadays, with the bar continually being raised. Bands like Cirrus Bay, Echolyn, Thieves Kitchen, and of course Big Big Train, who themselves seems to continually improve, raising that bar ever so slightly higher with each release. ... (read more)

Report this review (#933366) | Posted by snelling | Wednesday, March 20, 2013 | Review Permanlink

4 stars Just a few short months since Big Big Train released the generally very loved up "English Electric Part 1" we are here again for more with Part 2. What can I say that hasn't been said already. Well, actually nothing. Nothing at all. "It's the best thing I have ever heard"..."10 out of 10 isn ... (read more)

Report this review (#925658) | Posted by treebeard | Thursday, March 7, 2013 | Review Permanlink

5 stars In the wake of 2013 and yet we already have such a great albums so far. Mr wilson Magnum Opus and Riverside with SONGS finally reached maturity. And now this!, after less than 6 months of making one of the greatest prog albums in history this english fellows came up with this masterpiece. Orchestrat ... (read more)

Report this review (#925316) | Posted by itrompa | Wednesday, March 6, 2013 | Review Permanlink

5 stars Big Big Train in its present form, with original members Greg Spawton and Andy Poole at the helm with comrades David Longdon, Dave Gregory, Nick D'Virgilio and Danny Manners in the regular crew and the likes of fine trombonist Dave Desmond, equally fine violinist Rachel Hall, the heroic Andy T ... (read more)

Report this review (#924852) | Posted by Tobbe J | Wednesday, March 6, 2013 | Review Permanlink

4 stars Big Big Train have accomplished a lot since I first encountered them back in the 90's, with a first album that I found a bit unremarkable back then, and it's safe to say to they're now one of the most interesting band to come out of England in a while. Reading up on the band, I notice that the ... (read more)

Report this review (#923748) | Posted by fusaka | Monday, March 4, 2013 | Review Permanlink

5 stars Wow. Downloaded today from Bandcamp for an unbelievable price. It cost me about $7 Australian, in the end. And I'll say this: It may well be the best $7 I'll spend this year. Just as an aside: I'll be in England in October/November...if anyone from the BBT management is reading this...I can th ... (read more)

Report this review (#923733) | Posted by TrickedTail | Monday, March 4, 2013 | Review Permanlink

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