FOLKLORE

Folklore is the ninth studio album by the English #progressiverockband #bigbigtrain and is the first one to include mister Gunfly, the super talented guitarist, keyboard player and vocalist Rikard Sjöblom former from #beardfish, as well as violinist #rachelhall. Then we have the rest of the lineup:

#davidlongdon (RIP) on lead vocals, flute, mandolin, acoustic guitars

#nickdvirgilio on drums, percussion and backing vocals

#gregspawton on bass, acoustic guitars and backing vocals

#andypoole on acoustic guitars, keyboards and backing vocals

#davegregory on guitars

#dannymanners on keyboards and double bass

I have a friend that always talks about how deep early #genesis music and melodies run through his veins, that they come to our lives to stay with us forever, and that's exactly how I feel with BBT's music, specially after late Longdon joined the band.

The title track Folklore opens the album and it's an automatic winner, all of it, sensational. Even though we will find a couple of snippets that will remind us of the previous musical concept of EE Parts 1 & 2, this song already directs the listener to a new concept, both musical & lyrical, and in both this song and the following London Plane (one of my favs) Rikard's playing can be truly felt and heard, as well as the beautiful and memorable strings. BTW, the symphonic discharge here lead by Longdon's flute and Nick's frenetic drumming is immense!

Along the Ridgeway brings the first horns of the album, at least the first noticeable ones, as well as the female backing vocals, beautiful combination. Honorable mention to D'Virgilio's singing, what a par him and Langdon were? Hall's violin is another highlight in a song that jumps from classic prog rock to symphonic to modern Neo to symphonic again. How many instruments interacting together without interfering on their marvelous work. Chapeau

Salisbury Giant follows introducing some haunting and darker melodies, teasing with the same idea already presented on the title track solidifying the concept. I love the keys on this track, so well accompanied by the "background" guitar licks and enhanced by the strings and vocals. Greg Spawton is a master songwriter, he deserves a place at the composser's Olympus without a doubt.

The Transit of Venus Across the Sun kicks off with the beautiful instrumental orchestration that unexpectedly evolves into a logic continuation of the concept, pastoral at times and even tribal at others but never abandoning their roots, just a brief experimentation here and there, magically blended with their musical blueprints. Great chanting choruses.

Wassail appears here again after being released the previous year in the EP by the same name, one of those eclectic Longdon tunes with a funky retro groove modernized by his vocalization and the outstanding rhythmic work accomplished my Spawton & D'Virgilio, heavy & symphonic, evocative & hooky, folky & danceable, great!

Winkie, the pigeon! How many birds (blue hen) have been awarded a gold medal, a military one? Winkie did! So keeping the storytelling going, Langdon smartly transmits this incredible story to the listener, how Winkie help save the crew who crashed in freezing waters after being damaged in mission to Norway, the crew set her free and she flew all the way back home to her owner who alerted the authorities and hence a rescue search happened, the crew was saved and winkie honored with the Dickin Medal? and all of this with superb musical performance.

Brooklands teases again with previous musical concepts because that's just what Spawton does, and its great, a thin but almos predictable connection between all his creations, different but similar? a lucky man, a lucky man! Spawton, D'Virgilio and Sjöblom deliver top shelf progressive rock, that kind of music that will test the pass of time and will be recognized and adored 40-50 years from know, no doubt about it. Honorable mention to the flute playing by David, so clean.

Telling The Bees closes this #masterpiece of an album with hopeful like melodies with that feeling that something important and much awaited has been accomplished and perhaps delivering some nuances of what to expect from the band's future works. I really like the liberty that has been given to Sjöblom in this album, he might not have his writing print here yet, but his wonderful and soulful playing can be felt everywhere in numerous layers and forms. A well deserved ending to a great album, a must listen to prog rock fans!