29-01-2022, 21:21
BIG BIG TRAIN ~ Welcome to the Planet
![[Image: cGVn.jpeg]](https://i.discogs.com/pNV-U5Zywn7v8_pWFASUxi3hxCrXzW6R6iZeO_N2xYo/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:550/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWltYWdlcy9SLTIx/OTEyMDgyLTE2NDMy/OTM0OTYtMjU4My5q/cGVn.jpeg)
The album opener is about the delight, pleasure and possibility encompassed in a tiny being and the joy they can bring, whether to grandparents, parents, or anyone, I suppose – the absolute marvel of a brand new life. Sunshine/starshine, same thing. We are million-year-old carbon!
I guess the album is loosely structured around a lifeline, but it’s oblique too – not spelled out.
They seem to have headed off in something of a different direction to work they’ve done previously – perhaps that is due to line-up changes over time. I think it’s a good album – sounds quite up-to-date without pandering to any particularly modern trends – a well-considered mix with variety, texture, good vocals, two instrumentals which I do believe go a long way to pacing an album, and it’s been well put together.
I would go as far as saying that there are some virtuoso musicians here - I loved the drumming and percussion, courtesy of Nick D’Virgilio – he knows what he’s doing – the basslines are strong but not excessively so, despite very much holding things together. Greg Spawton is primarily responsible for those (along with mellotron, organ, backing vocals and other things!) – he’s the backbone of BBT – founding member. Really nice double bass on one track courtesy of Riaan Vosloo, fab violins from Claire Lindley (no relation to David) and Aidan O’Rorke, and a fairly prominent brass section throughout – trumpet, euphonium, trombone, tuba, French horn. There are one or two simpler tracks but on the whole, there’s a fair amount of orchestration so I expect this would fall into the symphonic rock category. Lead guitar is played by the very able Rikard Sjöblom and while its presence is evident, it certainly doesn’t dominate as one might expect from the more traditional bands with a ‘prog rock’ label. I am not entirely sure what so called ‘prog’ is anymore TBH. I don’t think I like a lot of the music designated as such at this time. I do know that I tend to lean towards symphonic and melodic which is what this is – in my view
The great sadness inherent in the listening is, of course, the knowledge of lead vocalist, David Longdon’s untimely recent death – such an irony in some of these lyrics, not to mention the album title. He was just coming into his own - a vocalist of note - and way too young to be snuffed out - such a terrible tragic shame. Life really can turn on a dime. He went out on a high note though, not that I think that's any consolation. This is altogether an elegant, accomplished offering that is deserving of all the accolades I’m sure it will receive.
"Lanterna" - David Longdon, of course, but backing vocals by all the musos except the violinist - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyOdoBH2OUg
The second instrumental, written by D’Virgilio – “Bats in the Belfry” … pretty much a drumming showcase - why not? Boom boom ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qE78_5_1AoQ
The longest track on the album – the sweeping “Oak and Stone” … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRC8R1131ok
And the one that is most likely to be become an earworm – “The Connection Plan” – it’s the second track and starts with a persistent and lively violin motif that carries the whole track through ...
The album opener is about the delight, pleasure and possibility encompassed in a tiny being and the joy they can bring, whether to grandparents, parents, or anyone, I suppose – the absolute marvel of a brand new life. Sunshine/starshine, same thing. We are million-year-old carbon!
I guess the album is loosely structured around a lifeline, but it’s oblique too – not spelled out.
They seem to have headed off in something of a different direction to work they’ve done previously – perhaps that is due to line-up changes over time. I think it’s a good album – sounds quite up-to-date without pandering to any particularly modern trends – a well-considered mix with variety, texture, good vocals, two instrumentals which I do believe go a long way to pacing an album, and it’s been well put together.
I would go as far as saying that there are some virtuoso musicians here - I loved the drumming and percussion, courtesy of Nick D’Virgilio – he knows what he’s doing – the basslines are strong but not excessively so, despite very much holding things together. Greg Spawton is primarily responsible for those (along with mellotron, organ, backing vocals and other things!) – he’s the backbone of BBT – founding member. Really nice double bass on one track courtesy of Riaan Vosloo, fab violins from Claire Lindley (no relation to David) and Aidan O’Rorke, and a fairly prominent brass section throughout – trumpet, euphonium, trombone, tuba, French horn. There are one or two simpler tracks but on the whole, there’s a fair amount of orchestration so I expect this would fall into the symphonic rock category. Lead guitar is played by the very able Rikard Sjöblom and while its presence is evident, it certainly doesn’t dominate as one might expect from the more traditional bands with a ‘prog rock’ label. I am not entirely sure what so called ‘prog’ is anymore TBH. I don’t think I like a lot of the music designated as such at this time. I do know that I tend to lean towards symphonic and melodic which is what this is – in my view
The great sadness inherent in the listening is, of course, the knowledge of lead vocalist, David Longdon’s untimely recent death – such an irony in some of these lyrics, not to mention the album title. He was just coming into his own - a vocalist of note - and way too young to be snuffed out - such a terrible tragic shame. Life really can turn on a dime. He went out on a high note though, not that I think that's any consolation. This is altogether an elegant, accomplished offering that is deserving of all the accolades I’m sure it will receive.
"Lanterna" - David Longdon, of course, but backing vocals by all the musos except the violinist - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyOdoBH2OUg
The second instrumental, written by D’Virgilio – “Bats in the Belfry” … pretty much a drumming showcase - why not? Boom boom ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qE78_5_1AoQ
The longest track on the album – the sweeping “Oak and Stone” … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRC8R1131ok
And the one that is most likely to be become an earworm – “The Connection Plan” – it’s the second track and starts with a persistent and lively violin motif that carries the whole track through ...
"The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us." ~ Bill Watterson