Big Big Train - Common Ground

 For around the last 12 years, Big Big Train have been at the forefront of the UK Progressive Rock 'scene', since the release of their 'breakthrough' album, The Underfall Yard (recently remastered and re-released). During that time the band has developed a line-up of musicians who have produced a steady stream of consistently well-crafted albums, and a trade-mark sound that has delighted and enthralled 'passengers' and others (and has been a bone of contention to others, too.)

The imminent release of a new album from any well-established band gives rise to much speculation and anticipation, none more so when that band has recently undergone substantial personnel changes. Since the warmly-received 'Grand Tour' in 2019, and partly as a consequence of the ensuing pandemic, three key members of the band - Dave Gregory, Danny Manners and Rachel Hall - have departed: all of whom contributed much to the overall sound of Big Big Train. How would their departure affected the feel of the music?

The release of 'Common Ground' answers some of those questions: and maybe the forthcoming tour in 2022 will provide further insights.

Common Ground has been for me a bit of an enigma. It is clearly Big Big Train, yet there are clear and obvious differences in the musical 'feel' of the album. For me, Danny's keyboards and Dave's guitars were an essential part of BBT's sound, as was Rachel's violin in recent years, and that just isn't there any more. Rikard Sjoblom brings his own touch to the keyboards, as do Dave Foster and Aidan O'Rourke to guitars and violin, but it's not the same to me.

Nick D'Virgilio is given more space to showcase his songwriting on the instrumental 'Apollo', and on 'All The Love We Can Give', but there is more than just a hint of Spock's Beard showing itself for me - maybe a direction of travel for the band as the composition duties are more widely shared in future? Big Big Beard, anyone?

David Longdon's voice continues to show great maturity and character, and on 'All The Love We Can Give' he finds a new register which put me in mind of Scott Walker (others mentioned Phil Oakey). His voice harmonises very well with Nick's and with Carly Bryant's, who brings a more forceful female voice to that of Rachel Hall. Greg Spawton's bass seems, to me, just a little more prominent on this album, which is never a bad thing.

The song-writing throughout is what you would expect, in that it is high-class, musically and lyrically. Opener 'The Strangest Times' is David Longdon's take on the past 18 months; similar in style to 'Alive' (from Grand Tour), and bringing in the BBT memes of fields, brooks and woods. 'Apollo' and 'Endnotes' both give space to the Brass ensemble to fill out the sound as only they can. 'Headwaters', the other instrumental track, gives Rikard some scope to explore the piano, though it doesn't quite have the jazz-tinged edge that previous piano pieces have had. 'Atlantic Cable' - a song about the laying of telecommunication links between the UK and US - also picks up the theme of Common Ground and our common humanity that echo through the collection: "we see the same stars/ walk the same ground/ lit by the same sun/ we could be one" [Black with Ink]; "we make new common ground/... we look up at the same stars/ see further as one." [Atlantic Cable]

And am I alone in spotting that the last line of the lyrics to 'Endnotes' - "down the river/ to the sea" almost echo the title of the band's first album, 30 years ago...?

Music of 2019

2019 reaches its end, and here is my look back at the albums that have entranced me - or at least mildly entertained me - during the year. If you're a regular reader of my incoherent ramblings here, you will know that I've been doing a brief review month on month (apart from November & December): below are my November gigs, and then my year-end list.

2019 has been a good year for live music, thanks at a) being retired now, and b) living about 200 yards from one of the best live music pubs in Sheffield, The Greystones. As well as the gigs I've already reported on, November saw me at another seven shows. Steve Hackett and his band gave a stellar performance of Selling England By The Pound and Spectral Mornings, along with other stuff from his latest album, At The Edge of Light, and other solo stuff, at the City Hall. The following night I was at the Greystones for Gordon Haskell, briefly a vocalist with King Crimson (a part of his life he doesn't like to be reminded of, as I discovered...), who put on a great show featuring songs from his Harry's Bar album and some new material, with just an acoustic guitar and an accompanying saxophonist. Later that month, with a large amount of South Yorkshire under water, there was a trip to Kimberworth in Rotherham for the inaugural show by Moonspinner, a project of John Hackett & Howard Sinclair, aided and abetted by Matthew Lumb on keyboards. They performed music from John & Howard's repertoire, alongside some Steve Hackett, Genesis & King Crimson material. A real shame the weather kept many away, because it was a great night. The following week it was back to the O2 Academy for Steve Hillage supported by Gong. Like Al Stewart the month before, it was another spine-chilling nostalgia-fest for me, and it was well worth 4 hours standing at the front of the stage for the experience. Then the John Hackett Band (again), and finishing the month (and the year) with an as-always stellar show from Australian Pink Floyd - the next best thing to the real thing, imho, and the small matter of a trip down the M1 for the opening night of DanFest to see Encircled and The Emerald Dawn, both of whom were wonderful!

Steve Hackett

Gordon Haskell

Steve Hillage

John Hackett Band

Australian Pink Floyd

The Emerald Dawn

 
So, now to my top albums of 2019. I've tried to keep the number down a little, but in compiling the list I found I'd identified 26 albums worthy of note, and couldn't decide which to leave out to give you a Top 25. So here's my Top 26, with 26-11 in alphabetical order, and the Top 10 ranked.

Cheeto's Magazine - Amazingous
John Coltrane - Blue World
The Emerald Dawn - Nocturne
Farmhouse Odyssey - Fertile Ground
Fat Suit - Waifs & Strays
Gong - The Universe Also Collapses
Grand Tour - Clocks That Tick (But Never Talk)
Steve Hackett - At The Edge of Light
IZZ - Don't Panic
Kaprekar's Constant - Depth of Field
Red Bazaar - Things As They Appear
Nad Sylvan - The Regal Bastard
Thieves Kitchen - Genius Loci
This Winter Machine - A Tower of Clocks
United Progressive Fraternity - Planetary Overload Part 1
Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Colorado

And the Top Ten...

10. Rosalie Cunningham - Rosalie Cunningham
The former Purson front-woman picks up on the psychedelic vibe of the Purson album and takes it further.

  9. Jon Anderson - 1000 Hands Chapter One
There's just something about this album that makes me feel better about life every time I listen to it.

  8. Cirrus Bay - The Art of Vanishing
Gentle, melodic, symphonic progressive music, carrying on the great work of their earlier work.

  7. Nova Cascade - A Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows
An album which should increase the band's reach into both the ambient and progressive schools of music.

  6. The Far Meadow - Foreign Land
Some quite spectacular modern progressive tunes, rooted in the heritage of the past yet looking clearly forward to what Progressive music might become.

  5. Bruce Springsteen - Western Stars
A wonderful example of The Boss's knack of telling moving stories through simple melodies. More Mid-West than East Coast, but some of his best material in years.

  4. Moron Police - A Boat on the Sea
What can I say about this album other than captivating and bonkers! Some wonderful songs here, some of which go off at wild tangents, other that have echoes of Elton John for me.

  3. Chris Potter - Circuits
Every now and then a jazz album comes along that simply astounds me by its breadth, style and musical dexterity, and in 2019 that album was Circuits. Chris Potter, with Eric Harland, James Francies & Linley Marthe, simply blew me away!

  2. Big Big Train - Grand Tour
Ten years on from their breakthrough album 'The Underfall Yard', this is Big Big Train at their best in terms of composition, atmosphere and musicianship, and an album that was underscored by stellar live performances on their first tour this year.

  1. Freedom To Glide - Seed
Few albums, in all my years of listening, have affected me as much as this one, from the first listen through and on subsequent visits afterwards. The third of the band's trilogy reflecting on World War 1, this is an absolutely stunning work, tinged with reality, pathos, anguish but above all hope for a better world


I hope to be able to put together a 'Best of...' for the past decade, and even for the 21st Century (so far) at some point, but that may take some time... In the meantime, have a happy new year, and I hope, like me, you're looking forward with anticipation to what 2020 has to offer musically.

October's Music

October was a full month of musical delights and some disappointments. A lot of live music, some new albums, and some old stuff rediscovered.

Let's start with the live stuff.

Me and Hasse Froberg!

I've been attending the Summer's End festival for the past 4 years, and have found it to be a place for hearing great music and discovering new bands. Most of this year's line-up was known to me, but it was still a delight to share in the atmosphere and fellowship of the event. The music was generally excellent: Friday evening gave us Kentish Spires, who put on a great set, even though they were ‘breaking in’ a new vocalist - and a male one instead of a female, which changed the feel of the band a little. The new material seemed to lack the English, pastoral feel of the debut, but was highly entertaining. And also Wobbler, who were excellent: full of proggy goodness, but perhaps a little too loud (or maybe I should move from in front of the speakers...). Saturday brought with it a few technical issues, but these were overcome. The Far Meadow kicked off proceedings brilliantly: great to see them do live what they do so well on disc, and 5 songs in a hour - none more Prog!; The Windmill overcame the glitch at the start to give an excellent set which included a tribute to King Crimson as the 50th anniversary of Court of the Crimson King approaches; The Room, last minutes substitutes, played a rousing collection of their poppier prog to a room that was definitely heating up; Comedy of Errors gave us 90 minutes of material old and new, and though Joe Cairney was flagging towards the end, he still managed a walkabout in the crowd while singing; and Phideaux, again with technical difficulties at the start, gave a crowd-pleasing set, most of which was new to me but left a packed hall delighted. Sunday usually has a 'different' band to open proceedings, and this year it was Rise (formerly Talitha Rise), who produced a very minimal, ethereal sound for a 6-piece, dominated (if that's the right word) by piano and vocals; Mayra Orchestra gave us a multi-layered sound with strong female vocals, various time signatures and plenty of energy and enthusiasm; then This Winter Machine: excellent; hard-hitting, driving, thoughtful, melodic Prog with a heavy edge, and a band whose reputation and standing is growing by the gig. Third time seeing them, and tighter every time (a change in personnel may be a factor); penultimate band were Hasse Froberg & Musical Companion, a band I've enjoyed for a number of years and who simply gave us a set of Symphonic Scandinavian Splendidness. Finally came District 97- a kind of mix of progressive metal, jazz and urban swagger. For many a ‘marmite’ band, and seeing them live I can understand that. Those who were there seemed to be warming to them, however.

Al Stewart

Later in the month came a chance to see This Winter Machine again, this time a little nearer to home: again they were excellent, and being in Yorkshire they had some home support with them. They were ably supported by Under a Banner, whose material seemed a lot heavier than it does on disc. The following evening I finally got to see one of my all-time favourite singer-songwriters - Al Stewart, who played some newer stuff along with lots of his classic material, mainly from Year of the Cat. I was amazed just how emotional I got listening to this music that has been a part of my life for the best part of 40 years.

Towards the end of the month came the behemoth that is HRH Prog! I was delighted that the organisers had decided to hold one of the versions of this festival in Sheffield, and having 'won' tickets it made it a very cheap weekend. Musically it was a little disappointing, to be honest, mainly due to the volume in the hall being too loud. The Saturday line-up were pretty much of a muchness to begin with: Captain Starfighter & The Lockheeds, Premed, and Hawklords were all channelling Hawkwind, which I suppose is great if you like that kind of thing, but it did get a bit stale very quickly (and I spent most of Premed's set out at a restaurant). The Vintage Caravan - an Icelandic Power Metal trio - were not what I would call 'Prog', but the day was redeemed with an excellent set from Gong - whom I'm seeing at the same venue supporting Steve Hillage in November (more on that next month!) - and then finished with Uriah Heep, who I only got to see one song from before fatigue took its toll on me. Sunday gave us 4th Labyrinth, who were OK; Pearl Handled Revolver, very Doors-like, and again OK; & Krankschaft, who were not really my thing. Redemption came, once again, this time in the shape of Soft Machine, who were on blistering form, and Caravan, who were just out of this world! Again, I missed the final act, The Pineapple Thief, due to fatigue. So, a mixed bag really, but the highs more than compensated.

The final live outing of the month saw a road trip to Halifax to catch leg three of the Grand Tour of Big Big Train. This was my 4th time seeing them, and the experience continues to improve. I've written elsewhere about the sense of togetherness among the passengers, but the band were on great form and just continue to delight.

Musically related visits this month were a couple of evenings at a literary festival here in Sheffield called Off The Shelf, where I listened to Mark Radcliffe talking about his new book 'Crossroads', and also to David Hepworth on his book 'A Fabulous Creation: how the LP saved our lives'. And then there was a visit to the cinema to see the Miles Davis biopic 'Birth of the Cool', which was insightful and honest, and reminded me of the Jaco Pastorius biopic from a few years ago.

So, with all this going on, have I had any time for recorded music? Well, just a bit! The new live album from The Fierce and the Dead does exactly what it says on the tin (!); I picked up some stuff at Summer's End by Kentish Spires, The Windmill, This Winter Machine and Kaprekar's Constant, all of which are excellent. On the jazzier side there was a new album by Chris Potter along with Dave Holland & Zakir Hussain - Good Hope, which has 66 minutes of brilliant eastern-tinged jazz on it; and Waifs & Strays, the new album from Scottish jazz ensemble Fat Suit, which sounds very much like Snarky Puppy, and that's never a bad thing! I've also managed to squeeze in albums from Ray Alder - What the Water Wants - interesting Prog Metal from the Fates Warning frontman; Tool - Fear Inoculum - my first listen to Tool: dark and brooding, and reminds me in places a lot of Riverside; Hats Off Gentlemen, It's Adequate - Ark - an excellent EP with a more electronic edge than I remember; Malcolm Galloway (from HOGIA) - Transitions - a really good collection of electronic ambient music; and Moron Police - A Boat on the Sea - captivating, bonkers, and a strong contender for the Top 5 this year.

And, breathe...

A busy month: much to listen to, much to take in, and much to think about. And even more waiting in the wings. Ah well, soon be Christmas...!

The Passengers alight in Halifax

Last night I joined hundreds of fellow 'Passengers' aboard the Big Big Train in the Victoria Theatre in Halifax, the third leg of the band's Grand Tour of the UK in support of their latest album. It is the fourth time I've seen the band play live: last time at Cadogan Hall in 2017, and twice at King's Place i 2015.

Reflecting after the King's Place gigs, I wrote a piece on here about how the whole experience put me in mind of church - or at least how church should be. Following on from last night's joyous outing, I have been reflecting further on this idea.

This is clearly a meeting of like-minded people. They will not agree on everything, but one thing that draws them together is a love of the music. This was evident in the way that the concert was enjoyed: engaged attention during the songs; rapturous applause following. The music matters, and those performing it matter just as much.

This is a family. And when families get together, there is much chat, much reminiscing, and much catching up. There were people there last night whom I have not spoken to face to face since Cadogan Hall, or even before that, and some for whom this was a first meeting 'in the flesh'. And as with family there was much laughter, some concern and overall togetherness. I was struck by a small gesture at the end of the show, when one of the band, spotting a 'passenger' in a wheelchair, jumped down from the stage in order to greet them. And the atmosphere in the bar afterwards, when the band were chatting and signing, was truly supportive: just a bunch of friends, old and new, getting together.

This is a supportive bunch, showing what I would call Pastoral Care for one another. It was good to see, for instance, a card being passed round for a couple who will be celebrating their wedding anniversary by attending the Birmingham gig, and on a personal level it was touching to receive the concerns of many in the band and others in the wake of my early retirement. And earlier in the tour an inventive, apt and touching memorial was arranged for a beloved Passenger who had sadly died recently. A small basket was place don what would have been his seat in Edinburgh, and it was filled with sprouts in his memory! The Prog equivalent of lighting a candle?

There's a passage in The Acts of The Apostles which says: "They... ate together with glad... hearts... and ... added to their number..." No gathering of Passengers would be complete without food - usually curry - and it was good to end the night sharing together in food as we had begun the evening sharing together in drinks. Food and drink have been a part of church gatherings since the start, and this is no different for Passengers.

And of that common bond that drew us together - the music (No Spoilers): we were treated to such a delightful evening. We began with a short but excellent set from Sweet Billy Pilgrim, which included a glorious re-working of a Prog classic. And then the main attraction: a beautifully crafted couple of hours from 13 (count them...) top-notch musicians at the top of their game. Tight, melodic, harmonic, virtuosic, and simply spell-binding renditions of material mostly from their latest album, Grand Tour, but also from earlier releases, some of which left barely a dry eye in the house.

If you haven't managed to get to see the band yet on this first tour of theirs, and you have a chance to, grab it with both hands: your ears and your heart may well love you for ever!

May's Music

May was a busy month musically - anything to take my mind off the debacle that is the UK political scene at the moment! - though unlike the past 3 months there was no live music. However, there was some excellent new material, and also some delving into the archives, discovering material from the 1970s.

The New Material:
There was much anticipation, as the month turned, for the arrival of the latest album from Big Big Train, though I had been fortunate in securing a review copy during April (as I hinted in last month's piece). Grand Tour carries on the legacy of the band with a towering collection of songs firmly in the musical style of the last 10 years of the band, yet now casting their net further afield than the shores of England. There are echoes of their earlier work, both musically and lyrically, but also fresh ideas and themes, and it's good to see the compositional weight being shared wider through the band. Some have hinted that, although the music is great, it sounds similar to earlier albums: but that's like saying 'I like apples, but they're all a bit apple-y'. This is Big Big Train at their best in terms of composition, atmosphere and musicianship, and this will easily be a contender for a high place at the end of the year and maybe even further on.

Bad Elephant's offering this month was a quintessentially 'Proggy' album - Brighteye Brison's 'V'. Three songs: the shortest 12:32, the longest 36:54, and all three steeped in the sounds and textures of 'classic' progressive music, without being uncomfortably regressive and nostalgic.

United Progressive Fraternity grew, along with the excellent Southern Empire, from the ashes of Unitopia, and their second album, Planetary Overload - Part 1: Loss, picks up where their 2014 debut - Fall in Love with the World - left off. This is a no-holds-barred paean to the planet we call home, wearing its desire to stop the creeping disaster of Climate change firmly on its sleeve, and is a wonderful and moving collection of soaring and stirring songs.

A Storm is Coming is Norwegian guitarist Bjorn Riis's third full-length solo album, and carries with it much of the energy and inventiveness that he brings to his band Airbag. Another superb collection of songs, it maybe doesn't have quite as strong a Gilmour-esque feel to it of his earlier solo and band output, but it's still a stellar offering.

Joe Cairney, the voice of Comedy of Errors and Grand Tour, put out a charity single last month for the benefit of the Firefighters' Charity - his and his friends' take on the Mystery song 'The Sailor & the Mermaid'. An excellent rendition and an equally excellent cause.

Talking of 'the voice', there is none so distinctive in Progressive music as that of Jon Anderson. His latest album, 1000 Hands - Chapter One, is one that lifts my soul every time I listen to it: there's just something about it that makes me feel better about life - perhaps the evident joy in Jon's voice and the positive attitude at the heart of his music. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but, like a good claret, Jon seems to be improving with age!

The last of my 'new' albums this month is 'Don't Panic' by Izz. For a lover of the works of the late Douglas Adams like myself, this is a treat, as it draws on Adams's work in a wonderful way. A really good album, and worth the wait.

Delving Deep:
Earlier this year Esoteric Recordings released a box set of 9 albums by Nucleus & Ian Carr - Torrid Zone: The Vertigo Recordings 1970-1975. This is a great collection of jazz/ fusion, featuring people such as Karl Jenkins, Chris Spedding & Alan Holdsworth among many others, and Burning Shed do a very good deal on the set.

Gong were a band that I was aware of but hadn't really given much time to, despite Steve Hillage's involvement with them in the early 70s. Having heard some of their material on Progzilla Radio, I took the plunge and bought 4 of their albums: the Radio Gnome trilogy (Flying Teapot, Angels' Egg & You); and the Pierre Moerlen-led fusion album Gazeuze! (again featuring Alan Holdsworth) This is unique music: bizarre; confusing, yet strangely alluring; brilliantly played and hinting at what was to come in Hillage's solo career. The later Moerlen material has a wonderful edge to it - different from the earlier music, but just as attractive.

I also have Progzilla to thank (more particularly Graham Harfleet) for the last purchase this month. Peter Hammill - and his band Van der Graaf Generator - feature regularly in Graham's show, and although I have a few VdGG albums I was lacking some solo Hammill. Following recommendations in the chat room I splashed out on 4 of his works: Chameleon in the Shadow of Night, The Silent Corner & The Empty Stage, In Camera, and Over. While there are, naturally, similarities with his VdGG work, there is an energy and power in the music that is strangely appealing. In the more acoustic numbers I can detect distinct echoes of Roy Harper. I've not had much chance to listen more than once, but these albums will, I'm sure, repay repeated rumination.

So, a full month, and a busy one. June is already shaping up nicely too: so see you next month!

Music of 2017 - Part 2

As I noted in the earlier instalment of my year-end review, 2017 has produced some excellent music, and much of a high quality, so whittling things down to a best 20 albums of the year has been a struggle. But, I've finally got there, so here's my Top 20 for 2017.

20. Disperse - Foreword. At times dark, energetic, atmospheric and melodic, this is not your run-of-the-mill progressive rock. Favourite track: Does It Mater How Far?

19. Tangerine Dream - Quantum Gate. Reminiscent of the band at their 1980s best. Favourite track: Genesis of Precious Thoughts.

18. Bjorn Riis - Forever Comes To An End. Thoughtful, guitar-driven prog, at times quite melancholy. Not as Gilmour-esque as his earlier releases. Favourite track: Getaway.

17. Deluge Grander - Oceanarium. Energetic, unusual, inventive instrumental prog. Favourite track: A Numbered Rat, a High Ledge, and a Maze of Horizons.

16. Motorpsycho - The Tower. A 'big' sound, with great textures, reminiscent of Black Sabbath & Pink Floyd at times, and a feel of the best 60s & 70s music. Favourite track: Ship of Fools.

15. Wobbler - From Silence to Somewhere. An album rooted in the past but up-to-date as well. All you want from a nostalgic Scandinavian prog album! Favourite track: From Silence to Somewhere.

14. Ulver - The Assassination of Julius Caesar. Melodic and atmospheric, this album wears its 1980s influences well. Favourite track: Rolling Stone.

13. Threshold - Legends of the Shires. One of the better Prog Metal bands around. Driving, powerful, yet melodic and interesting. Favourite track: The Man Who Saw Through Time.

12. Möbius Strip - Möbius Strip. Great, clean, melodic jazz from this Italian foursome's debut, with wonderful interplay between sax & keyboards. Favourite track: Déjà Vu.

 11. Kamasi Washington - Harmony of Difference. More an EP than an album (32 minutes), but some sublime, more experimental jazz, exploring philosophical ideas through counterpoint. A great follow-up to 'The Epic'. Favourite track: Truth.

10. Rikard Sjöblom's Gungfly - On Her Journey To The Sun. Following Beardfish's sad demise, frontman (and Big Big Train stalwart) Rikard gives us a magical album which draws on the beardfish legacy, but takes it to the next level. Some wonderful lyricism and melody. Favourite track: Old Demons Die Hard.

9. Lunatic Soul - Fractured. A moving, powerful and reflective work by Riverside frontman Mariusz Duda, tinged with melancholy following the death of Riverside's Piotr Grudziński. This fifth outing is to my mind their strongest album. Favourite track: Crumbling Teeth and the Owl Eyes.

8. Barock Project - Detachment. Complex yet melodic and accessible music, of the highest quality, and enhanced by the talents of Peter Jones of Tiger Moth Tales (but only on a couple of songs). Favourite track: Happy To See You.

7. I Am The Manic Whale - Gathering The Waters. Marvellous sophomore release from a band who continue to astound, amuse and amaze me. Great narrative songs on many strange topics, carrying on from where the first album left off. Favourite track: The Milgram Experiment.

6. Kaipa - Children of the Sounds. Kaipa's trademark sound has an uncanny ability to put a broad smile on my face. This is joyful music of the highest order, played with consummate skill, that never fails to lift my soul. Favourite track: Like a Serpentine.

5. Kaprekar's Constant - Fate Outsmarts Desire. An outstanding debut from a band who produce historic & narrative songs along the line trod so well over recent years by Big Big Train, tapping into historic sounds and song-forms and assisted by Prog legend David Jackson. Favourite track: Hallsands.

4. Big Big Train - The Second Brightest Star. A surprise release by the band at Summer Solstice, and one of four releases by them this year to accompany their live shows in London. Some great recordings to round off the 'Grimlore' sequence, which offers opportunities for the wider band to contribute to the songwriting. Favourite track: The Passing Widow.

3. The Tangent - The Slow Rust of Forgotten Machinery. The Tangent's 9th studio release, and their most overtly 'political' for a while. Having said that, this is a compelling collection of great, thought-provoking songs with some eye-opening twists and fantastic musicianship (as always!). Favourite track: Two Rope Swings.

2. Big Big Train - Grimspound. Carrying on from last year's 'Folklore', in a trilogy completed by 'The Second Brightest Star', Big Big Train continue to create some stunning modern prog, anchored in the past but with its own unique character. This is delightful, melodic, and firmly rooted in the English traditions of folk, rock and brass - and simply stunning. Favourite track: A Mead Hall In Winter.

1. Tiger Moth Tales - The Depths of Winter. I wrote about this album on its release: often it takes a few listens to be captivated by a record, but this had me hook, line and sinker by the second time through, and it has simply got better with each listen. Evocative, inventive, fantastic songwriting, singing and playing, and a worthy Album of the Year. Favourite track: The Tears of Frigga.

So that has been the musical year 2017. Let's see what 2018 can bring!

The Train now arriving...

Two years ago I was privileged to attend the first two nights of Big Big Train's live shows at King's Place, London, and a delight they were, as anyone can witness by watching their Blu-ray release of the shows, Stone & Steel. So when they announced last year that they were planning some more shows in the capital, in a larger venue, I snapped up tickets as soon as possible for the opening night (well, actually my son snapped up the tickets, as I was in the US when they went on sale!).

Since the announcement of the concerts the band have not been idle, releasing 'Folklore', 'Grimspound' and (much to the delight of their growing band of supporters - the 'Passengers') the surprise Summer Solstice-released album 'The Second Brightest Star', and the epic conglomeration of 'London Song'. This gave them much new material to bring to the live arena, as well as their extensive back catalogue.

I wrote my reflections on the 2015 concerts at the time, and one thing that struck me about that occasion, as well as this year's events, is that these were so much more than just a series of concerts by a rock band. These were a gathering of family, from the four corners of the world, united by a common love of each other and of exceptional music, played with skill and passion.

My son and I travelled from the Midlands to London by train on the morning of Friday 29th September, and made our way, via Marylebone Road, Baker Street, Oxford Street and Hyde Park, to Kensington, where we met with around 50 other Passengers for curry. The camaraderie was amazing, as old friends were reacquainted, virtual friends became real, and new relationships were sparked. From there, suitably replete, we then proceeded to overwhelm The Antelope, a hostelry local to the gig venue, before leaving for Cadogan Hall and the principal reason for our gathering. Merch was purchased from the ever-obliging Nellie Pitts and her Merch Desk crew, and then we took our seats, ready for the show.

The anticipation was tangible as the lights faded, and Rachel Hall took the stage alone to begin the overture to the opening number, 'Folklore', being gradually joined by the brass section and the other members of the band: Andy, Danny, Nick, Rikard, Dave, Greg and finally David. The set continued with mostly material from the recent albums, but with the delightful inclusion of a track from 2009's 'The Underfall Yard', 'Last Train'. Accompanying the songs were images on the screen behind the band which enhanced the total experience wonderfully. The first half set was: Folklore, Brave Captain, Last Train, London Plane, Meadowlands & A Mead Hall in Winter.

Sadly, for those of us at the Friday concert, there were a number of issues with the sound, particularly for those of us in the gallery, which did mar the experience a little, but these were addressed during the break, and things were better in the second half. The interval was further enlivened by the sighting of none other than Tony Banks in the gallery!

The second half drew more on the band's older material as well as the newer stuff, with four songs that had been played at King's Place making the set list again. The full second half set was: Experimental Gentlemen, Swan Hunter, Judas Unrepentant, Transit of Venus..., East Coast Racer, Telling the Bees and Victorian Brickwork, with an encore of a drum solo from Nick d'Virgilio later enhanced by the brass section, and a final show-stopping rendition of Wassail. A truly moving, ecstatic experience for all who were there, I think.

For many the night was not over, as the band then mingled with Passengers to chat, sign programmes, and pose for selfies. Sadly I had to leave to catch the Last Train (!) home. For many, too, the weekend was not over, and reports of the two further concerts, on Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon, testify to the sound issues having been resolved and to the band relaxing into their task a little more, to astounding effect. I'm only sorry that I wasn't able to be there for the further shows, but a DVD/ Blu-ray is, I believe, on the cards, for which I rejoice!

The members of this band have managed to create not just heart-wrenching, soul-stirring and joy-bringing music of the highest quality, in both the studio and live settings, but also, around that music, a global community of like-minded people that I have rarely seen anywhere else. It was a pleasure to meet up with some of them last Friday in person, and to continue that relationship virtually. This is music, and community, that needs to travel the world: here's hoping that it will continue to do so!

(There are no photos, as we were requested not to take them)

Music of 2016

Another year end approaches, and I'm conscious this year that it has taken quite a heavy toll on the music world. From David Bowie & Keith Emerson to Leonard Cohen & Greg Lake, many icons of progressive music have passed from this life, but they leave with us a lasting legacy of years of material and of influence for subsequent generations of artists and musicians.

2016 has offered many opportunities to me for enjoying music, both recorded and live. Having a sabbatical of 3 months earlier this year meant that I was free to attend a few gigs that would otherwise have been impossible for me, and the summer was nicely full of live music and its associated camaraderie. Good music seems to have been reasonably profuse this year: I have acquired 127 albums released this year, the top 50 of which I will list below.

Before then though, I usually have 3 shorter categories in my year-end review.

Live Albums of the Year
5. Snarky Puppy - Family Dinner vol 2
4. Heliopolis - Epic at the Majestic: Live at Rosfest
3. Steve Hackett - The Total Experience Live in Liverpool
1=. Tigermoth Tales - Live at Summer's End (Official Bootleg)
1=. Big Big Train - A Stone's Throw From The Line

Discoveries of the Year
Acts that I've only become aware of in the past 12 months, that have stood out for me.
3 from the world of jazz:
Christian Scott, whose trumpet playing is just sublime;
Jason Rebello, a pianist whose album 'Held' is simply stunning;
Dinosaur, a 4-piece of Laura Jurd, Elliot Galvin, Conor Chaplin & Corrie Dick, who together show that the future of the genre is particularly bright.
2 from the Progressive field:
Firefly Burning, who draw together folk, prog, world music and their own particular style, and who brought a particular light to the Sunday morning of Summer's End;
I Am The Manic Whale, who would probably have been Top 3 last year for me if I'd found them in time. Inventive, modern yet rooted progressive music up there with the best of the genre.

Gigs of the Year
As I mentioned above, I've attended a few more gigs this year than in previous years, but here's my Top 5:
5. Soft Machine @ Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal
4. The Power of 3 @The Lexington, London
3. Yes @ Sheffield City Hall - proving that there's life in the old dog yet since the demise of Chris Squire
2. Geoff Banks Memorial gig @ Boston Music Rooms, London - an excellent evening with The Gift; Alan Reed; Andy Tillison. Matt Stevens & Theo Travis; and Francis Dunnery
1. Summer's End  @ Drill Hall, Chepstow

And so to my favourite albums of 2016. Bubbling under the Top 20, in alphabetical order:
Lee Abraham - The Season's End
Aisles - Hawaii
Jacob Collier - In My Room
Edensong - Years in the Garden of Years
The Far Meadow - Given The Impossible
Fractal Mirror - Slow Burn 1
Kristoffer Gildenlow - The Rain
Glass Hammer -  Valkyrie
Steve Hughes - Once We Were part 1
Iamthemorning - Lighthouse
Lazuli - Nos Ames Saoules
Mice on Stilts - Hope for a Mourning
Mute Gods - Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me
Opeth - Sorceress
Matthew Parmenter - All Our Yesterdays
Tony Patterson - Equations of Meaning
The Pineapple Thief - Your Wilderness
Rikard Sjoblom - The Unbendable Sleep
Damien Wilson & Adam Wakeman - Weir Keeper's Tale
Steven Wilson - 4½

The Top 20
20. Neil Cowley Trio - Spacebound Apes
19. Body English - Stories of Earth
18. Snarky Puppy - Family Dinner volume 2
17. Half Past Four - Land of the Blind
16. Tim Garland - One
15. Farmhouse Odyssey - Rise of the Waterfowl
14. Jason Rebello - Held
13. Frost* - Falling Satellites
12. Dinosaur - Together, As One
11. The Gift - Why The Sea is Salt

10. David Bowie - Blackstar. The final, portentous offering from the rock & roll chameleon, still as sharp as ever.
9. Mothertongue - Unsongs. A gentle melange of madness from Manchester's finest
8. Karmakanic - Dot. More genius from Jonas Reingold and company.
7. Southern Empire - Southern Empire. One up-side to the demise of Unitopia is the appearance of both UPF & Southern Empire from the ashes. Some excellent antipodean prog!
6. Red Bazar - Songs from the Bookcase. A simply delightful collection of songs delivered as only Peter Jones can.

5. Knifeworld - Bottled out of Eden. Sublime progressive music delivered as only Kavus & co can do, building on their success with The Unravelling
4. Andy Tillison Diskdrive - (Machte Es) Durch. Some of the best ambient electronic music around at the moment.
3. Colin Tench Project - Hair in a G-String (Unfinished but sweet). In turns beautiful, sublime, bonkers, lyrical, rocking; some of the best guitar-based prog you'll hear in a long time, and it has Peter Jones' hand all over it too.
2. Big Big Train - Folklore. One of 5 releases by the band this year (including a BluRay, a live album, live audio from the BluRay, and a re-release of English Electric), this collection of new material continues to cement this band's place at the forefront of the English progressive scene. Some quite outstanding material here, particularly 'The Transit of Venus across the Sun'. More to come, along with live shows, next year!

1. Anderson/Stolt - Invention of Knowledge. Progressive music as it has historically been produced, by two of the the finest proponents of the art still with us, yet not fixed in the past. This is, to my mind, the finest music anyone associated with Yes has produced since 'Awaken'.

That was 2016 - bring on 2017!

Music of 2015

And so another year slowly reaches its climax, and here again is my look back at the music (mainly, though not exclusively, Progressive Rock) that has entertained and delighted me over the past 12 months. As with the last three years, this has been another wonderful year - we are living in a very creative time for progressive music at the moment, and making my selection has not been easy.

Before I run through my Top 20 albums of the year (and another 18 that I thought to be of particular note), a few other categories:

Live Albums
Three live recordings have really stood out to me, all of them quite brilliant.
3. Anubis - Behind our Eyes (Live 2014): some great prog from the Aussie boys
2. Lifesigns - Live in London-Under the Bridge: long-awaited, but worth it!
1. Snarky Puppy - Sylva: always recorded live, and always outstanding.

Discoveries of the Year
Acts that I've only become aware of in the past 12 months, that have really stood out.
3. The Room - although their debut appeared in 2012, it's only this year that I've discovered their melodic, catchy music. A great band live, and their sophomore effort 'Beyond the Gates of Bedlam' takes them a step further to recognition they richly deserve.
2. Louise Le May - A beautiful voice singing equally enthralling songs, Louise's voice reminds me in places of Judy Dyble. This folky delight needs to be heard wider, I think.
1. Tiger Moth Tales - Has I delayed my year-end list in 2014 for a further week, then Peter Jones' debut, 'Cocoon', with its evocations of childhood, would've featured highly. Since then, he has been almost prolific, producing his second album in the space of 4 weeks, as well as a collection of Genesis covers and a number of live shows. Here is a true talent.

Gigs of the Year
I've managed to get to a few shows this year: here are my Top 10, in no particular order except for the top 3
Abel Ganz & The Room @ CRS, Maltby
Cloud Atlas & Lifesigns @ Fibbers, York
The Enid @ Holy Trinity Church, Leeds
Fish & Lazuli @ Sheffield City Hall
Steve Hackett @ Leeds Town Hall
Lazuli & Alan Reed @ CRS, Maltby
Howard Sinclair & Heidi Widdop @ Wesley Hall Crookes, Sheffield

3. An Evening with Andy Tillison  @ Wesley Hall Crookes, Sheffield - a wonderfully intimate evening with Andy playing pieces from his Tangent, Po90 and solo material as well as some excellent improvisations and great banter
2. Steven Wilson @ Bridgewater Hall, Manchester - a quite simply stunning show on the Hand.Cannot. Erase tour: visually and aurally mind-blowing
1. Big Big Train @ King's Place, London - a show so good I attended the following night as well! Exquisite music played to perfection by an octet at the top of their game (and such a wonderful bunch of people too!)

And so to my favourite albums of 2015. But before I count down, I must mention a couple of EPs from the year: Big Big Train released 'Wassail' from their forthcoming 'Folklore' album alongside a couple of new tracks, 'Lost Rivers of London' and 'Mudlarks', and a live in the studio rendition of 'Master James of St George' from 'The Underfall Yard'; and David Longdon, along with Christina Booth & Rob Reed from Magenta, Nicks Beggs & D'Virgilio and Steve Hackett produced a wonderful new version of 'Spectral Mornings' with lyrics written by David. Both of these EPs were outstanding in their own particular ways and, although not full albums, merited mention in this year-end review.

Bubbling under the top twenty, in alphabetical order :
Alco Frisbas - Alco Frisbas
Anekdoten - Until All The Ghosts Are Gone
Beardfish - +4626-Comfortzone
Comedy of Errors - Spirit
The Enid - The Bridge
David Gilmour - Rattle That Lock
Grand Tour - Heavy On The Beach
Steve Hackett - Wolflight
Iron Maiden - The Book Of Souls
IZZ - Everlasting Instant
Karfagen - 7
Dave Kerzner - New World (Deluxe Edition)
Mew - +-
Mystery - Delusion Rain
Public Service Broadcasting - The Race For Space
Tom Slatter - Fit The Fourth
The Unthanks - Mount The Air
We Are Kin - Pandora

The Top 20
20. Unified Past - Shifting The Equilibrium
19. Nad Sylvan - Courting The Widow
18. Lonely Robot - Please Come Home
17. Built For The Future - Chasing Light
16. 3RDegree - Ones & Zeros
15. Riverside - Love, Fear & The Time Machine
14. The Room - Beyond The Gates Of Bedlam
13. Pasajero Luminoso - Afuerino
12. Karnataka - Secrets Of Angels
11. Louise Le May - A Tale Untold
10. Advent - Silent Sentinel
 9. Thieves' Kitchen - The Clockwork Universe
 8. John McLaughlin - Black Light
 7. Perfect Beings - II
 6. Snarky Puppy - Sylva

 5. echolyn - I Hear You Listening
     Another quite brilliant set of songs from this US group, a fitting follow-up to their eponymous 2012 offering
 4. Tiger Moth Tales - Storytellers Part 1
     Great musicianship, story-telling, and humour from the talented Peter Jones, and all written & recorded in a month!
 3. Theo Travis' Double Talk - Transgression
     Some exceptional jazz from the multi-instrumental maestro and his friends
 2. Steven Wilson - Hand.Cannot.Erase
     A haunting piece, full of musical dexterity and harrowing stories. Definitely on a par with 'The Raven Who Refused To Sing'.

 1. The Tangent - A Spark In The Aether
      An album that grabbed me on first listen and hasn't let me go all year. Andy Tillison has gathered a magnificent band of musicians around his own outstanding talent to give us a collection of songs full of energy, wit and imagination. From the excitement of the opening title track, the nostalgia of 'Codpieces and Capes', the dreaming of 'Clearing the Attic', the evocation of 'Aftereugene', and the aural pilgrimage of 'The Celluloid Road', this is a group of songs that take you on a journey of discovery and adventure. Quite simply brilliant.

(And yes, I have noticed that Theo Travis plays on the top 3 albums)

So there you have it: my 2015 in music. 2016 already has some great treats in store: here's to another epic year!

The Church of Prog

Reflecting on events of nearly 2 weeks ago can be difficult, but I've been without the means to share any thoughts for the past 2½ weeks due to lack of Broadband, and this is my first opportunity to share my thoughts on 'that weekend' in Kings Cross earlier this month.

It is safe to say, I think, that for most of us who were there this was one of the most hotly anticipated events in the history of ever. A band whose popularity (if one can use such a word in Progressive circles) has been growing over the past 5 or six years - since the release of 'The Underfall Yard'; whose line-up seems to be constantly developing; and who have not played a live show in over 20 years, and never with the current line-up - at least to paying customers, were now finally taking to the stage to present their particular brand of Progressive Rock to a waiting and endlessly patient fan-base.

Arriving at the venue on the Friday evening, having caught the train from Cumbria earlier that day, one could sense - almost taste - the anticipation in the air. The venue was well-chosen: big enough to accommodate the numbers who would be attending over the three shows, yet intimate enough to make it feel almost like a family gathering. And to some degree that's what it was.

Over the years of their ascendancy, Big Big Train have built an online community of followers and fellow-travellers - the Passengers - who have been instrumental to a large degree in bringing these shows into being. Much wisdom and frivolity has been shared, and many friendships forged over the aether, and it was wonderful to be greeted by, and to greet, people one had never met 'face-to-face' as old friends - sometimes people who had travelled from overseas to be there - united by a common love for fine music.

The concert itself was simply stunning. The music was tight - you wouldn't know that this was the first time it had been played in front of an audience - and David Longdon's vocals particularly shone. As a front man he was engaging with the clearly knowledgeable audience, and even performed a little role playing during 'Summoned by Bells' and 'Wassail', when he became the Green Man. Comparisons with Peter Gabriel were evident: in fact he seemed more at home in character than as himself at times. (What would Genesis have become had he got the gig ahead of Ray Wilson?)

The set came from material from the band's more recent recordings (2009 and later), in fact mainly from English Electric, and brought goose-bumps and even tears to many a grown man's eye, performed as it was with passion and flair. After each show the band were on hand to talk, pose for photos and sign autographs, adding to that sense of community and family that I mentioned earlier.

Reflecting in my hotel room after the Friday gig, the nearest analogy I could find for the events of earlier that evening was that it had been like the best of Church. That may surprise some, but indulge me for a second. There was clearly worship there, and the well-worn liturgy of the lyrics brought us together in a real, powerful and tangible way. But there was also this togetherness, this fellowship: what the New Testament calls 'koinonia' - mutual sharing & unity - that one so rarely finds, but when one does it transforms.

As a Christian minister, I would want to say that if more people's experience of church was like that, many could be the stronger for it. The Prog community is a wonderful 'koinonia', united by a love of beautiful music, and it was great to be a small part of it - not only on 14th August, but also (somewhat unexpectedly) on 15th too!

I only hope I don't have to wait another 20 years to share again.

Modern Prog Classics - some analysis

In the week leading up to Monday 25th May 2015 Progzilla Radio broadcast the Top 100 Modern Prog Classics, as voted for by their listeners. The results can be found here.

Since the poll was published, I've been doing some analysis of the results (because I'm on holiday and it's raining):

The 100 songs come from 64 albums (assuming the studio version of the track was chosen)

There are 48 acts represented:
    27 have 1 song in the list;
    5 have 2 songs
    9 have 3 songs
    4 have 4 songs
    1 has 6 songs (Steven Wilson)
    2 have 7 songs (IQ & Big Big Train)

The most songs from one album is 5 (The Raven That Refused To Sing)
The most different albums represented by a single act is 6 (IQ)

Of the 48 acts, 30 are from the UK; 8 from USA (including Transatlantic, who are 50% American); 8 from Scandinavia; and 2 from the rest of Europe (France & Poland)

There are 7 tracks under 5:00; 11 between 5:01 & 7:30; 23 between 7:31 & 10:00; 28 between 10:01 & 15:00; 12 between 15:01 & 20:00; 11 between 20:00 & 30:00; and 8 over 30:00.

The shortest tracks were 3:16 (Spooky Action & Anisina), and the longest was 77:54 (The Whirlwind)

17 of the tracks were originally released in the 1990s; 42 from 2000-2009; and 41 since 2010
The five most popular years were 2013 (16); 2012 (9); 2014 (8); 2000 (7) & 2006 (7)

Which perhaps goes to show that, in terms of modern Progressive music, the best years appear to be now; the UK seems to be a strong force on the prog scene; and we still like an epic!

Wassail

13 weeks from today, Big Big Train play their first live show, and I will be there! For now, here's the title track from their forthcoming EP, due for release on June 1

Music of 2013

2012 was a great year for music, particularly for my preferred genre of Progressive Rock, but 2013 has proved to be an even better year. There is so much good music out there at the moment that I have found the task of producing an end-of-year review quite daunting. Where do I begin?

Last year I produced a Top 25 of my favourite Progressive albums, but this year I have really struggled to keep the number down that far. Not only that: trying to rate them in order is proving really difficult. So, what I've decided to do is to produce a Top Ten (or possibly a Top 12) for the year, and list - in no particular order other than alphabetical -  another 30 that have particularly touched me/ moved me/ spoke to me - it's been that good a year!

Before then a few minor 'awards':

Gigs of the Year
3. Rush - Clockwork Angels @ Sheffield Motorpoint Arena
2. John Mayer @ London O2 Arena
1. Steve Hackett - Genesis Revisited @ Sheffield City Hall

Live Album of the Year
Anathema - Universal
Stunning music in an equally stunning setting

Discovery of the Year
The Twenty Committee - A Lifeblood Psalm
A remarkable debut: follow the link above to read my review on Progarchy.com

Non-Prog Albums of the Year
A couple have particularly stood out for me:
The Temperance Movement's eponymous debut
Prefab Sprout's Crimson / Red - a tour-de-force of song writing brilliance from Paddy McAloon

Disappointment of the Year
This has to go to Dream Theater's self-titled album, which sadly left me quite underwhelmed. The band have just not been the same since Mike Portnoy left, and the music, for me, has lost its spark.

So, to my 'bottom 30', in alphabetical order.
Airbag - The Greatest Show on Earth
Camelia's Garden - You Have a Chance
Comedy of Errors - Fanfare & Fantasy
Days Between Stations - In Extremis
Djam Karet - The Trip
The Fierce & the Dead - Spooky Action
Flamborough Head - Lost in Time
Godsticks - The Envisage Conundrum
Haken - The Mountain
Henry Fool - Man Singing
Ingranaggi Della Valle - In Hoc Signo
King Bathmat - Overcoming the Monster 
Leafblade - The Kiss of Spirit & Flesh
John Lees' Barclay James Harvest - North
Lifesigns - Lifesigns
Johanes Luley - Tales From Sheepfather's Grove
Magenta - The Twenty Seven Club
La Maschera di Cera - The Gates of Tomorrow
Maschine - Rubidium
The Opium Cartel - Ardor
Persona Grata - Reaching Places High Above
Riverside - Shrine of New Generation Slaves
Shineback - Rise Up Forgotten, Return Destroyed
Solstice - Prophecy
Sound of Contact - Dimensionaut
Thieves' Kitchen - One For Sorrow, Two For Joy
The Twenty Committee - A Lifeblood Psalm
Vienna Circle - Silhouette Moon
Violent Silence - A Broken Truce
Willowglass - The Dream Harbour

And so to my Top 10 (or 12):

10. Cosmograf - The Man Left In Space
Star-studded line-up working with Robin Armstrong to produce a powerful interstellar concept piece - stand-out tracks 'Aspire, Achieve' & 'The Man Left in Space';

9. Steven Wilson - The Raven That Refused to Sing (and Other Stories)
Carrying on from 2011's evocative 'Grace for Drowning', this collection offers light and shade and some excellent musicianship - stand-out tracks 'Luminol' & 'The Watchmaker';

8. Manning - The Root, the Leaf, and the Bone
Great story-telling alongside some brilliant composition and playing. One of the undoubted highlights of the latter part of the year - stand-out tracks 'Among the Sleepers' & 'Palace of Delights';

7. The Flower Kings - Desolation Rose
Another excellent offering from Sweden's 'Kings' of Prog, with some simply spell-binding songs from Roine Stolt and the others - stand-out tracks 'Tower One' & 'The Resurrected Judas';

6. Moon Safari - Himlabacken vol 1
This band continue to delight me with their close harmonies and wonderful compositions: this is music to put a smile on your face - stand-out tracks 'Mega Moon' & 'Sugar Band';

5. Freedom to Glide - Rain
 A work that tells the stories of those from the front line in WW1, with a heavy dose of Pink Floyd: a bit like The Wall or The Final Cut without Roger Waters' personal angst - stand-out tracks 'Rain part 2' & 'Not a Broken Man';

4. Sanguine Hum - The Weight of the World
Thoughtful, intelligent Progressive music (in every sense), a powerful follow-up to their critically-acclaimed debut from last year, 'Diving Bell' - stand-out tracks 'The Weight of the World' & 'Day of Release'

3. Wintergatan - Wintergatan
Strange, unconventional, joy-filled music, using all kinds of eclectic instruments to create wonderful soundscapes: an absolute delight of an album - stand-out tracks 'Starmachine2000' & 'Sommarfågel'

2. The Tangent - Le Sacre du Travail/ L'Étagere du Travail
A breath-taking couple of albums from Andy Tillison & co., that I just can't separate from each other: 'Le Sacre' tells a symphonic story of the working day as only Tillison can, and 'L'Étagere' - by no means the sweepings from the cutting room floor - is a collection of very strong songs along with out-takes and live recordings - stand-out tracks '5th Movement: Evening TV' & 'Supper's Off'

1. Big Big Train - English Electric (Part 2)/ English Electric: Full Power
The 'English Electric' sequence came to its fruition with these two releases, following on from last year's English Electric (Part 1) - my album of the year for 2012. Again I cannot separate these two. Full Power contains all the material from Parts 1 & 2, along with four additional tracks, all of which showcase the band's ability to craft exquisite progressive music that elicits strong emotions from the listener. This is nothing more than a stunning piece of work, that will, I have no doubt, become a classic of the genre to rival 'Close to the Edge' and 'Selling England by the Pound' in years to come. This is a complete package: song-writing, musicianship and vocals of the highest order from Greg Spawton, David Longdon, Dave Gregory, Andy Poole, Danny Manners & Nick D'Virgilio; production & engineering second to none by Rob Aubrey; and a physical product that is quite simply a work of art - stand-out tracks 'East Coast Racer' & 'Curator of Butterflies (perhaps the most stunningly beautiful song I've heard in years).

So, there it is: one among many end-of-year lists. But what a year it's been! On a par with 1973? I think so.

English Electric (Part 2)

2012 proved to be a classic year for Progressive Rock music, and one of the many outstanding albums to be released was Big Big Train's 'English Electric (Part 1)' (my album of the year for 2012). Big Big Train have been producing consistently good and increasingly excellent music for a number of years now, and their latest offering, the second part of English Electric, has just been released to much anticipation.

What can be said about this work of art? - for that is what it is. Like much of their work it is immediately evocative of both the heyday of Progressive music from the 1970s and an essential Englishness that the title might imply: there is even a 'guest appearance' from Sir John Betjeman! But although there are echoes of bands like Genesis ('Worked Out' for me has hints of 'Driving the Last Spike' about it) they are in no way seeking to ape their style: here is a distinctiveness all their own.

The music is emotive and emotional; well-written - both lyrically and melodically - and equally well-played; David Longdon's vocals can soar and swoop like a swallow in flight; and how many bands within the breadth of the Rock genre would include strings, a banjo and a brass band in their arrangements?

The songs bring back images of an England from decades past: an England of steam trains, shipyards and coal mines, and of ruined abbeys and butterflies. For a band from the South coast to take this northern 'lad' back to his halcyon days is something that took me aback, but in a good way!

This is part 2 of a collection, and naturally there are echoes in this collection of its worthy predecessor, most notably in 'The Permanent Way' (which perhaps should've closed the album) taking us back to the closer of Part 1, 'Hedgerow', and to its opener, 'The First Rebreather'. Together they present a work that I have no doubt will be looked back on by generations to come as a classic of the Progressive genre. If only more people could/ would listen to such sublime music! And if only we could see this music performed live sometime!

Music of 2012

As the year draws to a close it has become customary to look back over the past 12 months and review aspects of life, and none more so than in the world of music. There are a number of 'best of' lists being published and/or broadcast at the moment, and I thought I'd give you my take on the past year's musical offerings.

My personal preference for music is predominantly progressive rock, but not exclusively. Outside that favoured genre I have particularly enjoyed the offerings of the prolific Joe Bonamassa, who has produced not only his solo effort 'Driving Towards the Daylight', an excellent collection of guitar-driven blues rock, but also a third album with Black Country Communion - 'Afterglow'. With tensions in the band towards the end of the year, which may or may not have been resolved, this may be a swansong, but time will tell. Richard Hawley, a son of my current home city of Sheffield, gave us a corker of an album this year in 'Standing at the Sky's Edge' - a record with a different feel to some of his more recent recordings, with a haunting, Spector-esque 'wall-of-sound' feel to many of the tracks. John Mayer, a big favourite of my eldest son, and a great influence on his own music, gave us a very warm, accessible, country-feeling collection in 'Born and Raised' which grows with every listen. Perhaps a little nearer to the 'prog' universe were the recording of the reunion concert by Jazz Fusion legends Return to Forever, 'The Mothership Returns', which is just awesome, and the almost uncategorisable Sigur Rós, who gave us more of their ethereal soundscapes on 'Valtari'.

So to my top Prog albums of 2012: or maybe in a moment, because some may feel that there are some glaring omissions from the list that's about to unfold. I'm only including here records that I've bought and listened to this year, and so far I'm still waiting to hear/ purchase the following highly critically-rated collections, so can't give my opinion as yet: 'Skin' by Panic Room; 'Beneath the Waves' by Kompendium (was on my Christmas list, but never made it to my stocking); 'Perilous' by Glass Hammer; 'I Am Anonymous' by Headspace; 'Invicta' by The Enid; 'The Ghost Moon Orchestra' by Mostly Autumn; and 'On and On' by Syd Arthur. Maybe the New Year will see some or all of these making my collection.

There has been so much good Prog produced this year: it may even be fair to say that this has been a classic year, almost on a par with 1972. I do wonder whether in 40 years, as I turn 92, I will look back with such affection on the class of 2012 as I do on 1972's alumni in my 52nd year - only time, good health and avoiding Armageddon may tell. Of that great selection, here (finally) is my Top 25.

25. Rush - 'Clockwork Angels': been a Rush fan for 40 years, but still not totally convinced by this one yet.
24. Squackett - 'A Life Within a Day': a good, but not great, collaboration between two prog heroes.
23. The Reasoning - 'Adventures In Neverland': an enjoyable addition to the band's canon.
22. Gazpacho - 'March of Ghosts': moody and atmospheric, as one expects from this Norwegian outfit.
21. Galahad - 'Beyond the Realms of Euphoria': the second of two offerings by this band this year, an interesting fusion of heavy prog & trance.
20. Steve Hackett - 'Genesis Revisited 2': a nostalgic look back over Steve's history with some powerful collaborations and interesting reworkings.
19. Storm Corrosion - 'Storm Corrosion': no-one quite knew what putting Steven Wilson & Mikael Åkefeldt together in a studio would produce, and many were surprised by the result. Hard to define, but at times quite sublime.
18. Nine Stones Close - 'One Eye on the Sunrise': a new band to me, who have progressed from last year's 'Traces' to produce a great record.
17. Astra - 'The Black Chord': a great follow-up to 2009's 'The Weirding'; dark and compelling.
16. Cailyn - 'Four Pieces': introduced to this young lady when she followed me on Twitter. Some great reworkings of classical standards as well as her own composition, with some great guitar work.
15. The Flower Kings - 'Banks of Eden': this band, however long a hiatus there is between recordings, and however hard the band members work on other projects between times, continue to produce great, epic, dreamy prog.
14. Marillion - 'Sounds That Can't Be Made': reminiscent on 'Afraid of Sunlight', and containing the epic and prophetic 'Gaza', this is among Marillion's finest work.
13. Unitopia - 'Covered Mirror volume1 - Smooth as Silk': a collection of covers of songs that have inspired the band, this carries their hallmark of great musicianship and distinctive vocals. Stand-outs for me are the two medleys, and their take on Zep's 'Rain Song'.
12. Ian Anderson - 'Thick as a Brick 2': after 40 years we finally get to find out what happened to Gerald Bostock. A great album in the Tull tradition, and an equally great live show earlier this year.
11. Anathema - 'Weather Systems': an album of wonderful atmospheric music, showcasing great songwriting and musical skills. The latest in a line of 3 stunning recordings.

The Top Ten

10. Flying Colours - 'Flying Colours': one of Mike Portnoy's many projects since leaving Dream Theater, featuring, among others, his fellow Transatlantician, Neal Morse. A smorgasbord of pop-y, heavy and epic tunes showcasing an array of talent.
9. Lalle Larsson - 'Nightscapes': The final part of Karmakanic keyboardist Larsson's 'Weaveworld' trilogy, this is evocative, moody music that takes you into and out of the darkness.
8. Mystery - 'The World is a Game': This is the music Benoit David was meant to make. It suits his vocal style so much better than Yes did, and along with 'One Among the Living' is some of the band's best material.
7. Kaipa - 'Vittjar': Another product of the Scandinavian prog stable, mostly sired by the almost ubiquitous Roine Stolt, Kaipa continue to produce their distinctive music album after album. This is another classic: soaring guitars & keyboards, unique vocals, driving percussion; an almost perfect band.
6. It Bites - 'Map of the Past': for over 25 years now It Bites have been turning out memorable pop-prog, but with the arrival of John Mitchell in 2006 they have turned out some stunning music on 'The Tall Ships' and this latest offering. Memorable, driving tunes; great musicianship - what more could you want?
5. Threshold - 'March of Progress': an outstanding Prog-Metal album that grips you from the onset and carries you on an hour-long roller-coaster of musical brilliance, catchy hooks and rattling good tunes!
4. I and Thou - 'Speak': I've only recently discovered this album, but have been blown away by its beauty. Chiefly the work of Jason Hart of Renaissance, this is an exquisite collection of tunes that takes you out of yourself and to a better place.
3. Änglagård - 'Viljans Öga': The last of the Scandinavians on this year's list, but undoubtedly the best. Änglagård have only produced now 3 studio recordings, and their last one was 18 years ago. After such a long hiatus, they have returned with an astounding piece of music - truly masterful.
2. Echolyn - 'Echolyn': It is difficult to know what to say about this record that would do justice to it. An amazing collection of songs, brilliantly executed, with a warmth and a depth to them that is almost tangible. Sell your mother and buy this record!

1. Big Big Train - 'English Electric (Part 1)': When I first heard this album I said 'listen to this: your ears will love you for ever', and in the 4 months since its release I have only strengthened my opinion of this masterpiece of English Progressive Rock. All of the band's output, but particularly their last 3 outings ('The Underfall Yard', 'Far Skies Deep Time', and this one) have the ability to evoke an essential Englishness that very little can these days. There is nostalgia here, both in the lyrical content and in the musical style, but not in a backward-looking sense. It evokes all that is good about this nation of ours, and I wait in eager anticipation for March 4th 2013 and Part 2.

As I said, it's been an outstanding year for music this year!

English Electric (Part 1)

Every now and then something comes along that makes me sit up and take notice. In recent years one such has been the band Big Big Train.

I first encountered them early in 2010, when many people were raving about their album 'The Underfall Yard', and on listening I could understand why there was so much interest in their music. Since then I have immersed myself in most of their back catalogue, which surprisingly stretches back to the mid-1990s, and have discovered the same standard of musical excellence throughout.

Later in 2010 saw the release of what was strangely called an EP (40 minutes of music used to be called a single album!) 'Far Skies Deep Time', and then came the promise of new material some time this year. That promise is now fulfilled, with more to come in 2013, with appearance of 'English Electric (Part1)'.

This is, again, a beautiful collection of songs, steeped in the Progressive rock tradition, but also suffused throughout with a celebration of England. Images of railway sidings, hedgerows, views of 'Winchester from the Hill', echoes of Betjeman in 'Summoned by Bells', and the eulogising of 'a charming old lovable rogue' of an art forger in the wondrously joyous 'Judas Unrepentant'.

Full of exquisite vocal harmonies, folky touches to the music, as well as hints of 'Selling England by the Pound'-era Genesis, this is music that your ears will love you for listening to. This band deserve to be more widely known and appreciated, and I hope this collection of songs will go some way to achieving this.

The album is available through Amazon, or you can listen and /or download from the band's Bandcamp site.