Big BIG Train - Wassail, new EP out june 1st 2015

**emperorken** · 06-17-2015

Originally Posted by selmer

The title track is definitely the best, did not think much of the others. Hopefuly the next album is in the vein of the title song.

Agree 100%. After hearing the title track, I actually thought BBT was going to do something interesting. Oh well.

**bill g** · 06-17-2015

Oh, I didn't receive my copy of this. I wonder if I actually forgot to order it? Have to rectify that.

Are the other 2 tracks mellower or more straightforward rock? What is lesser about them? Lack of chords? Melody? I'll get it anyway, just curious

**ThomasKDye** · 06-18-2015

Originally Posted by bill g

Oh, I didn't receive my copy of this. I wonder if I actually forgot to order it? Have to rectify that.

Are the other 2 tracks mellower or more straightforward rock? What is lesser about them? Lack of chords? Melody? I'll get it anyway, just curious

I don't know, I like 'em, myself. "Lost Rivers of London" has a mellower "Keeper of Abbeys" feel to me. "Mudlarks" is mostly a midtempo instrumental, but it's a builder, and there's some nice tasteful guitar solos towards the end. Neither one punches a hole in you the way some of the "English Electric" tracks did, but they're solid work and prove there's a talented fist in that pastoral glove. If I were told that these three were representative of the next studio album, I wouldn't write it off.

**LeFrog** · 06-18-2015

Originally Posted by bill g

Are the other 2 tracks mellower or more straightforward rock? What is lesser about them? Lack of chords? Melody? I'll get it anyway, just curious

The other 2 aren't bad it's just that they don't really sound like BBT are going for a something a little bit different like the title track does.
Plus I don't like their choice of synth sound on both of these tracks but that's a matter of personal taste.

**selmer** · 06-18-2015

Originally Posted by emperorken

Agree 100%. After hearing the title track, I actually thought BBT was going to do something interesting. Oh well.

If the title song will be part of the next album, that's fine by me. Point one - a good song like that should be part of an album. Point Two - there is a chance that the album will explore some interesting directions.

**selmer** · 06-18-2015

Originally Posted by bill g

Oh, I didn't receive my copy of this. I wonder if I actually forgot to order it? Have to rectify that.

Are the other 2 tracks mellower or more straightforward rock? What is lesser about them? Lack of chords? Melody? I'll get it anyway, just curious

They seemed a bit bland in comparison. Maybe it's all about taste.

**Firth** · 06-18-2015

Originally Posted by ThomasKDye

I don't know, I like 'em, myself. "Lost Rivers of London" has a mellower "Keeper of Abbeys" feel to me. "Mudlarks" is mostly a midtempo instrumental, but it's a builder, and there's some nice tasteful guitar solos towards the end. Neither one punches a hole in you the way some of the "English Electric" tracks did, but they're solid work and prove there's a talented fist in that pastoral glove. If I were told that these three were representative of the next studio album, I wouldn't write it off.

Keeper of Abbeys was on Full Power.

**Kcrimso** · 06-18-2015

Originally Posted by Firth

Keeper of Abbeys was on Full Power.

It was originally on English Electric Part Two.

**Firth** · 06-18-2015

Originally Posted by Kcrimso

It was originally on English Electric Part Two.

Full Power is EE part 1 and 2

**Jondon4** · 06-18-2015

While I admit I don't care that much for Mudlarks I found the rest of the EP delightful. Lost Rivers of London sounds right out of English Electric and I love the harder edge to Wassail. I'd never heard the original version of Master James of St. George but their live version speaks well of their DVD scheduled for release this fall. Surprisingly reviews of the four-song effort have been effusive so they would seem to be on a roll following the success of EE I & II or Full Power or whatever you want to call it.

**BobM** · 06-19-2015

Me likey (so far)

**gingernut** · 06-21-2015

Well I checked this out at Progstreaming, but it is not my cup of tea. I'm delighted the band are getting some recognition because they have put out several quite brilliant albums. However, for me, they are going in a direction that I don't care much for. But that's my problem.

**selmer** · 06-24-2015

Originally Posted by gingernut

Well I checked this out at Progstreaming, but it is not my cup of tea. I'm delighted the band are getting some recognition because they have put out several quite brilliant albums. However, for me, they are going in a direction that I don't care much for. But that's my problem.

What kind of direction do you think they're going? I couldn't really say judging only from these songs. I thought the title track was different from all the others. If they embrace a sound like that on the next album, I'll be more than happy. I've listened to it quiet a bit of times and the sound is the most compelling, the song itself is rather good but nothing outstanding. I have said it before that I like EE 1 but not the second album. At this point it's rather difficult to say where they're going. My guess is that it's a band that's still in the searching process. The good aspect of it is that their music is not stale.

**gingernut** · 06-25-2015

Originally Posted by selmer

What kind of direction do you think they're going? I couldn't really say judging only from these songs. I thought the title track was different from all the others. If they embrace a sound like that on the next album, I'll be more than happy. I've listened to it quiet a bit of times and the sound is the most compelling, the song itself is rather good but nothing outstanding. I have said it before that I like EE 1 but not the second album. At this point it's rather difficult to say where they're going. My guess is that it's a band that's still in the searching process. The good aspect of it is that their music is not stale.

Seems to me that they are moving in a more folky, pastoral, acoustic, even main-stream direction. I think this started with The Underfall Yard and had continued since. I did like TUY (and everything before it), but each subsequent release less and less. But good luck to them.

**selmer** · 06-25-2015

Originally Posted by gingernut

Seems to me that they are moving in a more folky, pastoral, acoustic, even main-stream direction. I think this started with The Underfall Yard and had continued since. I did like TUY (and everything before it), but each subsequent release less and less. But good luck to them.

I could agree with the mainstream comment. But then again - this is a word under which so many meanings could be put

**polmico** · 06-25-2015

Originally Posted by gingernut

Seems to me that they are moving in a more folky, pastoral, acoustic, even main-stream direction. I think this started with The Underfall Yard and had continued since. I did like TUY (and everything before it), but each subsequent release less and less. But good luck to them.

I picked up their first couple albums based on the strength of liking everything from Underfall on.

I much prefer the direction in which they are moving. Those older albums don't do much for me.

**arturs** · 06-25-2015

Woohoo! Just listened to this over at progstreaming. Another major score imo from this great band. Loved it from start to finish.

Also I think if they want to go a little "commercial" this is exactly the right way to do it: subtly, by emphasizing the folk influence. NOT like that arena-rock "Make Some Noise" song, which is the only song from them I haven't liked ever.

**bill g** · 06-26-2015

Well interesting. More pastoral but more mainstream? Usually pastoral and mainstream are polar opposites. I love the thought of more pastoral, but never seem to relate to anything more mainstream for some reason. Well I have ordered it, but not yet received. Any BBT release I end up liking, so I'm hopeful. I think the English Electric albums are probably my favorites, but not by much, as I've always had a real warm spot for 'Gathering Speed'.

**bill g** · 07-01-2015

Well of the 3 new songs, I think I like 'Rivers of London Town' the best. Very nice chords in the slowed down section, where I hear loads of passion. Sounds like classic BBT to me. I like the instrumental too quite a bit. I don't find a real departure in style and sound with these songs, the opening title track being the biggest departure if anything, but even that one, more straightforward as it is, I quite like. A very nice listen, to these ears anyway.

**Progtastic** · 08-15-2015

BBT played the the first gig of three at Kings Place last night and were totally amazing. I won't post the setlist, as I don't want to spoil the enjoyment of attendees of tonight's and Sundays gigs. It is up on setlist.fm however for anyone who wants to take a look. I will say the performance of Wassail was storming.

**Firth** · 08-15-2015

Originally Posted by Progtastic

BBT played the the first gig of three at Kings Place last night and were totally amazing. I won't post the setlist, as I don't want to spoil the enjoyment of attendees of tonight's and Sundays gigs. It is up on setlist.fm however for anyone who wants to take a look. I will say the performance of Wassail was storming.

Great, and the perpetual question, when will they come to the US?

**tallliman** · 08-15-2015

Agree here, last night's performance was sublime and the brass band enhanced 13 piece really shone throughout.

I thought the set may have been missing one song to be honest (I won't say which) from EE2. However, it was a wonderful performance made better by the setting and the banter. A 2-3 minute standing ovation for one song in particular brought to my mind the overture Cream got in 2005. However that was just for walking on stage.

There were comments during the sey that they are trying to work out how to gig more and I really hope they do!

The only downside was the merch queue, I don't think they anticipated how much people wanted to contribute to this.