English Electric Part One
| English Electric Part One | ||||
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| Big Big Train's studio album | ||||
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Publication |
3rd September 2012 |
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| Label (s) | English Electric Recordings GEP |
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Format (s) |
CD |
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Title (number) |
8th |
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running time |
58m46s |
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| occupation |
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Andy Poole |
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Studio (s) |
English Electric Studios ( Bournemouth ) |
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English Electric Part One is the seventh studio album by the English retro-prog band Big Big Train . It was released on September 3, 2012.
background
The band's own label "Treefrog" was renamed between 2004 and 2007 to "English Electric Recordings". In a blog entry from September 16, 2007 Gregory Spawton writes: "We recorded songs for our next album, English Electric." The next album was then named The Underfall Yard . It therefore took more than five years from the idea for the album name to the publication of English Electric Part One . Due to the success of The Underfall Yard and Far Skies Deep Time , the band decided not only to release on "English Electric Recordings", but also signed a cooperation agreement with the label "Giant Electric Pea".
content
Many of the songs are an exploration of the English countryside and the communities of men and women who work in or under the country and have shaped the face of England. A central figure on the album is David Longdon's “Uncle Jack”, a coal miner who loved the outdoors and spent a lot of time walking his dog through the Knicks . He combines the songs that are located underground or in other dark places with the landscape songs. However, it is not a concept album.
The First Rebreather is about the construction of the Severn Tunnel . The tunnel was flooded by an underground spring called "The Great Spring" and had to be sealed by a diver whose normal equipment was not suitable for it. This is how the first rebreathers came into use . Musically, the song is mainly based on Dave Gregory's guitar riffs and Andy Tillison's organ playing. Gregory Spawton incorporated references to the band The Divine Comedy .
Uncle Jack had spent a lot of time underground as a miner, so he really appreciated his free time on the surface, and often roamed nature, especially the hedgerows ( Knicks ). In thoughts of his uncle and inspired by songs like My Friend The Sun ( Family ) and Ooh La La ( Faces ), David Longdon composed this song on a banjo.
Winchester From St Giles 'Hill is a piece about the historical development of Winchester , based on the view from St Giles' Hill. Gregory Spawton: “I asked Danny Manners for a piano part that sounds like a mountain stream flowing down a slope. This obscure wish turned into a beautiful arrangement. "
Judas Unrepentant deals with the restorer and art forger Tom Keating . The title refers to a Rembrandt picture called "Repentant Judas Returning the Pieces of Silver" (The penitent Judas). Dave Gregory gives his voice to the bailiff here.
In Summoned By Bells is about the memories of Greg Spawtons mother of her childhood in Highfields (Leicestershire) and a trip there.
Upton Heath is an area in Dorset where Greg Spawton likes to walk. David Longdon tried to give the song a "campfire feel". Dave Gregory plays the banjo , Danny Manner's double bass .
The title of the song A Boy In Darkness is based on the novel "Boy in Darkness" by Mervyn Peake , but has nothing to do with its content. The piece is divided into three parts. The first part deals with child labor in the coal mines of the 19th century. The subject of the third part is the suffering of children who are injured or even killed by those to whom they are entrusted. The second part is an instrumental part that connects the other two parts.
Hedgerow takes up Uncle Jack's walks again and contrasts his life above and below the earth. The Beatles-like coda is particularly emphasized by Ben Godfrey's cornet .
The musicians
The band
- Gregory Spawton: electric bass , electric guitar , moog , backing vocals , keyboards , mandolin , acoustic guitar
- Andy Poole: backing vocals, acoustic guitar, keyboards, mandolin, baritone bee (low hum)
- David Longdon: vocals , flute , vibraphone , tambourine , banjo, accordion , melodica , keyboards, acoustic guitar, mandolin, birds and bees (chirping and humming)
- Dave Gregory: Electric guitars, banjo, mellotron , the bailiff's voice in Judas Unrepentant
- Nick D'Virgilio: drums , backing vocals
Guest musician
- Abigail Trundle: violoncello
- Andy Tillison: organ , moog, keyboards
- Ben Godfrey: cornet , trumpet , piccolo trumpet
- Danny Manners: piano , double bass
- Daniel Steinhardt: electric guitar
- Dave Desmond: Trumpet
- Eleanor Gilchrist: violin
- Geraldine Berreen: violin
- Jan Jaap Langereis: Recorders
- Jon Truscott: tuba
- John Storey: euphonium , trombone
- Lily Adams: Backing vocals
- Martin Orford: Backing vocals
- Rachel Hall: violin
- Sue Bowran: violin
- Teresa Whipple: viola
- Verity Joy: Backing vocals
- Violet Adams: backing vocals
Track list
- The First Rebreather - 08.32
- Uncle Jack - 3:49
- Winchester From St Giles' Hill - 07.16
- Judas Unrepentant - 07.18
- Summoned By Bells - 09.17
- Upton Heath - 05.39
- A Boy In Darkness - March 8th
- Hedgerow - 8:52 am
Reviews
“For two years now, I've considered The Underfall Yard to be THE definitive rock record for the past twenty years. It is in line with the best of the early Yes and the late Talk Talk. [...] But when I heard the promo version of "English Electric Part I", heard it over and over again, I had to refrain from this assessment. Nothing could ever top “Fragile”, “Close to the Edge” did. Nothing could ever be better than “The Color of Spring”, but “Spirit of Eden” was. Nothing could beat the quality and beauty of “The Underfall Yard”, “English Electric” topped it. ”
"This is essential for any lover of good music."
"Big Big Train - The now Anglo-American prog collective just keep on getting better and better. English Electric Pt. 1 is all the proof you'll need! "
“Wonderfully relaxed (in the best sense of the word, not boring, but relaxed, you don't have to prove anything through Frickel top performances), symphonic music echoes from the speakers. The English act with typically British understatement and celebrate, so to speak, the landed gentry's version of progressive rock. "
"English Electric (Part One)" is a fine album full of beautiful melodies and vocal harmonies. The album is a delicate mix of symphonic / progressive rock and influences of the Canterbury scene with often a classical touch. With “English Electric (Part One)” the band follows the chosen path of “Underfall Yard” and refines the typical English atmosphere that shines through the music. In a delicate way the string ensemble and brass band is integrated into the music. Well done, Big Big Train has outdone itself! "
“Imagine a voice between Phil Collins and Gary More. Imagine harmonies and melodies that sound like Transatlantic, Genesis and The Flower Kings. Imagine the group would be surrounded by musicians of a different musical origin, with cello, viola, banjo, mandolin, accordion, tuba etc ... [...] this album will be a reference in the world of progressive rock. English Electric Part Two will be awaited with great impatience! "
"It's still a bit of a shame that the path taken on" The Difference Machine "(Big Big Train's most independent album), with its more modern, fusion-influenced Prog sound, was abandoned in favor of a Genesis-inspired retro Prog sounds. However, this takes place at a very high level and the music from BBT is just great fun. The album becomes unique again through the fine interplay of the actors, especially in the instrumental area. The typical multi-instrumental playing of Big Big Train with mellotron, trumpet, flute, viola, cello and and and is something special. "
Cover
The photographs on the cover and booklet were taken by Matt Sefton in County Durham on the Tanfield Railway . Big Big Train discovered a picture of him on Flickr that Matt Sefton described as: “English Electric: Side panel of a railway crane, Tanfield Railway sidings, County Durham. Great name for a band and an album cover - if it doesn't exist already, I'm claiming it! ". Gregory Spawton responded with a comment on the picture: “My band is working on an album called English Electric at the moment. We're prog / post rock. Great pictures, thanks for uploading them. ”This is how the band and the photographer came into contact. The images on the CD come from Matt Sefton's photo collection “Tanfield Railway, Co. Durham”.
Individual evidence
- ↑ We've been recording some new songs for the next album, English Electric. , bigbigtrain.blogspot.de, accessed on August 20, 2012.
- ↑ Big Big Train have entered into partnership with the independent record-label GEP ( Memento of the original from May 1, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , bigbigtrain.com, accessed August 28, 2012.
- ↑ We're delighted to announce that well respected progressive outfit Big Big Train have joined forces with GEP ( Memento of the original from January 14, 2013 in the web archive archive.today ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , gep.co.uk, accessed August 28, 2012.
- ↑ Many of the songs are an exploration of the English landscape and the communities of men and women who work on and under the land and who have helped shape the landscape , imaginativeconservative.org, accessed on August 20, 2012 (English).
- ↑ RadioShow: The European Perspective # 161 , theeuropeanperspective.com, accessed on September 7, 2012 (English).
- ↑ I remembered a story that Dave Gregory told me about the making of the Severn railway tunnel , bigbigtrain.blogspot.de, accessed on August 20, 2012 (English).
- ↑ I am very fond of My Friend The Sun by Family and Ooh La La by Faces and I wanted Uncle Jack to have that 'all-together-now-sing-along' feel to it. , soundemporium.blogspot.de, accessed on August 20, 2012 (English).
- ↑ I asked Danny to develop the piano part so that it sounded like a mountain stream racing down a hillside , bigbigtrain.blogspot.de, accessed on August 22, 2012 (English).
- ^ Judas Unrepentant is a song that concerns Tom Keating. , soundemporium.blogspot.de, accessed on August 22, 2012 (English).
- ↑ Summoned By Bells is about my mum's upbringing in Leicester and about our trip back to her childhood home. , bigbigtrain.blogspot.de, accessed on August 22, 2012 (English).
- ↑ I thought it would be a good idea to give it a campfire sing along feel. , soundemporium.blogspot.de, accessed on August 22, 2012 (English).
- ↑ Explanation: A Boy in Darkness , soundemporium.blogspot.de, accessed on August 27, 2012 (English).
- ↑ with the Beatles-esque coda, especially with Ben Godfrey's cornet lines , soundemporium.blogspot.de, accessed on September 3, 2012 (English).
- ↑ Nothing Could surpass the excellence and beauty of "The Underworld case Yard," but "English Electric" has. , imaginativeconservative.org, accessed August 20, 2012.
- ↑ This is essential for any lover of good music. , progarchives.com, accessed August 26, 2012.
- ↑ The now Anglo-American prog collective just keep on getting better and better ( Memento of the original from September 3, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , progrockmag.com, accessed August 30, 2012.
- ↑ the Landadel version of Progressive Rock , babyblaue-seiten.de, accessed on August 30, 2012.
- ↑ a fine album full of beautiful melodies and vocal harmonies , progvisions.nl, accessed on August 31, 2012 (English).
- ↑ cet album fera référence dans le monde du rock progressif , neoprog.eu, accessed on August 31, 2012 (French).
- ↑ Genesis-inspired retro prog sound , babyblaue-seiten.de, accessed on September 6, 2012.
- ↑ Great name for a band and an album cover - if it doesn't exist already, I'm claiming it! , flickr.com, accessed August 20, 2012.
- ^ Tanfield Railway, Co.Durham , flickr.com, accessed August 20, 2012.
Web links
- Reviews of English Electric Part One on the baby blue pages
- Liner Notes on bigbigtrain.com
- The European Perspective # 161 on theeuropeanperspective.com