History! 2

Since their first album, Goodbye to the Age of Steam, published in 1994, Big Big Train has gradually increased in intensity until the highly acclaimed The Underfall Yard released in 2009. Once again, the British band revisits the campaign, people and the story of England, singing stories full plume that speak both coal mines Victorian (A Boy In Darkness) as the former Kingdom of Wessex and its capital (Winchester From St Giles' Hill) or the famous steam locomotive Mallard which was built by the company London and North Eastern Railway in 1937, and in July 1938, flew to Germany the world speed record for this kind of gear (East Coast Racer). Typically English like that of Genesis, the music is complex yet accessible, equipped with meticulous arrangements that give it an indescribable emotional power capable of amplifying the drama of topics. Full of surprises the listener with the turning of these songs full of light and shadow: pastoral symphonic layers; folk passages with such diverse instruments as the accordion, flute, banjo and mandolin; string orchestrations or sumptuous copper; warm vocal harmonies and ethereal chaeurs nostalgic; guitar solos, keyboards and violin perfectly useful and integrated into the concepts discussed; without forgetting of course the perfect voice of David Longdon who auditioned in 1996 to replace Phil Collins in Genesis, and whose capabilities allow it to adapt to multiple environments, bucolic or dramatic repertoire. It must be said that the current members of Big Big Train are off-peer musicians: Dave Gregory example, former lead guitarist of rock band XTC new-wave, is also a great orchestrator (he also plays mellotron) that probably should have had a say in the arrangement of textures. The two founding members, the producer and bassist Andy Gregory Poole Spawton are seasoned multi-instrumentalists and guardians of the group soul Bournemouth. As for the mixer, it is nothing less than the great Nick D'Virgilio who once officiated behind Spock's Beard barrels before taking possession of the microphone after the departure of Neal Morse. Needless to say it contributes to the vocal harmonies of Big Big Train. In addition, the group uses a myriad of guests, among which we will pin Andy Tillison (The Tangent) on keyboards, violin Rachel Hall, Dave Desmond for brass and Martin Orford (IQ) as a voice supplement, which lent their talent to make English Electric a monumental achievement.

While out on two compact six months apart, the two albums (English Electric - Part One and Part Two) does in fact constitute a single work by a range similar music and coherent understanding of some historical events that helped make Britain what it is today. Moreover, the two compact together this year will be reissued as the English Electric Power Full, perhaps with a different sequence of songs that will put even more worth the original vision of this production is second to none.

Photos covers and booklets were taken by the photographer Matt Sefton Tanfield Railway in the area of ​​Durham counted where there is the oldest railway line in the world. It is by seeing the photo on Flickr sidebar of a rusty crane bearing the name of the British company English Electric, Gregory Spawton had the brilliant idea and name their drives before contact Sefton in intention to use its "industrial image" who happened to be in perfect harmony with its own concept. Thus are born the magical collusion between images and music that make some cult albums as they are released. Indispensable!