Big Big Train - English Electric (Part One) (2012)
BBT's Countryfile
English Electric Tracklist
1. The First Rebreather (8.32)
2. Uncle Jack (3.49)
3. Winchester From St Giles' Hill (7.16)
4. Judas Unrepentant (7.18)
5. Summoned By Bells (9.17)
6. Upton Heath (5.39)
8. A Boy In Darkness (8.03)
9. Hedgerow (8.52)
There is a list of albums that I did not on their release, but which are now among my favourites: For Your Pleasure by Roxy Music (1973), Burn (1974) by Deep Purple, Don't Look Back by Boston (1978) and others. Perhaps Big Big Train's English Electric is one such album. On the first few hearings, I did not like English Electric because, whereas Big Big Train had previously imitated the intricacies of Genesis, with David Longdon on lead vocals they were more closely copying their style. After all, if I want to hear Genesis, I can listen to Nursery Cryme (1971) and The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974). In addition, the pace seemed far too languid for my tastes. On the positive side, Nick D'Virgilio, former collaborator of Kevin Gilbert, drummer with Genesis during the underrated Calling All Stations period and core member of the excellent Spock's Beard, is on drums and backing vocals. Indeed, Big Big Train is something of a progressive rock supergroup, with, in addition to NDV, Dave Gregory from XTC on guitar and mellotron and David Longdon from Gifthorse on lead vocals (he also auditioned for Genesis, but lost out to Ray Wilson), along with guests like Martin Orford on backing vocals and Andy Tillison on keyboards. Big big Train also have a fixation with the southern English landscape (as well as the countryside and characters), of which I am a resident.
According to the sleevenotes, The First Rebreather is about an heroic diver, Alexander Lambert, who worked for the creator of an early aqualung, Henry Fleuss, in closing a door in the flooded Severn Tunnel in 1880. It is an intriguing and little known story, which is used by the band in the manner of The Return of the Giant Hogweed on Genesis's Nursery Cryme album. More than any other on the album, this track is the most like Genesis. It opens with a slightly menacing riff, as befits the subject matter of a dark submerged tunnel, and David Longdon's overlapping vocal arrangement and harmonies are very similar Peter Gabriel's on I Know What I like in Your Wardrobe from Selling England by the Pound (1973). Like all the songs on the album, The First Rebreather has a very catchy vocal melody, with Andy Gregory's mellotron (or M-Tron Pro) which develops into a birotron-sounding solo and conventional synthesizer. Nick D'Virgilio is the driving force behind this track and throughout the album as a whole. There are even some Pink Floydian 'echoes' and Dag Stokke (Jorn Lande) synths in the fade.
Fortunately, the album drifts away from the overt Genesis stylings with Uncle Jack, which could be by Lindisfarne or String Driven Thing, with its banjo and mandolins. It describes a walk along an English hedgerow and closes with the imaginative device of using associated compound words or nouns that go together: hawthorn, blackthorn, (hazel) hedgerow, rosehips, hawberries, dry stone, dog rose, honeysuckle, blackbirds, redwing, song thrush, yellowhammer, lacewings, ladybirds, fox earths, rabbit warrens, badgers' sets and partridge nests. Sadly, the song, like the remainder of much of the album, is not evocative of the countryside, because the production, while clear and sharp, is rather cold and sterile. Contrary to what the lyrics might lead one to think, Winchester From St Giles' Hill is more concerned with the view of Winchester as an encapsulation of English history, rather than its physical geography or natural history. Considering the lyrical content it is a bit overwrought. The lullaby-type vocal arrangement is like those of Prefab Sprout and the the instrumental passage, about three minutes into the song, reminds me of Words by The Bee Gees, which is appropriate as the early Genesis were strongly inspired by the Gibb brothers. The guitar solo sounds like George Benson and is one of many leftfield masterstrokes on the album.
Like The First Rebreather, Judus Unrepentant tells the story of an individual, faithfully relating the tale of brilliant art restorer and forger, Tom Keating (1917-1984), who planted little clues in his works to reveal their lack of authenticity. Items such as lead white lettering or certain anachronisms may be the Judus of the title, although he was discovered when a suspicious number of Samuel Palmer watercolours simultaneously appeared for sale. On the other hand, he refused to name his forgeries and may have been seen as a Judus by the art-dealing establishment which he sought to undermine. Some busy piano playing and a funky keyboard solo recall D'Virgilio's Spock's Beard. At this stage I should apologise for not detailing which musician plays what instrument, but, as the band are multi-instrumental, I am unable to do so. As it is, it took me a while to figure out that the 'badger and sable' are the bristles in the brushes, not the animals! I can imagine audiences swaying with their lighters aloft during live performances of this lilting piece, although it has to be said that the strings are supremely elegant.
Summoned by Bells is my favourite track on the album. Greg Spawton's lyrics describe the Highfields 'houses in terraced rows' and are evocative of S. R. Badmin's famous Village and Town book. A variety of harmonies are utilised, including Prefab Sprout and Rolling Stones-type, with jazzy piano and keyboards. At the halfway mark, confusingly sounding like the intro to a new track, is a brass instrumental section, which cleverly splits trumpets and trombone between the stereo channels. It must be the most effective combination of rock band and brass insruments since Golden Earring's hay day. But, best of all, is where David Longdon finally cuts loose, with, "So come on now." Unfortunately, he does not necessarily take the band with him. On Upton Heath, Big Big Train manage to capture the atmosphere of the English countryside, paradoxically with shades of the American Negro spiritual, Swing Low Sweet Chariot. It is a beautiful song, wonderfully compulsive and touchingly sung.
A dark song indeed is A Boy in Darkness, about the Victorian practice of employing children in coal mines, although the instrumental section, representing the light, is bright and sprightly. Initially, the strings make this similar to Fairport Convention, while the later toe-tapping flutes are more like Jethro Tull. A heavy guitar solo concludes the track. A distorted intro and Searchers-style jangling guitars lead us back to Hedgerow, a continuation of Uncle Jack. D'Virgilio's drumming, the guitars and brass recall The Hollies' Jennifer Eccles, whie the strings are a conflation of Mostly Autumn and Ralph Vaughan Williams' Lark Ascending. Added to this is a punchy and original guitar solo with yet another catchy vocal melody. On the album's closing, David Longdon is back to his most Gabriel-like.
After hearing this album many times, the band have won me round. However, bearing in mind the Genesis connection, my criticism remains that the album is too sedate and I find myself yearning for them to suddenly burst into a Steve Hackett style passage. Perhaps what is needed is a Rickenbacker bass player like former BBT collaborator Dave Meros. Also, are Andy Tillison and his sparkling keyboards set to join BBT on an official basis? Whether English Electric will Join For Your Pleasure, Burn and Don't Look Back in my affections remains to be seen. Watch this space . . .