following his death was going to somewhat special. Yes, I know 'Welcome to the Planet' was released at the beginning All music and words by Gregory Spawton (except for the closing section of East Coast Racer where the music was written by Danny Manners and Gregory Spawton). Band History – The first album (1993–1994)". Bigbigtrain.com. Archived from the original on 2 May 2014 . Retrieved 16 April 2016. Voyager features the entire original recording, along with some additional guitar and violin. It also has a new mix for this release. This has been a brilliant song since its release, and it has been played live, including on 2020's Empire live album. This song is particularly fun in the way it compares the exploration of our solar system with the Voyager spacecraft to the exploration of our own planet in centuries past. As all the songs on this release do, Voyager champions human ingenuity. I think the closing lyrics might also champion this band as we cherish its past and look forward to its future: Big Big Train Recruit Beardfish's Sjoblom — BEARDFISHBAND.COM". Archived from the original on 15 April 2014 . Retrieved 15 June 2014.

Sometimes it can be hard to imagine that songs this good can be improved, but as the band has grown, their access to additional resources makes subtle improvements possible. The biggest difference is the inclusion of a 17-piece string section instead of the original string quartet used on East Coast Racer and Brooklands. These new sections were recorded at Abbey Road in 2018 when the strings were recorded for Grand Tour. Thus, the band has had Ingenious Devices in the works for at least five years. The band created a new arrangement for "Kingmaker", which they performed and recorded in June 2011. "Kingmaker" originally appeared on their 1992 demo album, The Infant Hercules. The new recording features the current line-up and replaced "Master of Time" on the Russian release of Far Skies Deep Time in a mini vinyl album format. [15] Ingenious Devices also includes a previously unreleased orchestral piece called "The Book of Ingenious Devices", which links "East Coast Racer" and "Brooklands".One can see why Greg was keen to revisit the older numbers as here they have been lifted, and sympathetically dealt prog bands around in terms of membership, and this allows them to take music in new direction without ever On BBT's blog, it was announced that they would be re-releasing English Boy Wonders. They partially re-recorded the album, as well as re-mixing it. [9] English Boy Wonders was re-released on 1 December 2008. This live recording almost sounds too good to be live. It was expertly performed, and the recording is crisp and clear. Perhaps the only hint is the gentle reverb on Alberto Bravin's vocals from the venue itself. One of the primary differences between the live version and the studio is Clare Lindley's violin replaces Longdon's flute at the beginning. Some of the new songs were debuted live at The Astoria, London, the only live show the band performed during this period. English Boy Wonders was finally released in autumn 1997, although to a much less positive reaction than Age of Steam. At this stage, after a less than pleasurable recording experience, a poorly received second album, and with a record label which had stopped returning calls, it appeared that the band had run its course.

sound like. Here the BBT guys have partially re-recorded and rearranged three of their songs about technology, Additionally Ingenious Devices includes a previously unreleased orchestral piece called The Book of Ingenious Devices, which links East Coast Racer and Brooklands, as well as a live version of Atlantic Cable, which was recorded on the band’s tour in September 2022. On 21 October 2021, the band announced that their fourteenth studio album, Welcome to the Planet, would be released on 28 January 2022. Preceding the announcement of the album, the band released the singles "The Connection Plan", "Lanterna", and "Made From Sunshine" as part of their Stay Tuned streaming series on 24 August 2021, 21 September 2021, and 19 October 2021 respectively. [35] Lending the project a powerful sense of conceptual continuity, all the pieces revolve around how mankind has used its ingenuity to extend its reach by the development and deployment of technology. Ingenious Devices consists of new versions of East Coast Racer, Brooklands and Voyager, which feature an elite 17-piece string section recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London.

Ewing, Jerry (27 April 2022). "Big Big Train announce Alberto Bravin as new lead singer". loudersound . Retrieved 27 April 2022.

Given the importance of David Longdon to the history of Big Big Train it always seemed likely that the next release While this endeavor may be preaching to the converted, it’s a fact many prog enthusiasts embrace. Devotees will meticulously dissect each nuance, alteration, and note, and that’s precisely the essence. Prog thrives on own internal validation after all, and therein lies its, well, ingenious nature.

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sounding muddied or confused. There is a delicacy and space within "Atlantic Cable", a poignancy perfectly captured

By contrast, I was never entirely satisfied with Brooklands and felt it got a bit overlooked on the Folklore album,” Spawton continues. “That is perhaps why we’ve not played the song live yet. The Abbey Road strings have significantly enhanced Brooklands and I’m delighted with the outcome. The changes to Voyager are more subtle but still elevate the song beyond the version on our Grand Tour album.”Gregory Spawton explains: “I was always happy with the original recorded version of East Coast Racer , but adding the strings at Abbey Road gave the song a further lift and the new recording also features Dave Gregory’s guitar solo on the closing section, a solo which has only previously featured on live performances of the song. I am pleased we now have the definitive studio version on Ingenious Devices . By contrast, I was never entirely satisfied with Brooklands and felt it got a bit overlooked on the Folklore album, which is perhaps why we’ve not played the song live yet. The Abbey Road strings have significantly enhanced the song and I’m delighted with the outcome. The changes to Voyager are more subtle but still elevate the song beyond the version on our Grand Tour album.” Not ones to go through a year without releasing something on CD or Blu-ray, Big Big Train have released Ingenious Devices, a collection of "mankind and machine" trilogy of East Coast Racer (off 2013's English Electric: Part Two), Brooklands (off 2016's Folklore), and Voyager (off 2019's Grand Tour). As bassist, songwriter, and lyricist Greg Spawton quips in the liner notes, Ingenious Devices is a trilogy in five parts, with short string interlude The Book Of Ingenious Devices and a live version of Atlantic Cable added to round things out. one of the finest singers in the prog scene and here, he has been kept front and centre while the arrangements have In 1987, Spawton moved down to Bournemouth. Shortly afterwards, he met Poole and they discovered that they shared a mutual appreciation of Genesis, Van der Graaf Generator and other progressive bands. In particular, they were both fans of a then relatively obscure band called IQ. Indeed, Poole had spent some time as a roadie for The Lens and IQ. The album also includes a 2022 live version of Atlantic Cable (introducing Alberto Bravin on vocals) and a linking orchestral piece.