New Big Big Train EP

[grif]

After last years superb Underfall Yard I was excited to read the following on the BBT website

We've finished recording our new EP and will shortly be back in the studio to mix and master it. The plan at the moment is to release Far Skies Deep Time in late October. There will be no pre-order campaign and initially it will only be available to those who are on our mailing list (if you've bought a CD directly from us in the past and haven't changed your email address recently, then you will feature on that list.)

The Far Skies EP is generously proportioned (about 41 minutes of music) and features the following track listing:

Master of Time
Fat Billy Shouts Mine
British Racing Green
Brambling
The Wide Open Sea

Master of Time is a cover of an Anthony Phillips song. Anthony and Mike Rutherford had originally planned to record Master of Time for inclusion on one of our favourite albums, The Geese and the Ghost, but ran out of time during the album sessions. A demo of the song appeared on the recent re-issue of The Geese and the Ghost. We thought it was a beautiful song which deserved a full band treatment and so decided to record our first ever cover. Ant has heard the BBT version of Master of Time and has given us his blessing and we do hope that we've done the song full justice.

Fat Billy Shouts Mine was originally part of a suite of music for The Underfall Yard album. We didn't get chance to finish recording the song in time for the album and so are pleased to be able to release it as part of the Far Skies EP.

British Racing Green and Brambling feature a lot of music within concise arrangements. We are very proud of these two songs which both tell the story of doomed relationships.

The EP concludes with the 17 minute The Wide Open Sea. This is a very different epic for us, very unlike our previous songs of this sort of length. It tells the story of Jacques Brel and is, I think, one of the best things we've ever done.

The Big Big Train line-up on Far Skies is:

Andy Poole
Dave Gregory
David Longdon
Greg Spawton
Nick D'Virgilio

and the EP also features Danny Manners on double bass, Jon Barry on guitar and Martin Orford on keyboards.

More news soon.

[D S]

Thanks for that - I'll look forward to hearing that later in the year.  Martin Orford on keyboards?  I thought he'd gone in retirement from any musical activity - glad if that's not the case though.

Interesting definition of EP.  41 mins.  When I were a lad, an EP was usually about 3 - 4 tracks on a 12" single!  If 41 mins is an EP, then every Rush studio album before Signals was just an EP.  Same with Floyd's Animals and even Dark Side is under 43 mins!  :lol:

[Jem]

I think Big Big Train deserve and award for "Services To Good Hearted Britishness". Gotta love 'em for it.  

[rogerg]

can't wait!  love BBT.

[Mouse]

Excellent news! They do love to be incredibly British, don't they? Topping!  

I expect a future album to be called something like Cream Cakes, Tea And An Afternoon On Isambard Kingdom Brunel's Bridges.

[L33VEY]

To my ears they're getting better with each release, so this is looking excellent.

Plus they're working on the "Big Big Thing"!

[turbo]

To my ears they're getting better with each release, so this is looking excellent.

Plus they're working on the "Big Big Thing"!

Totally agree that they get better with every release, id love it if they decided to venture back to doing gigs again, maybe next years high voltage festival would be a good platform for them to get back into the habit of doing live shows again ?

[RacingHippo]

Ooh goodie! More BBT! And with more NdV!

[Tricky]

To my ears they're getting better with each release, so this is looking excellent.

Plus they're working on the "Big Big Thing"!

Totally agree that they get better with every release, id love it if they decided to venture back to doing gigs again, maybe next years high voltage festival would be a good platform for them to get back into the habit of doing live shows again ?

But a nice soft start would be a trip to Winter's End.  
Would I ever love to see The Underfall Yard live.  Complete with keyboard whizzery
It'll never happen...  :cry:

[johnossian]

World exclusive on this week's European Perspective as Big Big Train's David Longdon talks about and listen to the band's forthcoming EP, Far Skies, Deep Time which will be released on 25th October.

Check it out here

http://www.theeuropeanperspective.com/

[JamesA]

I'm boycotting The European Perspective until he plays some Tinyfish.

You should all write in and demand he plays some Tinyfish.  Just don't tell him I sent you.

(the new BBT tracks sound brilliant - this edition also features some Crippled Black Phoenix which is well worth a listen)

[rogerg]

heh

[ChrisX]

I'm boycotting The European Perspective until he plays some Tinyfish.

I might be wrong but didn't he dedicate a huge part of one of his podcasts to Tinyfish?

Yup, just checked my iTunes and it is right there: European Perspective #83 - The Big Red Spark

[rogerg]

I'm boycotting The European Perspective until he plays some Tinyfish.

I might be wrong but didn't he dedicate a huge part of one of his podcasts to Tinyfish?

Yup, just checked my iTunes and it is right there: European Perspective #83 - The Big Red Spark

Chris, James is a stalwart member of the Fishtank, and is engaging in some serious leg-pulling with the Amazing Wilf.   8-)

come play in the water at the Fishtank!

http://www.tinyfish.org/forums/index.php

[Pedro]

LOL
James is one of those forum members who avidly supports bands but also says "everything they've done is rubbish" and/or "they're all tossers"....
....he's kinda like a friendly troll....