Big Big Train - "English Boy Wonders (2008)" Review

Artist/ Band: Big Big Train
Title: Englsih Boy Wonders
Label: English Electric
Year of Release: 1997/2008
Offical Artist/ Band Link

The Review:

Back in 1997 English progressive rock band Big Big Train released their second album, English Boy Wonders, on IQ’s label Giant Electric Pea. The line-up for this album was Gregory Spawton (guitars, keyboards, vocals), Andy Poole (bass, keyboards, backing vocals), Martin Read (lead vocals), Tony Muller (piano, keyboards) and Steve Hughes (drums).

On December 1st, 2008 the band re-released on their new label English Electric. It was partially re-recorded and re-mixed as the band originally intended it to be. The track list is extended and in different order than on the original version. It has a fresh sound and I for one am glad the band re-issued this gem. While there’s a pop element here, I believe the band is beyond the “neo-prog” genre. Maybe Prog-pop? Labels aside there are some amazing songs here with a timeless feel to them especially “Brushed Aside”, “A Giddy Thing” and “Albion Perfied”. The rest of the album is classic and closer to bands from the 70’s yet updated.

If you’re a fan of Big Big Train so far, then you really must get English Boy Wonders ASAP. Your ears will thank you tenfold and more. I would also recommended this for fans of the melodic side of progressive rock with a pop element.

Reviewed by Ron Fuchs on April 16th, 2010

Tracks:

01. Big Empty Skies

02. Brushed Aside

03. Albion Perfide

04. Pretty Mom

05. A Giddy Thing

06. Out Of It

07. Cloudless and Starry and Still

08. Two Poets Meet

09. 28 Years

10. Reaching For John Dowland

11. Boxgrove Man

12. The Shipping Forecast

13. Right To The End of the World Tra-La

14. Fell Asleep

Reviewed Discography

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