New Big Big Train album 'Folklore' - 27th May !!!

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by ponkine, Apr 1, 2016.

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  1. ponkine

    ponkine Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Villarrica, Chile
    Hi all! :wave:

    Big Big Train are about to release a new album!
    It's called 'Folklore', and it will include the single from their last EP 'Wassail', which I loved

    [​IMG]

    Here's the trailer :righton:

     
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  2. SJP

    SJP Forum Resident

    Location:
    Anaheim
    Right on! It's shaping up to be a great year for Big Big Train fans.

    They are now an auto-buy for me. I had already pre-ordered the double vinyl prior to searching for this thread. In fact, I believe I am getting on of the last signed copies :D.

    The trailer is cool but there are moments when you'd swear it is a Game of Thrones trailer (crows, dragon, fiery battle by the sea).
     
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  3. ponkine

    ponkine Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Villarrica, Chile
  4. Simon_LDT

    Simon_LDT Forum Resident

    Location:
    England, UK
    Spinning this right now. Fans of 'Underfall Yard' and 'English Electric' will love this as it's right up there imo. Early favourite is 'Brooklands', amazing tune.

    Haven't checked the DR yet but I seriously doubt it's more than 7-8 as it has a very similar sound to the previous couple of records. Overall sound is great but would love a little bit less compression - the drums in particular get a bit lost in the mix when it gets busy.
     
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  5. Jvalvano

    Jvalvano Senior Member

    Location:
    NH
    Looking forward to this !
     
  6. Sparkler

    Sparkler Senior Member

    Location:
    Leesburg, VA
    I got my shipping notice for the vinyl on Monday from Burning Shed. Can't wait for this!!
     
  7. Sordel

    Sordel Forum Resident

    Location:
    Switzerland
    I've heard this through three times, which is still very early to 'call it' with BBT, but - while this will be in the running for the best Prog album of the year - it's not as good as The Underfall Yard. TUY has no song that is weak or breaks the mood; this one has several focus-breaking moments including the downright daft 'Winkie'.

    On the other hand, it will be a very good year if we hear another song as good as 'Brooklands'.
     
  8. SJP

    SJP Forum Resident

    Location:
    Anaheim
    How do you like Folklore compared to the English Electric albums? I don't have TUY yet.
     
  9. ghostnotes

    ghostnotes Wish you were here.

    Location:
    Charlotte, NC
    If it can compete with Haken and Headspace it's been an incredible year.
     
  10. ChrisEfterklang

    ChrisEfterklang Forum Resident

    Location:
    the Netherlands
    Eagerly awaiting arrival of the cd. If it is almost as good as English Electric I will be more then happy.

    There is some stunning released already this year (The Mute Gods, I Am The Manic Whale) and some strong potential contenders about to be released (BBT, Cosmograf, Moulettes, Frost*). Hopefully Lifesigns is able to get their album finished and out this year.
     
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  11. ponkine

    ponkine Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Villarrica, Chile
    After loving the WONDERFUL 'Underfall Yard' and the inspired 'English Electric' (Full Power version which I have) this new album is quite a letdown

    There's simply nothing new here. Surely the craft work to assemble the songs is there, the refined band's playing, etc but it lacks that IT factor, that special inspiration, those jaw-dropping moments. those instant-classic melodies, etc

    This 'Folklore' could've been 'English Electric sessions outtakes'. Even David Longdon's vocals aren't as powerful and emotive as used to be. As lacking a better term to call it, I say this new album is somewhat a "middle of the road" affair. Quite playing-it-safe effort.

    It isn't bad, but compared with their landmark previous albums, this one is simply pales quite a bit in comparision.

    I remember the feeling when I listened for the first time, for example 'The Permanent Way'. It was on the train from Cardiff to London, and it was such a moment.
    There's simply no song on 'Folklore' that can touch the finest songs of 'Underfall Yard' and 'English Electric'.

    The best thing about this new album is that has a good dynamic range (DR1o)

    How I wish they re-issue their previous albums with full dynamic range
     
    Last edited: May 26, 2016
  12. Simon_LDT

    Simon_LDT Forum Resident

    Location:
    England, UK
    Brooklands easily stands up there with the best of BBT for me, the ending alone is pretty magical, very emotional.

    I do think that TUY and EE are better overall albums but I don't think there is any drop in quality here. It's just a little different. It has all the BBT ingredients but has something a bit different too. I really like the upbeat title track and Wassail (even though it's older), those are a fun listen.

    BTW, the Vinyl comes with a hi-res download code (24/96 flac) which is a nice touch. Haven't had chance to listen to it yet but I did check the files with musicscope and there is a hard cut-off at 22k so not sure why it's 96k, I reckon it should have been 24/44.1 like EE was.
     
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  13. Sordel

    Sordel Forum Resident

    Location:
    Switzerland
    I haven't heard the Headspace: in fact I don't know them at all so I may need to check that out. I have the Haken album and I think that the BBT is better; this new one didn't do it for me the way The Mountain did. Of course, Frost* is out today, so that will be another prima facie contender.
     
  14. progrocker71

    progrocker71 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    I have to disagree about this album being a letdown compared to English Electric, this is especially true if you buy either the Hi-Res version or the LP version which contains 2 additional tracks and also tweaks the track order slightly. (The song London Plane goes with Mudlarks and Lost Rivers of London which came out last year on the Wassail EP, they have been remixed for this release and they work beautifully now that they've been reunited).

    It's a beautiful album with a first-class production and I think anyone that enjoyed their prior few albums should find much to like here. I also think it's best to actually give it a few listens, the type of music Big Big Train plays requires a little patience a little time for the arrangements to reveal themselves. It's only been out for less than a week, not enough time to fully digest. As for "instant classic melodies", "jaw-dropping moments" and things of that nature, that's a wholly subjective experience, so I recommend others investigate the albums for themselves.

    The addition of Rikard Sjoblom (Beardfish) on 2nd guitar and keyboards also brings a dynamic new flavor to the proceedings, check out his fiery soloing on the ending section of London Plane for a prime example.

    The aforementioned London Plane is easily one of their best songs, every bit as good as anything from EE or The Underfall Yard. Same goes for Along The Ridgeway, Salisbury Giant, Mudlarks and the epic Brooklands, which is a real beauty. Sure, Winkie is a little bit of a departure but it's a really vibrant, fun, rocking little tune.



    Comparing this side-by-side with albums like Haken seems a little odd as well, they are such entirely different styles that it's not even apples and oranges...more like apples and asteroids. I don't care if both get slotted as "Prog", it's just not even remotely the same ballpark, it's not even the same sport. Both great albums, but ones that should not be shoved together in competition.

    As for "contenders for album of the year" there have been several already.

    Folklore
    Purson - Desire's Magic Theatre
    Messenger - Threnodies (more people need to check this album out, it's killer)
    Knifeworld - Bottled Out Of Eden
    Haken - Affinity
    Motorpsycho - Here Be Monsters

    Lots more still to come as well....
     
    Last edited: May 31, 2016
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  15. SJP

    SJP Forum Resident

    Location:
    Anaheim
    My (signed :) ) copy arrived today. Currently on side 3, there is an immediacy that tells me this album is an absolute treasure but at the same time, I totally agree that repeated listens will be quite revealing...in a good way.

    The only downside to this album is that it was released as southern California heads into the summer season. Big Big Train resonates me as autumn/winter and perhaps spring music. I know, I'm strange. A much more extreme example was when Storm Corrosion was released in the spring, music that screams short days and long nights as Halloween careens towards the winter solstice. It simply isn't sunny day music.
     
  16. progrocker71

    progrocker71 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    We are in the midst of June Gloom here in Los Angeles, so it looks like Autumn until after Noon everyday, play it in the morning. :D
     
  17. progrocker71

    progrocker71 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    The version that comes from Bandcamp is 24/48, I can't imagine there would be a different 24/96 version that comes with the Lp code, I would think it would be identical?
     
  18. MikeVielhaber

    MikeVielhaber Forum Resident

    Location:
    Memphis, TN
    I've never listened to any music only at a certain time of year, except Christmas music. Usually if I associate any season with music it's due to memories associated with the music. If it happens to be music I got when it came out then it's usually determined by when it was released instead of what it sounds like.
     
  19. progrocker71

    progrocker71 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    CD & Hi-Res are both DR10.
     
  20. Olias of Sunhill

    Olias of Sunhill Forum Resident

    Location:
    Jim Creek, CO, USA
    The version I downloaded from Bandcamp this morning was 24/96. AIFF.
     
  21. SJP

    SJP Forum Resident

    Location:
    Anaheim
    Don't get me wrong, I'll spin this one year round just as I do the rest of the BBT that I have. I was just comment on the imagery that their music usually evokes for me. It'll sound great in the summer but just a bit sweeter come autumn.
     
  22. progrocker71

    progrocker71 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    I initially downloaded the ALAC version which is 24/48, I downloaded the AIFF version and that is 24/96.

    The description on the Bandcamp page does say:

    "This is the 24 bit 48khz audio version of Folklore featuring the same track-listing as the double-vinyl album release which includes two additional tracks and a total running time of 80 minutes. The download also includes a PDF copy of the full album booklet including artwork, photographs, lyrics and credits."

    Not sure why there is a difference between the description and the sample rate depending on format.
     
  23. Simon_LDT

    Simon_LDT Forum Resident

    Location:
    England, UK
    Quite a surprise to see this has a DR10. I can hear some big dynamic shifts at times but then at other times it gets too congested. Still, I'm being picky here because it still sounds excellent.

    No idea why the download is 24/96 as I was told the band mixdown to 24/48. Still there is a hard cut-off at 22khz so even 24/44.1 would have been okay.

    EDIT: London Plane is my favourite right now. That ending solo by Rikard is just sublime.
     
  24. moomaloo

    moomaloo All-round good egg

    I'm still getting used to the new album but, on first listen, I like it a lot. Perhaps not as much as EE (that has fused with my very DNA since I first heard it). Curiously, I can't really get on with TUY - perhaps because it's not on vinyl, though I don't think that's it...

    I confess I've never heard Frost*. What are they like? Where do I start? Are any of their albums (don't even know how many there are...) available on vinyl?
     
  25. ChrisEfterklang

    ChrisEfterklang Forum Resident

    Location:
    the Netherlands
    ^^ Frost has three studio albums and one live-album (with an additional long, completely bonkers, studio track) and one live-in-the-studio DVD+CD set and AFAIK none of them have been released on vinyl. Musically they are very very different than BBT, very very modern sounding and I know that those who don't like modern productions values won't be getting on with them. Here is the bonkers epic The Dividing Line:

     
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