Big Big Train – Welcome To The Planet (CD)
Welcome To The Planet is the next studio album by Big Big Train and comes just six months after the release of the band’s critically acclaimed Top 40 album, Common Ground. Big Big Train founder Gregory Spawton explains the short time between albums: “The experience of the pandemic has shown us that we need to make the best use of our time on Earth. With that in mind and with new band members on board giving us a fresh head of steam, we decided on a speedy return to the studio to write and record Welcome To The Planet.”
As with Common Ground, Welcome To The Planet sees Big Big Train retain their progressive roots, but also take influence from all spheres of music. The album’s opener Made From Sunshine, co-written by guitarist Dave Foster and singer David Longdon, has guitar lines redolent of Johnny Marr and vocal harmonies reminiscent of the Finn Brothers/Crowded House, with violinist Clare Lindley sharing lead vocals with Longdon.
Elsewhere on the album, keyboard player Carly Bryant gets her first Big Big Train writing credit and lead vocal on the captivating title track. The two recent singles The Connection Plan and Lanterna are included along with a winter themed song, Proper Jack Froster, a bittersweet tale of childhood. The album is completed by the delicate acoustic Capitoline Venus, the beautiful Oak And Stone, and a pair of dazzling instrumentals, A Room With No Ceiling and Bats In The Belfry, written by guitarist/keyboardist Rikard Sjöblom and drummer Nick D’Virgilio, respectively.
Musicians:
- David Longdon – Lead Vocals
- Greg Spawton – Bass
- Nick D’Virgilio – Drums, Vocals
- Rikard Sjoblim - Guitars, Keyboards, Vocals
- Carly Bryant - Keyboards, Vocals
- Dave Foster – Guitars
- Clare Lindley – Violin
Track Listing:
Part One
- Made From Sunshine
- The Connection Plan
- Lanterna
- Capitoline Venus
- A Room With No Ceiling
Part Two
- Proper Jack Froster
- Bats In The Belfry
- Oak And Stone
- Welcome To The Planet
Format: (Hard Case with Booklet)
Artist: Big Big Train
Release Date: January 28, 2022
Catalog No: EERCD0029