Rather in the same way that it’s hard to explain the genius of the TV series Breaking Bad to someone who has never seen it (“It’s about this dying chemistry teacher who sells crystal meth…”), Big Big Train’s approach to music is tough to articulate to the uninitiated. With their superficial Genesis feel set to pining, wistful tales of steam trains, they’re a band who continue to progress with every release, as their uniquely branded, mid-20th century prog gathers an unstoppable momentum.
Released last year, their seventh full-length release, English Electric Part One, was a defining moment, and the dexterity shown on such tracks as The First Rebreather and Judas Unrepentant ensured that it was rated as one of the albums of the year.
