Another pleasing poll result in the Dutch Progressive Rock Pages poll. We came 7th in the best album category and 5th in the best individual track category with The Underfall Yard.
This is very pleasing news as we are one of the top independent bands outside of the major artists to feature in the best album poll (the major artists I'm talking about include Porcupine Tree, Transatlantic, IQ and Dream Theater. The 'independent' bands ahead of us are Riverside and Gazpacho. And, in fact, we are ahead of both of those in the best track category, only behind the four major artists previously mentioned.)
It's also worth remembering that our album only came out in December. If we'd released it a month or two earlier, I suspect we'd have done even better.
There are a number of other Big Big Train highlights in the poll. David came 6th in the best vocalist. For somebody whose voice is new to most of the prog audience, that is a brilliant and thoroughly well-deserved result. Dave Gregory came 10th in the best guitarist (he would have come 9th but somebody got confused and voted for me rather than Dave. Doh.) And Nick D'Virgilio came 5th in the best drummer category for his performances on The Underfall Yard.
Incidentally, The Underfall Yard is currently third in the best album of 2009 category on Progarchives. Voting for this poll remains open so the position does change from time to time, but we've been in the top 5 for quite some time now.
News and views from Gregory Spawton of Big Big Train
9 comments:
Victorian Brickwork is also featured and the artwork does well too.
Well done!
Hi Greg,
Listening and watching the Feed to Feed box by Oceansize. I started listening to this band because you stated they were on of your favourite bands. Thanks for the tip!
I wouls like to return the favour: Field Music have a new album out called Measure. Brilliant pop/rock album with touches of prog.
NTW: The Underfall yard was by far the best abum released in 2009. Will English Electric be the best album of 2010? Release it before december 2010 and it will be!
Cheers,
Leo
Thanks Leo, I'll check them out.
English Electric is likely to be coming out in 2011 now (it's all written, it's just getting the time to arrange and record it.)
However, we are aiming to release a 40 minute EP on CD in the autumn which will all be new material, so there should be plenty of new BBT music released in the next two years.
speaking of field music: not only is their new album simply brilliant - their first two and the solo project "the week that was" should appeal to every xtc/peter gabriel fan. i've only discovered them last year and they're already one of my favourite bands! ;-)
oh, i've forgotten: great to hear that soon there will be new bbt-material! hooray!!!
btw: what happened to the anthony philips cover version?
I need to check out Field Music asap by the sound of it!
The Anthony Phillips cover will be one of the tracks on the EP. Originally we were going for a download-only release with that one but we do like our CD's in BBT.
Hey Greg,
that sounds great!
40 Minutes EP ... in former (vinyl-) times this would have been a complete album. :)
The release as CD is a very good decision, of course. I love to have CDs in my cupboard rather then just stupid downloads on harddisk.
Sers, MatD
I've been a fan of Field Music for years. They play a lot of gigs around Newcastle and are supported by some great local bands - all playing great NEW music.
However, I'm not as impressed by this release as the recent solos or their previous offerings. Perhaps it's too early - perhaps I was just expecting way too much.
I think it would have made a really great single album and has been spoiled by repetition and over indulgence, and perhaps lack of faith in their own music.
This isn't really fair - it's a very good album. I just expected more. In reality - I guess the first CD is as good as anything they have done - but it's just so similar (as safe bet). The second CD is much better (and shows some progression - more of what I'd hoped for) apart from the last track which is way too self indulgent and spoils it for me.
I might play it again tomorrow and tell you I was totally wrong.
I would still recommend it. I'm just sure they can do better - if you see them live you'll know exactly why.
i absolutely agree, jim: the new field music album would have been a masterpiece if they skipped some of the tracks and put it all out on one cd. for me the second cd is the better one, especially the first two songs and the last two "real" songs (the last "song" is rarely played by me, simply not good), but "something familiar" and "share the words" have become now my favourite field music tunes!!
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