Thursday 14 April 2011

Sean Filkins - War and Peace and Other Short Stories

Sean Filkins, Big Big Train vocalist on the Gathering Speed and The Difference Machine albums has just released a solo album. I haven't heard the CD yet, but there is a track streaming on Sean's site (where it's also available for purchase for a tenner, which includes P&P.)

6 comments:

David Elliott said...

It's very good - not at all like BBT, of course, except for Sean's voice! Good modern progressive rock, well worth a punt.

Anonymous said...

The album is very much a traditional prog rock album. The closest BBT comparison may be the retro stylings of Gathering Speed, but the sound is perhaps more akin to early Marillion than early Genesis. Lots of very prog moments, sound effects and extended songs and themes. The vocals are excellent and there is some great playing from many guest players. Sean's vocals sound better than on the Lee Abraham's solo and the variety of songs shows he has great scope.

If you liked his vocals with BBT and you like early marillion, Yes, Genesis - then you'll love this.

Yes well worth a punt.

Geoff Parks said...

I agree with the previous comments.

Sean's album is an excellent piece of work. To my ears the single greatest influence is Yes but stylistically there is a lot of variety, especially within the two "epic" tracks.

Although David's replacement of Sean in BBT has undoubtedly taken the band to a new level, I did feel Sean had got a bit of a rough deal. As my wife commented having heard some this album yesterday - in retrospect it may have been the making of him as an artist in his own right.

Frank said...

Nice of you to post this. War and Peace is very complex, which makes for great findings on repeated listenings. It likely will be on my top 10 list for the year, and is running well ahead of Pendragon Passion and Wobbler for repeated air time-some stiff competition.

Badabing said...

I'm loving this album and feel spoiled that Sean will be supporting the Pendies when we drive up to see them in Cardiff next week.

Ned Flanders said...

Love the new album. I cannot tbh hear anything early Marillion and feel that this has shades of BBT around The Difference Machine. I hear some Spocks Beard but perhaps that cannot be helped when Dave Meros is on the album. Musicianship is stunning as is Sean's voice. An album that gets better with each play as there is so much to take it - everything that prog should be about. Well done Sean, another contender for album of 2011.