| Ingenious Devices | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 30 June 2023 | |||
| Recorded | 2018–2020, September 2022 | |||
| Studio |
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| Genre | Progressive rock | |||
| Length | 60:03 | |||
| Big Big Train chronology | ||||
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Ingenious Devices is a compilation album by English progressive rock band Big Big Train, released on 30 June, 2023. It includes four studio tracks that were recorded in 2019 and one live track that was recorded in September 2022. [1] Three tracks are re-recordings, except for the vocals of the late David Longdon. [1]
The album includes a 17-piece string section that was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in 2018; this is featured on all of the studio tracks. [2] These strings were recorded for the track "Voyager", from the album Grand Tour , though when it to recorded them, they also recorded strings for "East Coast Racer", from English Electric Part Two . [2] Strings were also recorded in 2020 for the upgraded version of the track "Brooklands", which was from the Folklore album. [2]
The plan for these songs was to completely re-record them, but the death of lead singer David Longdon meant that the vocals from the original recordings would have to be used. [2] On the decision to re-record the songs, founder and bassist Gregory Spawton said "I was always happy with the original recorded version of 'East Coast Racer', but adding the strings at Abbey Road gave the song a further lift and the new recording also features Dave Gregory's guitar solo on the closing section, a solo which has only previously featured on live performances of the song. I am pleased we now have the definitive studio version on Ingenious Devices. By contrast, I was never entirely satisfied with 'Brooklands' and felt it got a bit overlooked on the Folklore album, which is perhaps why we've not played the song live yet. The Abbey Road strings have significantly enhanced the song and I'm delighted with the outcome. The changes to 'Voyager' are more subtle but still elevate the song beyond the version on our Grand Tour album." [1]
The other two tracks are an orchestral piece called "The Book of Ingenious Devices", and a live version of the song "Atlantic Cable", from the album Common Ground , which was recorded at Friars Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire in September 2022. [2] [3]
Differences from the original versions of the songs include an extended outro section to "East Coast Racer", which was written by then keyboardist Danny Manners for live shows with a guitar solo from then guitarist Dave Gregory. [2] This song was completely re-recorded by the 2019 line-up. [4] : 1:00 "Brooklands" includes newly recorded drums, bass and bass pedals, [4] : 1:08 and "Voyager" includes additional guitar and violin. [4] : 1:16
All music is composed by Gregory Spawton (except for the closing section of "East Coast Racer")
| No. | Title | Music | Original album | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "East Coast Racer" | Danny Manners and Gregory Spawton (Closing Section) | English Electric Part Two | 15:52 |
| 2. | "The Book of Ingenious Devices" | 1:23 | ||
| 3. | "Brooklands" | Folklore | 12:29 | |
| 4. | "Voyager" | Grand Tour | 14:10 | |
| 5. | "Atlantic Cable" (live) | Common Ground | 15:24 |
"East Coast Racer", "Brooklands" and "Voyager" [5]
with
and the Abbey Road string section (conducted by Rick Wentworth and James Shearman, string arrangements by John Hinchey, Dave Gregory, Danny Manners and Rachel Hall)
"Atlantic Cable" [5]
| Chart (2023) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Scottish Albums (OCC) [6] | 19 |
| UK Independent Albums (OCC) [7] | 11 |
Big Big Train are an English progressive rock band formed in Bournemouth in 1990. The current line-up includes band founder Gregory Spawton, along with Nick D'Virgilio, Rikard Sjöblom, Clare Lindley, Alberto Bravin and Oskar Holldorff. Until 2009, the band were active as a predominantly studio project led by Spawton and co-founder Andy Poole, who departed the band in 2018, with changing line-ups and guest musicians. They have released fifteen studio albums and six EPs.
The Difference Machine is the fifth studio album by the English progressive rock band Big Big Train. It was released on 30 August 2007, by English Electric Recordings. TDM is a concept album exploring chaos theory, communication, failure, death, loss, and bereavement. The story is of the death of an individual, which was linked to an exploding star in a distant galaxy. There are more influences of Van der Graaf Generator, Genesis, Mew, Sigur Rós and King Crimson throughout the album.
Goodbye To The Age of Steam is the debut studio album by the English progressive rock band, Big Big Train. It was released in 1994, by Giant Electric Pea. On the official BBT website, Spawton has revealed that "much of the album was about how people lose their way in their lives; about the tightrope we all walk every day. The album title wasn't linked to this, but it conveyed a feeling of pathos which fitted the mood of the songs."
The Underfall Yard is the sixth studio album by the English progressive rock band Big Big Train, and their first to feature vocalist and multi-instrumentalist David Longdon. It was released on 15 December 2009, by English Electric Recordings.
English Electric Part One is the seventh studio album by the English progressive rock band Big Big Train. It was released on 3 September 2012, by English Electric Recordings and GEP.
English Electric Part Two is the eighth studio album by the English progressive rock band Big Big Train. It was released on 4 March 2013, by English Electric Recordings and GEP.
Wassail is the third official studio EP by the English progressive rock band Big Big Train. It was released on 1 June 2015 by English Electric Recordings and Burning Shed. It contains three new songs and a live bonus track that originally appeared on The Underfall Yard. The title track also appears on the band's next full-length studio album, Folklore, released the following year, while the other two new songs are included only on the double-LP vinyl release of that album.
Far Skies Deep Time is the first official studio EP by the English progressive rock band Big Big Train. It was released in 2010 by English Electric Recordings, and re-released in 2011 with "Kingmaker" replacing "Master of Time" as the first track. It contains five tracks, including a 17-minute epic about the last voyage of Belgian singer Jacques Brel.
Make Some Noise is the second official studio EP by the English progressive rock band Big Big Train. It was released on 23 September 2013 by English Electric Recordings and Burning Shed. It contains four new tracks from the compilation album English Electric: Full Power, plus a selection of tracks from English Electric Part One and English Electric Part Two, two of which are edited versions.
Folklore is the ninth studio album by English progressive rock band Big Big Train. Released on 27 May 2016, it was recorded at English Electric Studios, produced by Big Big Train, and mixed and mastered at Aubitt Studios by Rob Aubrey. It is the first studio album to feature Rachel Hall and then-Beardfish lead vocalist Rikard Sjöblom as official members.
English Electric: Full Power is a compilation album by the English progressive rock band Big Big Train. It presents tracks from their seventh and eighth studio albums, English Electric Part One and English Electric Part Two, along with four new pieces as a self-contained double CD album. The album was issued in a book-style digipack, including a 96-page booklet.
Grimspound is the tenth studio album by the English progressive rock band Big Big Train. Released on 28 April 2017, it was recorded at English Electric Studios, produced by Big Big Train, and mixed and mastered at Aubitt Studios by Rob Aubrey.
The Second Brightest Star is the eleventh studio album by the English progressive rock band Big Big Train. It contains a mix of new songs along with re-worked material from the band's previous two albums, Folklore and Grimspound. It is the band's last album to feature co-founder Andy Poole who departed the band in January 2018.
Merchants of Light is the second live offering by Big Big Train and is based on the autumn 2017 Concerts at Cadogan Hall, London. It was recorded across three dates 29, 30 September and 1 October 2017, then first released on 27 July 2018.
Grand Tour is the twelfth studio album by the English progressive rock band Big Big Train. It contains all new songs unlike the previous, The Second Brightest Star. Thematically it broadens the lyrical landscape for the group into the European world, previously having a largely domestic British focus. It moves from English folklore and landscape, to the 17th and 18th century habit of well-to-do Europeans going on the 'Grand Tour' to experience a wider circle of art and science. It is the last studio album to feature band members Dave Gregory, Rachel Hall, and Danny Manners who left in 2020, and first without co-founder Andy Poole, who had departed in January 2018.
Common Ground is the thirteenth studio album by the English progressive rock band Big Big Train, released on 30 July 2021. With the departure of Dave Gregory, Rachel Hall, and Danny Manners in 2020, Common Ground is the first album release with the core four-piece lineup of Greg Spawton, David Longdon, Nick D'Virgilio, and Rikard Sjöblom. Joining the core line-up on the album are session musicians Carly Bryant, Dave Foster, and Aidan O'Rourke. Upon release it entered the UK music charts at number 31.
Welcome to the Planet is the fourteenth studio album by English progressive rock band Big Big Train, released 28 January 2022. It was their first album to be released since the death of lead singer David Longdon and first to feature new violinist Clare Lindley, as well as former session contributors Dave Foster and Carly Bryant as full members. It is also the last to feature Bryant who departed the band in January 2023.
The Likes of Us is the fifteenth studio album by English progressive rock band Big Big Train, released on 1 March 2024. It is the band's first album of new material with singer Alberto Bravin and keyboardist Oskar Holldorff who joined in 2022 and 2023 respectively, as well as the first album since The Difference Machine without singer David Longdon, who died in 2021. It is the first album to be released on progressive label InsideOut Music, which the band signed to in July 2023, having self released several of their albums before.
Gregory Spawton is an English musician and songwriter, best known as the bassist, guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter and founder of English progressive rock band Big Big Train.
