English Electric Part Two
English Electric Part Two develops Big Big Train's blend of progressive rock, folk detail and orchestral colour with a confident set of songs. Its stories return to England's working communities and changing landscape, while the music makes room for both energetic playing and quieter reflection. It is a carefully arranged record with a few uneven moments.
East Coast Racer provides a striking opening. Piano introduces the piece before bass and drums give it a much stronger sense of motion. Strings and brass widen the arrangement, supporting David Longdon's singing rather than competing with it. The long form gives the song room to develop, and its changes in pace help the story feel active.
Swan Hunter takes a gentler approach. The brass section adds warmth to a song about a shipbuilding community, keeping its sadness from becoming its only quality. Worked Out also finds something personal inside a wider working-world subject, with a quieter opening leading towards more active guitar, flute and keyboard playing.
Leopards is a smaller, more direct love song between the larger pieces. Its softer sound provides a useful pause, although it has less impact than the material around it. The album is more convincing when a strong melodic idea gives all the extra instruments a clear reason to be there.
Keeper of Abbeys returns to a more involved arrangement. Its guitar playing is especially effective, but a sudden folk passage makes the joins between sections easier to notice. The Permanent Way has a more continuous feel, bringing familiar musical ideas together with organ and spoken verse.
Curator of Butterflies ends with an expressive ballad setting. The strings and vocal performance give the close a gentle character, although the sequence might feel tighter if The Permanent Way had supplied the conclusion. There is plenty of beauty in both songs; the question is how much space the album needs for that final mood.
For most of its length, English Electric Part Two balances detailed musicianship with songs that have a clear emotional purpose. The softer pieces and occasional awkward transition keep it from being completely consistent. Its best arrangements, particularly the opening epic, still show how much life Big Big Train can bring to this familiar style.
