Grimspound
Grimspound gives Big Big Train another rich setting for their stories, combining progressive rock with folk detail and carefully arranged voices. Violin, flute and acoustic guitar bring warmth to the music, while the rhythm section can push it into much more active territory. The album's appeal lies in how naturally those different scales fit together.
Brave Captain opens with a long account of a First World War airman. David Longdon's singing gives the historical subject a personal character, supported by detailed strings and guitar. The arrangement contains plenty of feeling, although its quieter stretches would benefit from more tension. The story carries some passages further than the music does.
On the Racing Line changes the pace through an energetic instrumental. Piano and drums give it a strong sense of movement, with frequent rhythmic shifts keeping the musicians closely connected. The calmer second half allows the strings and other instruments to work together in a softer setting. It is one of the record's clearest successes.
Experimental Gentlemen has a similarly broad range, bringing melodic vocals and folk colour into a longer arrangement. Meadowland then offers a smaller, more direct moment. Gentle acoustic playing and strings give the singing enough space, showing how effectively the band can create feeling without a large instrumental build.
The Ivy Gate makes especially good use of guest singer Judy Dyble. Her voice adds a different character alongside Longdon, while the music moves from softer folk sounds towards a stronger central passage. The return to a quieter setting feels connected to the song, rather than simply providing another change.
A Mead Hall in Winter is the most expansive piece. Its guitar, organ and shifting rhythms contain some excellent exchanges, though the extended instrumental writing can make the momentum uneven. As the Crow Flies provides a more restrained conclusion, with Rachel Hall's voice and sensitive guitar adding to the reflective mood.
The softer songs and long developments mean Grimspound does not always make an immediate impression. Some editing would strengthen its larger pieces. Even so, the expressive singing and careful instrumental detail give it substantial appeal. Big Big Train make the smaller moments matter, and those moments often provide the strongest reason to return.
