Big Big Train Common Ground 2021

A new release from Big Big Train is never just another release in the world of prog. Since 2009’s The Underfall Yard, the band has been one of the leading bands of third-wave prog, the signal marker and bellwether. Indeed, every release from Big Big Train for the past decade has manifested itself as a fundamental shift—a very rethinking of who and what we are as a community—of the genre itself. While there are innumerable great prog acts out there, none quite match Big Big Train when it comes to innovation, to creativity, and to cohesion…

New studio album Common Ground from the multi-award winning Big Big Train is the follow up to 2019’s acclaimed Grand Tour album and 2020’s Empire Live Blu-ray/2CD set. The nine tracks include the beautiful title track and first single Common Ground, dazzling instrumental Apollo, Zeitgeist capturing The Strangest Times and stunning 15 minute epic Atlantic Cable. In addition to Big Big Train songwriters and core members David Longdon (lead vocals), Gregory Spawton (bass), Rikard Sjöblom (guitars, keyboards, vocals) and Nick D’Virgilio (drums, vocals), the album also features Carly Bryant (keyboards, vocals) and Dave Foster (guitars) plus a guest appearance from violinist Aidan O’Rourke of highly rated Scottish folk pioneers Lau. Recorded during the worldwide pandemic, sees the band continue their tradition of dramatic narratives but also tackling issues much closer to home, such as the Covid lockdowns, the separation of loved ones, the passage of time, deaths of people close to the band and the hope that springs from a new love.

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 their 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.