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It was always going to be impossible to listen to Big Big Train’s first album with new singer Alberto Bravin (from Italian prog stalwarts PFM) without looking for clues as to how the sudden and traumatic death of previous vocalist David Longdon has affected them.
The immediate impression is that Bravin is a very good fit for the band. He has the same thoughtful approach, and makes his mark as a team player. But there are occasional moments when you can detect that a more individual approach will emerge in due course.
The music remains the same beguiling mixture of 70s Genesis and English classical music, spiced up with some Van Der Graaf Generator, but the lyrics have taken on a more personal touch, best exemplified by the alienation expressed on Oblivion, which has a superb dreamy middle section with heavy guitar, book-ended by some sprightly beats.
The outstanding track is another of their epic tales, welcoming Bravin to the fold with Miramare, the name of a castle near Trieste where he currently lives.
