Ranking The Big Big Train Albums

[@danaaronmusic]

Wow! Just when you think life sucks, The Prog Corner releases a Big Big Train video! Glad to hear you are coming around to the early stuff. When you first hear it, it's shockingly different, but there's a lyric on English Boy Wonders that sums up the band for me: "We're all in the gutter--but some of us are looking at the stars!" Also great to see Grand Tour at no. 2. I still think it's their most perfect album. And the new one in the top five! I need to hear it more before I place it, but I'm already obsessed with Last Eleven. What a song! Greatest band of all time.

[@TheProgCorner]

I love BBT and was surprised at the lack of KZbin content about them!!!

[@danaaronmusic]

Yes, we've got to get more people aboard the Train.@@TheProgCorner

[@littlestevey4172]

​@danaaronmusic Yes Pete from SOT said he might do a big ranking show on them come May or June.

[@danaaronmusic]

I hope he does--that will give them a lot of exposure.@@littlestevey4172

[@ScottAMedina]

Rooting for you to see them live the next time they tour the States. Maybe next year???

[@TheProgCorner]

Let’s hope…

[@simonwithers4941]

I love your enthusiasm for BBT's albums and on a personal level for recognising the song writing talents of my best friend David, who I miss each and everyday. I hope more and more people (through watching videos such as yours) find their way to this wonderful band. Thank you. xx

[@TheProgCorner]

David was a friend of yours? Dude, I am sorry for your loss - a loss we all feel but not on that personal level. What a talent snuffed out way too early.

[@simonwithers4941]

David & I first met at our Comprehensive School and formed our first band together, we went to art college and we kept in touch and saw each other frequently...the last time I saw David was the day after my birthday, we went out for a meal and David told me more about his projects and what he & Sarah's plans were. David was as you write a wonderful talent. @@TheProgCorner

[@Prog-Radio]

Absolutely nailed the Top 5. Amazing how BBT seems to only get better anytime things get shaken up. BTW...Our boy Cody had never heard the song Folklore so I played it for him today as the song after his show. Mind blown. Absolute masterpiece.

[@TheProgCorner]

Folklore is perfection!!!! And what a way to start the album. BBT is rarely so immediate. David Longdon had assumed control.

[@Prog-Radio]

@@TheProgCorner I can't count the times I've played Folklore for people unfamiliar with BBT. It's my go-to song to get new folks on the Big Big Train. All aboard! It never misses.

[@alexb.969]

Your enthusiasm makes me wanna dig deeper into their discography . Their new one is a masterpiece in my opinion. Thx Scot

[@TheProgCorner]

Absolutely!!!!

[@jordanpeacock8774]

Big Big Train is one of those prog bands that I wasn’t too keen on at first. The first time I heard them, I thought they were a little too “normal” sounding for my tastes (for lack of a better term). I like my prog to be super crazy and weird. But just this evening, I gave them another listen and they’re starting to grow on me.

[@TheProgCorner]

I totally get that. It wasn’t live at first sight for me either but I am such a huge XTC fan that I knew if Dave Gregory wanted to be a part of BBT then there must be something to it. He was right.

[@VictorLazarov]

Freaking awesome episode! I love Big Big Train. Without any doubt my favourite is ( and forever will be) Grand Tour. But actually my guilty pleasure from their discography is English Boy Wonders

[@TheProgCorner]

Nice!!! What a band!!!

[@carlwmpylu]

Top fun video. Love your enthusiasm for the band! With the caveat that I haven't hunted down a copy of Bard, don't count Ingenious Devices as an album and haven't had the new one long enough to rank it, this is how I'd place the albums: 14. The Difference Machine (good songs but too much sax for my tastes) 2/5 13. English Boy Wonders 3/5 12. Goodbye To The Age Of Steam 3/5 11. Gathering Speed 4/5 10. Far Skies, Deep Time 4/5 9. The Underfall Yard 4/5 8. English Electric II 5/5 7. The Second Brightest Star 5/5 6. Common Ground 5/5 5. Welcome To The Planet 5/5 4. English Electric I 5/5 3. Grimspound 5/5 2. Folklore 5/5 1. Grand Tour 5/5 Definitely one of the great bands of the 21st Century!

[@timbates6309]

I'm 65 years old and never heard of Big Big Train or Big Star until the last year or so, then they started popping up on various KZbin channels that I watch, and I always think of them as being country artists because of the name. I Should check them out and see what all the fuss is about.

[@TheProgCorner]

Big Big Train if you like Genesis. Big Star if you like Cheap Trick. 👍👍👍

[@julianholdsworth5875]

I'd say start with English Electric parts 1 and 2. But that's just me.

[@brettstrausser3846]

Another nice one, Scot! I think I would put Difference Machine and Gathering Speed (great concept album) much higher in my rankings. Longdon was a great singer, but his song writing contributions were a bit less prog than I prefer. Give me the Spawton epics!

[@TheProgCorner]

👍👍👍

[@littlestevey4172]

Thanks for the Ranking!. I think you and only one other person on youtube has ranked this magnificent band!! I have most releases going back to The Difference Machine, but I still need to hear more of the early stuff. I just got into the band in early 2020, and cant get enough!! Folklore is amazing too!!

[@TheProgCorner]

I noticed that there weren’t many ranking videos for this band so…

[@donaldpalmer2419]

Great Stuff enjoyed this. Love Big Big Train. 👍🚂

[@TheProgCorner]

What a band!!!!!!

[@antoniodias4718]

Hi Scot, great video!!! "Folklore" is my favorite too, although I only know perhaps 30% of their entire catalog!! I love Grimspound", "Second Brightest Star", "Ingenious Devices" and "Grand Tour". The others I may Know only some songs. You are the one who made me like this great band and Kaipa and Agusa and Moon Safari and of course especially Wobbler!! What great bands and there are more: Chronicles of Father Robin, Jordsjo, Pattern Seeking Animals, and others!! Big Big Train is my second favorite, Wobbler above all!! The Flower Kings I already knew but you made sure I would listen to the last records!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you man!!!! See you Scot!!!!!!

[@TheProgCorner]

Wobbler above all. I like that!!!

[@calder1963]

Hey Scot. Because of you, I'm out of pocket a couple of Benjamins, but man oh man, every time you recommend an album and I buy it, I'm never disappointed. BBT Folklore is awesome. Downloaded it yesterday and already been through it 5 times. It really reminds me of Genesis - A Trick of the Tail.

[@TheProgCorner]

Very Genesis influenced but also very unique too!!!

[@PJprog]

I like those new versions on Ingenious Devices , it is a good overview of the band too , my top choice of theirs is The Underfall Yard... what a line-up for this one , and the quality of that shines through. Love the latest release too !! Cheers Scot. 😍

[@TheProgCorner]

A fabulous band!!!

[@awickedtribe]

I was laid up for a long time and spent my time either playing my bass and listening to music... I watched this channel and several others all the time and was buying complete catalogs from bands recommended by the hosts. Bought the entire BBT discography. Can't say I have gotten into them or Marillion yet

[@TheProgCorner]

Two bands that do take a little time to unfold…

[@OurFamilyInMotion]

amazing video - if you ever have the energy, maybe a video ranking the best BBT epics

[@TheProgCorner]

Nice!!!

[@NigelSmith66]

Interesting. I think that "The Underfall Yard" thru "Grimspound" is the golden run during the David Longdon era. "Grand Tour" was the first album I was slightly disappointed with.

[@TheProgCorner]

I’ve heard that said before. I think Grand Tour is a triumph!!!

[@Prog-t9d]

I am new to joys of Big Big Train. Recently been listening to The Likes of us” constantly, love it. Be checking out your list of their catalog. Prog is alive and well.

[@TheProgCorner]

It most certainly is!!!!

[@robvickers2126]

Hi Scot. Agree with Folklore at number 1, I love that album.

[@TheProgCorner]

So incredibly good.

[@bbchronicles736]

Another great episode! Love Big Big Train, my favorite Prog band of the last 15 years. But have to admit that I have not yet checked out their early stuff (pre-Longdon albums) as I had not heard much positive about them. But based on your comments, sounds like I need to listen to them too, for the full BBT experience. And this provides a great guide (although with a few quibbles about the order: For me, English Electric Full Power is #1 (needs to be altogether rather than split), then Folklore, then probably Common Ground and Grand Tour, etc. New one probably comes in around #6, still really good though). Also glad you included Ingenious devices and the EP. Great rundown of a great band.

[@TheProgCorner]

The early stuff is actually pretty decent!!!

[@lisachristensen4558]

Hello Professor PROG Scot!! All the way from Delaware absolutely ❤️ what you do!! ❤️🎸🎶 ❤🎼🎵🎶 Fabulous Teachet you are great FYI! 👏👏👏👏 Keep Rockn' It! 🤗

[@TheProgCorner]

Lisa!!!! Thank you!!! ❤️❤️👍👍

[@toddhill7483]

Regarding David Gregory. What an awesome guitarist with a stellar body of work. And we can all use more "40 minute ep's".

[@TheProgCorner]

For sure!!!! The three worst XTC albums are the three he’s not playing on…

[@bobbaldwin3572]

What a fantastic band and a great ranking Scot. My top 3 1 English Electric pt1 2 Grimspound 3 Folklore. Keep sailing the good ship prog 🚢

[@TheProgCorner]

Amazing!!!

[@grahamnunn8998]

A fantastic band - I first discovered them on the film "From Stone and Steel" and could not believe I had missed them. Huge Dave Gregory fan and loved Rachel Hall's contribution to the band.

[@TheProgCorner]

Dave Gregory is my hero.

[@markjacobsen8335]

I have only 6 Big Big Train albums, but Folklore is my #1 as well. Thanks for this. I should probably dig deeper.

[@TheProgCorner]

Dig deep!!!!

[@ilabelle1]

Hmm…Big Big Train. I have some. I can’t say that I’m familiar with their earlier catalogue but I am familiar with their latter catalogue. It would seem that I picked right. Grimspound and Folklore are the obvious. I also have English Electric (Full Power). But the one I find that I play the most is their live album, Merchants of Light. Not bad. By the way, I really enjoyed your Arab’s ranking with Pete. Arabs in Aspic is a band I’ve been listening to quite a bit over the last year or so, a lot more than Big Big Train. I’ve got all six albums and enjoy every single one of them. What a band! Incantations, chanting and dancing with snakes! Looks like Chuck could use your help there Scot. Hmmm….King of America. Imagine that. 🤴🇺🇸🤔👍

[@TheProgCorner]

Snakes alive!!!!

[@ilabelle1]

@@TheProgCorner 🐍🤴🐍

[@markspooner1224]

That's a fine ranking, I wouldn't change much at all. I wish there were reissues coming, I still need a few gaps filled.

[@TheProgCorner]

Bring on the reissues!!!

[@synen]

Im down with the reissues.

[@PaIaeoCIive1684]

Yeah. I've got all BBT albums except the rare Bard - last copy on E-Bay reached over £50 I'm told. If they re-issue I'm hoping they don't add exclusive bonus tracks and pressure me into buying the albums again.

[@markspooner1224]

@@PaIaeoCIive1684 Yeah, Folklore upwards of €150 for a used copy on Discogs.

[@carlwmpylu]

I've heard that Bard will be re-issued later this year.@@PaIaeoCIive1684

[@PaIaeoCIive1684]

Folklore's my No.1 too - and the first album by BBT I heard. Would've put Underfall Yard or Grimspound second. Bought it in a charity shop as the cover and titles looked interesting, got it home and was rather pleased to hear decent English prog. Wouldn't put the latest album so high as it doesn't sound quite right - but it might grow on me.

[@TheProgCorner]

It took me a minute but I’m really happy with the new one!!!

[@PaIaeoCIive1684]

I was wrong! Replayed the new album twice more and noticed some great bits I'd missed first playing. It's even got a little Beach Boy-style harmony and some lovely song structure. Might be a top 5 if I listen some more.

[@TheProgCorner]

Now we’re talking!!!! It’s actually quite an accomplishment for the band. It’s hard to change directions under the best of circumstances…

[@andrewlongshaw2128]

I'm sure you were working on this ranking before I said some time ago that I only had 3 albums; Underfall, and English Electric 1 and 2, but were you? Of course you were, why should i doubt you, oh Grandmaster? By the way, you are looking quite good. How's your health?

[@TheProgCorner]

Feeling pretty good!!!! I don’t have too many health issues…

[@synen]

Great band Big Big Train, too bad about that big loss recently, still hurts.

[@TheProgCorner]

Sure does.

[@PaIaeoCIive1684]

David Longdon's solo albums are quite good too, especially the one featuring Judy Dyble. His first album, the pre-BBT Wild River, was re-issued last year and is good singer-songwriter material but not proggy.

[@TheProgCorner]

Great songs but yeah, not that proggy.

[@michaelbenz8092]

I've got a lot of their albums in my collection, including the Likes of Us, and I enjoy them a lot. I don't know them enough to rank them, but English Electric and Folklore seem like the masterpieces. They all deserve a listen.

[@TheProgCorner]

Absolutely!!!!

[@aminahmed2220]

What a fantastic video have a wonderful day also what is your favorite food ❤😊

[@TheProgCorner]

I don’t like food all that much. I never have. But my favorite foods are: Indian, Italian, Mexican and Thai…

[@Prog-Radio]

FYI When I was working on the show for the PCPL, when you talk about The Likes of Us, you say “Andy Foster” by mistake instead of Dave Foster. For a second I was like, WHAT??? Andy Foster from Kite Parade joined BBT? Not a horrible idea actually. I think Andy is one of the best song writers in Prog today. The next Neal Morse IMHO. (Not that BBT needs more great songwriters. :) Anyway, was an interesting moment for me for a second there. Haha

[@TheProgCorner]

Man, I do that way too often…

[@Prog-Radio]

@@TheProgCorner Ha! I do it with my dogs, kids, grandkids, etc. lol

[@kenl2091]

As I have a (signed) copy of English Electric (Full Power), it counts and is definitely their finest though little to quibble with in your ranking otherwise.

[@TheProgCorner]

Full Power (if I had included it) would be my #2…

[@RhymeSignatures]

Can't disagree with that top 3!! Mine are the same, but in reverse order from 1-3 😂

[@TheProgCorner]

Awesome!!!! You know…

[@mike_burke]

Folklore (the track) totally grabbed me on first listen when it popped up randomly whilst streaming. Until then, I had simply and wrongly dismissed BBT as just another formulaic and generic band (without ever having taken the time to truly listen). Now I am an appreciative listener. I may yet become a fan. Only I am finding their music hard to come by (on either vinyl or CD). I only use streaming when I am busy with chores, not for critical listening…

[@TheProgCorner]

Luckily they got signed to Inside Out. In the future it should get easier…

[@TigerMtnKing]

🤩

[@dannydevincenzo8427]

I do like Folklore ,however, I found the last 2-3 tracks fell short a bit and dragged on. The first 2/3rds certainly made up for it. I was surprised Grimspound and The Underfall yard would place higher though.

[@TheProgCorner]

But Telling The Bees… Grimspound is awesome as is TUY, the problem is: too many great albums!!!

[@nomademusical]

Here's my take on the subject. Such a hard task! Big Big Train's discography is most likely one of the best, if not THE best in the history of prog. 16 - English Boy Wonders 15 - Goodbye to the Age of Steam 14 - Bard 13 - Gathering Speed 12 - The Second Brightest Star 11 - The Difference Machine 10 - Welcome to the Planet 9 - Grimspound 8 - Common Ground 7 - The Likes of Us 6 - Folklore 5 - Far Skies Deep Time 4 - English Electric pt 2 3 - Grand Tour 2 - English Electric pt 1 1 - The Underfall Yard (also my favorite album of all time)

[@TheProgCorner]

Fantastic list. What a band!!!

[@AlbrechtAaron]

Judas unrepentant WHAT A SONG!!!

[@TheProgCorner]

AMAZING!!!

[@michaelbenz8092]

Lol, your sign-off spiel.

[@TheProgCorner]

It gets better and better…

[@lemming9984]

After buying Underfall Yard and English Electric 1 several years ago, I still don't 'get' them. Trying hard! The vocalist sounds too much like Phil Collins for comfort.

[@dougreed2257]

David longdon is not like phil collins at all,if you dont'get' them why are you here.🤔🙄

[@TheProgCorner]

It took me a little while but now I love them!!!

[@stevieg1227]

Then give the new album a try, it is really good! And the new singer has a voice that sounds quite different.

[@lemming9984]

@@dougreed2257 Cos I like The Prog Corner!

[@dougreed2257]

@@lemming9984 fair enough👍