A golden-era gem. Grimspound is Big Big Train’s 2017 album: a rich, warm and beautifully crafted record from the celebrated eight-piece at the height of their powers.

The short version

The 2017 album by English progressive rock band Big Big Train, and their tenth studio release, on their own English Electric label. Conceived at first as a companion to the acclaimed Folklore, it grew into a full album in its own right — a warm, richly detailed collection of symphonic prog and English storytelling. Performed by the band’s celebrated eight-piece line-up, it moves from soaring epics to intimate pastoral songs, and reached number one on the UK Rock Chart. For many fans it stands among the finest work of Big Big Train’s golden era.

At full strength

By 2017, Big Big Train had grown into one of the most admired bands in modern prog, a rich eight-piece capable of extraordinary detail and warmth. Grimspound, their tenth album, arrived hot on the heels of Folklore and captured the band at a creative peak. Its line-up — singer David Longdon, co-founders Greg Spawton and Andy Poole, guitarist Dave Gregory, drummer Nick D’Virgilio, keyboardist Danny Manners, violinist Rachel Hall and guitarist and keyboardist Rikard Sjöblom — sounded utterly integrated, each player adding colour to the whole. The result is a generous, big-hearted album, full of the storytelling and craftsmanship the band had become known for.

The sound

Grimspound is warm, folk-flecked English symphonic prog, lush and detailed yet always melodic and human. Sweeping keyboards, expressive guitar, flute, violin and rich vocal harmonies build a sound that recalls the grandeur of classic Genesis while remaining wholly the band’s own. As ever, storytelling is at its heart, with songs drawn from history, landscape and character, ranging from delicate pastoral miniatures to vast, multi-part epics. Beautifully arranged and full of feeling, it shows a band completely in command of their craft, making music of real generosity and depth.

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The songs

The twelve-minute opener ‘Brave Captain’ is a highlight and a fan favourite — a soaring, cinematic portrait of a courageous young First World War aviator, full of drama and melody. The title track ‘Grimspound’ evokes the ancient Bronze Age settlement on Dartmoor with atmospheric grandeur, while the fifteen-minute epic ‘A Mead Hall in Winter’ is the album’s towering centrepiece, sweeping through mood after mood with effortless command.

Reception and legacy

Grimspound was warmly received and reached number one on the UK Rock Chart, cementing Big Big Train’s status as one of the leading bands in modern progressive rock. Reviewers praised its craftsmanship, its melodies and the seamless interplay of its eight musicians, with ‘Brave Captain’ singled out as an instant classic. Coming amid a remarkably fertile run of albums, it confirmed the band’s golden era in full flow. It remains a much-loved release and, for many, a high point of their catalogue.

The verdict

Grimspound is Big Big Train at the height of their golden era: warm, rich, beautifully detailed symphonic prog full of heart and storytelling. Come for the soaring ‘Brave Captain’ and the epic ‘A Mead Hall in Winter.’ Alongside its companion Folklore and the celebrated English Electric albums, it shows why Big Big Train became one of the most beloved bands in modern prog — and, featuring Rikard Sjöblom of Beardfish among its ranks, it is essential listening for anyone who loves their prog rich, melodic and full of English character.

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