Big Big Train was founded around 1990 and existed primarily as the studio project of Greg Spawton and Andy Pool until 2009, at which point they largely stabilized a band lineup (‘stabilize’ being a relative term).  Starting with their sixth album, The Underfall Yard, they began to enjoy some acclaim in the progressive rock community.  In 2012, they released the first part of a double album, English Electric Part I, which was followed a year later by English Electric Part II.  This move was not only super-proggy, but smart, as it also encouraged extra sales for the second album.

With EE parts I and II, BBT set themselves an incredibly high standard. The music and lyrics on both albums were superb and they combined melody and complexity to a degree that few bands have been able to do.  Because of this, expectations were high for their latest…