Big Big Train make some of the most quintessentially English music in modern prog: lush, symphonic and warm, full of brass and strings, telling stories of history, landscape and ordinary lives. Their golden era arrived when the wonderful singer David Longdon joined in 2009, and across the years that followed they became one of the most beloved bands in the genre. Here is our fellow fan’s ranking of a core selection of their catalogue.

The short version

For the heart of Big Big Train, start with The Underfall Yard, English Electric Part One, English Electric Part Two, Grand Tour and Folklore. Between them they hold the breakthrough and the finest of the celebrated Longdon era. The full ranking is below.

Pastoral English prog

Few bands wear their Englishness as proudly. Big Big Train’s lineage runs straight back to the pastoral early years of Genesis, with a touch of XTC’s very English melody, yet the sound — built on rich brass, strings and literate storytelling — is wholly their own. The turning point came in 2009, when David Longdon arrived for The Underfall Yard and gave the band its heart. A note on the catalogue: it is larger than the ten albums here, with earlier records and a continuing run beyond, and these ten are a core selection spanning 2004 to 2022.

How we ranked them

This is one fan’s order, weighing songwriting, arrangement and emotional weight across a rich body of work. The facts are accurate; the order is a starting point for the debate — and devotees will happily argue the merits of one beloved album over another.

The essential five

At the top sits The Underfall Yard (2009), the breakthrough where the band found its true voice, crowned by its sweeping title epic. The two-part English Electric Part One (2012) and English Electric Part Two (2013) are a peak of their craft, home to fan favourites like “East Coast Racer”. Grand Tour (2019) is a gorgeous, expansive concept record, and Folklore (2016) is a warm, cohesive set that captures everything lovable about the band.

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Reliably great

The next tier is wonderful too. Grimspound (2017) is a rich, generous album from the band’s most prolific period; Common Ground (2021), Longdon’s last completed record, was rightly celebrated as one of the finest prog albums of its year. Welcome to the Planet (2022), released soon after, is a poignant and varied farewell.

For completists

Two earlier albums sit lower, simply because they predate the band’s classic line-up. Gathering Speed (2004) is an ambitious concept record about a wartime pilot, and The Difference Machine (2007) is the transitional album that came just before everything changed. Both are rewarding for the devoted, but newcomers should begin with the Longdon era.

The core selection, in order

A core selection of the catalogue, 2004–2022, in chronological order — with earlier and later albums beyond it. Click through to the full write-up on any record.

Where to start

Begin with The Underfall Yard — the album where Big Big Train became themselves, and still the perfect introduction to their pastoral, symphonic world. From there, the English Electric albums and Grand Tour show the band at the height of their powers.

Prefer to own them? Find these on Amazon: The Underfall Yard · English Electric Part One · English Electric Part Two · Grand Tour

The players

Big Big Train was founded and is still anchored by Greg Spawton, the band’s chief songwriter and constant presence. Its golden era belonged to the late David Longdon, whose warm, expressive voice — he had once auditioned to front Genesis — became the heart of the band from 2009 until his death in 2021. Around them gathered a gifted ensemble, including drummer Nick D’Virgilio of Spock’s Beard, multi-instrumentalist Rikard Sjöblom, guitarist Dave Gregory of XTC, a violinist and a full brass section — the secret to that unmistakable, pastoral sound.

Why they still matter

Big Big Train have become the great modern torchbearers of English symphonic prog, carrying the pastoral spirit of classic progressive rock into the present with craft, warmth and heart. Alongside modern symphonic peers like The Flower Kings, they proved the genre’s most melodic traditions were alive and well — and in David Longdon’s legacy they left behind some of the most cherished music modern prog has produced.

Go deeper

Keep exploring: read about the best Big Big Train songs, see every Big Big Train album in order, find your way in with our where-to-start-with-Big-Big-Train guide, or dig up the most underrated Big Big Train albums. You can also place them in the bigger picture with our list of the best progressive rock albums of all time.

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