The Second Brightest Star

The Second Brightest Star
Studio album by
Released23 June 2017
StudioEnglish Electric Studios, Aubitt Studios, Real World Studios, Sweetwater Studios, Ashwood Studios
GenreProgressive rock
Length70:28
LabelEnglish Electric
ProducerBig Big Train
Big Big Train chronology
Grimspound
(2017)
The Second Brightest Star
(2017)
Grand Tour
(2019)

The Second Brightest Star is the eleventh studio album by the English progressive rock band Big Big Train. It contains a mix of new songs along with re-worked material from the band's previous two albums, Folklore and Grimspound.[1] It is the band's last album to feature co-founder Andy Poole who departed the band in January 2018.[2]

Track listing[edit]

The Second Brightest Star[3]
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."The Second Brightest Star"David LongdonLongdon7:17
2."Haymaking" (instrumental) Rachel Hall3:24
3."Skylon"Longdon, Greg Spawton, Rikard SjöblomLongdon, Spawton, Sjöblom6:44
4."London Stone" (instrumental) Sjöblom, Danny Manners2:00
5."The Passing Widow"HallHall5:33
6."The Leaden Stour"SpawtonSpawton7:19
7."Terra Australis Incognita" (instrumental) Spawton, Manners4:19
8."Brooklands sequence"
  • "On the Racing Line"
  • "Brooklands"
SpawtonSpawton, Manners17:33
9."London Plane sequence"
  • "Turner on the Thames"
  • "London Plane"
  • SpawtonSpawton13:17
    10."The Gentlemen's Reprise" (instrumental) Spawton3:02
    Total length:70:28

    Personnel[edit]

    Big Big Train

    • Nick D'Virgilio – drums, percussion, backing vocals
    • Dave Gregory – electric guitars
    • Rachel Hall – violin, viola, cello, backing vocals
    • David Longdon – lead vocals, flute, piano, electric guitars, mandolin, banjo, lute, celesta, synthesisers, percussion
    • Danny Manners – keyboards, double bass
    • Andy Poole – acoustic guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
    • Rikard Sjöblom – electric guitars, backing vocals, keyboards on "The Second Brightest Star"
    • Greg Spawton – bass guitar, bass pedals

    Production

    • Rob Aubrey – mixing, mastering
    • Rachel Hall – string arrangements

    References[edit]

    1. ^ Munro, Scott (21 June 2017). "Big Big Train to release new album later this week". Prog. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
    2. ^ Ewing, Jerry (1 January 2018). "Andy Poole To Leave Big Big Train". louder. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
    3. ^ The Second Brightest Star (booklet). Big Big Train. English Electric. 2017. EERCD0020.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)