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]

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)

Track listing

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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

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    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

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    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)