Four times Progressive Music Award winning band, Big Big Train, recently announced the release of “Grand Tour”, their new studio album, out on May 17th 2019. Big Big Train‘s members Greg Spawton and David Longdon, and band artist Sarah Ewing, sat down with Prog Magazine writer Nick Shilton at the Royal Astronomical Society for an in-depth discussion on the new album and more. In it the band lift the lid on their creative processes.

“We’ve got four great singers in the band,” explains bassist Greg Spawton. “I did a bit of singing at some early shows, probably not a good idea. But as an observer I’ve learnt that the focus is on those four strong voices. And David will now write for those voices. With “The Underfall Yard”, well, I didn’t even know David could write these big vocal arrangements, he was brought in as the lead singer. And then we’re presented with these complex vocal arrangements.”

You can watch the video below

Grand Tour features nine new tracks which will take listeners on an epic journey over land and sea and through time and space. Big Big Train drummer, Nick D’Virgilio says:  ‘There are songs inspired by the legacy of the Italian Renaissance genius, Leonardo da Vinci; songs telling the story of the rise and fall of Rome; of the beautiful mosaics of Ravenna, and of the shipwreck of a great poet, lost in a tempest off the coast of Italy. Along the way, the story of mankind’s greatest ever journey is told.’   

Vocalist David Longdon says: ‘Grand Tour is a celebration of the human experience, of science and art, and of what it means to be alive.’

Grand Tour will be available on double heavyweight gatefold vinyl (featuring a 24 page booklet), digipack CD (featuring a 52 page booklet), on standard and hi-resolution (24/96) download, and on streaming. The album is available for pre-order at this location

“Grand Tour” tracklist:

1. Novum Organum (2.33)
2. Alive (4.31)
3. The Florentine (8.14)
4. Roman Stone (13.33)
5. Pantheon (6.08)
6. Theodora in Green and Gold (5.38)
7. Ariel (14.28)
8. Voyager (14.03)
9. Homesong (5.12)