Today sees the release of the animated video for ‘Proper Jack Froster’, the latest BIG BIG TRAIN single taken from the forthcoming “Welcome to the Planet” album. ‘Proper Jack Froster’ is based on a story from Gregory Spawton‘s childhood in the Midlands in the UK in the 1970s.
Work on the video by Swedish animator Love Andreas Gson Fagerstedt began before the untimely, tragic passing of Big Big Train’s singer David Longdon on 20th November 2021. David‘s partner and the band have decided that the video should still be released to help to promote the forthcoming album to the fullest extent possible. Watch the video below.
BIG BIG TRAIN’s March 2022 UK tour will not take place; ticket holders should contact their point of purchase for information on refunds. Prior to David’s death the band had been on the verge of announcing a North American tour consisting of over 20 shows in May and June 2022. This projected North American tour will also not be taking place.
The band will be making an announcement next year about its future, including regarding the September 2022 shows that are scheduled to take place in the UK. Ticket holders for these September shows are encouraged to retain their tickets for the time being pending that further announcement. No further comment will be made about the band’s future before next year.
The release of “Welcome to the Planet” will continue on 28th January 2022, six months after the band’s critically acclaimed top 40 album “Common Ground”.
As with “Common Ground”, “Welcome to the Planet” sees BIG BIG TRAIN retain their progressive roots but also take influence from all spheres of music. The four recent singles “Proper Jack Froster,’ ‘Made Of Sunshine,’ ‘The Connection Plan’ and ‘Lanterna’ are also included along with keyboard player Carly Bryant‘s first writing credit and lead vocal on the captivating title track. The album is completed by the delicate acoustic ‘Capitoline Venus’, the beautiful ‘Oak And Stone’ and a pair of dazzling instrumentals, ‘A Room With No Ceiling’ and ‘Bats In The Belfry’, written by guitarist/keyboardist Rikard Sjöblom and drummer Nick D’Virgilio respectively.
