The Difference Machine, the fifth album by Brittish progressive rockerband Big Big Train, is one I was looking forward to for some time. I loved the previous album Gathering Speed and when I got word that Nick D’Virgilio (Spock’s Beard) and Pete Trewavas (Marillion) contributed to the album, my expectations only grew. Big Big Train didn’t disappoint me. Well, they did at frist, but after a few spinns the beauty of The Difference Machine unfolded.

In comparison to Gathering Speed, the new album is more adventurous, more energetic and far more complex. Listen to the fourteen minute epic “Perfect Cosmic Storm” and be blown away by the excellent drumming by D’Virgilio, the delicate use of viola and tenor saxophone and the almost ambient vocals by Sean Filkins.

You love them or you hate them. If I’m entirely honest I must admit that the vocals turned out better on the previous album. On The Difference Machine it’s almost like the vocals are taking the attention off the music, making it harder for the listener to enjoy every tiny detail (there are lots of sounds to discover).

There is another point of criticism I’d like to pinpoint. This album features seven tracks. Four epics (three clocking over ten minutes) but also three instrumental ‘fillers’ between epics. These fillers make it harder to the listener to truely get into the album.