Big Big Train - The Difference Machine (2007)

Before David Longdon joined BBT, Sean Filkins was one of the (many) vocalists the band had during a time when they were trying to forge an identity within the Prog community.

After years of line up changes and changes in musical direction, BBT knew that their 2007 release would be an 'all or nothing' effort and with the band self-producing the album they stood to lose a lot if it was not well received.

Taking influences from Queen, Genesis, Sigur Ros and King Crimson among others, 'The Difference Machine' remains their most critically important album to date as this was to shape what was to come with 'The Underfall Yard' and 'Far Skies Deep Time'.

The concepts of the album are chaos theory, communication, failure, death, loss, and bereavement - essentially an ode to 'what might have been.'

Despite not (IMO) being their best album to date, it's extremely significant and always worth a listen.