Big Big Train have announced they will reissue a remixed edition of their 2002 album Bard for the first time, through English Electric Recordings on March 21.
The album, which has been unavailable for many years, has been completely remixed by the band's longstanding engineer Rob Aubrey. You can listen to an audio teaser pf the album below.
Bard was the band's third album, recorded by a line-up of Martin Read (vocals), Tony Müller (keyboards and vocals), Phil Hogg (drums), Ian Cooper (keyboards), Andy Poole (bass) and Greg Spawton (guitar, keyboards).
“I’m pleased to see Bard being re-issued at last,” comments Andy Poole, who also produced the album. “On its original release we expected Bard to be Big Big Train’s farewell. The album has a number of songs that I think stand up pretty well and which in retrospect laid some of the foundations for the upwards curve that the band subsequently embarked on. Rob Aubrey has worked wonders with the re-mix and enhanced the album considerably.”
“I’m never going to pretend that Bard is our best work,” adds Spawton. “But there’s been increasing demand from fans for a re-issue and over the last few years, I’ve warmed towards the album, especially with the benefit of Rob Aubrey’s re-mix. I had never expected us to play anything from Bard live, but I’ve always been proud of The Last English King and was particularly pleased with how we breathed new life into it on tour this year. It proved one of the highlights of the set, both for the band and apparently for fans too.”
A previously unreleased track Headlands, a song recorded during the original sessions is included in the new version, as well as a new live version of The Last English King, featuring the band's current line-up during their autumn 2024 tour.
Bard will be available as a CD and 2LP vinyl release and via Bandcamp hi-res download. The CD and vinyl versions will be strictly limited editions and Bard will not be made available on streaming or other download platforms.
The vinyl version of the album will be available as 180g “shark” blue vinyl (exclusive to Burning Shed and The Bandwagon USA) and 180g black vinyl. The CD/2LP versions of the album will include extensive liner notes by A View From The Embankment, A View From The Line author Andy Stuart.
Big Big Train: Bard
1. The Last English King
2. Broken English
3. This is Where We Came In
4. Harold Rex Interfectus Est
5. Blacksmithing
6. Malfosse
7. Love Is Her Thing
8. How The Earth From This Place Has Power Over Fire
9. A Short Visit to Earth
10. For Winter
11. A Long Finish
12. Headlands
13. The Last English King (Live 2024 version)
