The members of Big Big Train were inspired by seeing woodcuts on a visit to the Munch museum while on tour in Oslo. They developed a story of an artist who struggled with his life’s work only to find freedom in creativity. The resulting album, Woodcut, the band’s 18th, is among their best work. In telling the story of the artist, they have created a beautiful piece of work.
Not only is there a story that is told over the 16 tracks of this album, but there are a series of musical themes that occur periodically throughout, making this far more than a collection of songs, it is a complete musical work. The musicianship is top-notch throughout, with guitars, keyboards, violin, and trumpet each adding to the mix in ways that reinforce the story and bring new interest in the themes, culminating in a finale, “Counting Stars/Last Stand,” that is stirring. Woodcut is intriguing on first listen, but the depth of invention only becomes clear when one has spent time with it.