Welcome to the Planet

Welcome to the Planet is the fourteenth studio album by English progressive rock band Big Big Train, released 28 January 2022.^[1] It was their first album to be released since the death of lead singer David Longdon and first to feature new violinist Clare Lindley, as well as former session contributors Dave Foster and Carly Bryant as full members. It is also the last to feature Bryant who departed the band in January 2023.^[2]

Welcome to the Planet
Studio album by Big Big Train
Released	28 January 2022
Studio	Real World, Box, Wiltshire, England Sweetwater, Fort Wayne, Indiana Aubitt, Southampton, UK Castlesound, Pencaitland, Edinburgh, Scotland
Genre	Progressive rock
Length	47:10
Label	English Electric
Producer	Big Big Train
Big Big Train chronology
Common Ground (2021) Welcome to the Planet (2022) Ingenious Devices (2023)

Track listing

Welcome to the Planet track listing

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
1.	"Made from Sunshine"	David Longdon	Dave Foster	4:05
2.	"The Connection Plan"	Nick D'Virgilio	Nick D'Virgilio	3:55
3.	"Lanterna"	Gregory Spawton	Gregory Spawton	6:29
4.	"Capitoline Venus"	Gregory Spawton	Gregory Spawton	2:26
5.	"A Room with No Ceiling"	instrumental	Rikard Sjöblom	4:51
6.	"Proper Jack Froster"	Gregory Spawton	Gregory Spawton	6:38
7.	"Bats in the Belfry"	instrumental	Nick D'Virgilio	4:54
8.	"Oak and Stone"	Gregory Spawton	Gregory Spawton, Nick D'Virgilio, Rikard Sjöblom	7:12
9.	"Welcome to the Planet"	Carly Bryant	Carly Bryant	6:40
Total length:				47:10

Personnel

per liner notes^[3]

• David Longdon – vocals (all but 5 and 7); tambourine (track 1); mellotron, piano (track 4), flute (track 9)
• Gregory Spawton – bass guitar (all tracks except 4 & 8); bass pedals (tracks 2, 6–9); 12 string-acoustic guitar (tacks 3 & 4); 6 string-acoustic guitar, mellotron, organ, synthesizer, backing vocals (track 3); spoken voice (track 9)
• Nick D'Virgilio – drums (all tracks except 4); vocals (tracks 2, 3, 8); vibraphone (track 2); mellotron (tracks 2, 7); percussion loops, keyboards (track 3); sleigh bells (track 6); fender Rhodes, organ, synthesizer (track 7); percussion (track 9)
• Rikard Sjöblom – Hammond organ (track 1, 3, 5, 6, 8); backing vocals (track 1, 3); mellotron (track 2, 5), guitar (tracks 2, 3, 5, 7, 9); organ, ARP synthesizer (track 2); accordion, fender Rhodes (track 5), Wurlitzer piano, piano (tracks 6, 8); 12 string acoustic guitar (track 6)
• Dave Foster – electric and acoustic guitar (track 1); 6-and 12-string electric guitars (track 6)
• Carly Bryant – piano (tracks 1, 3, 9); backing vocals (tracks 1, 3), vocals (tracks 6, 9) synthesizer (track 9)
• Clare Lindley – vocals (track 1), violin (tracks 6, 9)

with

• John Storey – euphonium (tracks 1, 6–9)
• Nick Stones – French horn (tracks 1, 6–9)
• Dave Desmond – trombone (tracks 1, 6–9), brass arrangements
• Ben Godfrey – trumpet (tracks 1, 6–9)
• Jon Truscott – tuba (tracks 1, 6–9)
• Derek Reeves – violin (track 2)
• Aidan O'Rourke – violin (tracks 3, 8); soundscapes (track 3)
• Riaan Vosloo – double bass (track 8)

Technical

• Rob Aubrey – mixing, mastering, engineer at Real World and Aubitt Studios
• Sarah Louise Ewing – artwork
• Ioan Hazell – assistant engineer at Real World Studios
• Rachel Leonard – assistant engineer at Sweetwater Studios
• Stuart Hamilton – engineer at Castlesound Studios
• Bobby Dellarocco, Shawn Dealey – engineers at Sweetwater

Charts

Chart performance for Welcome to the Planet

Chart (2022)	Peak position
Scottish Albums (OCC)[4]	9
UK Albums (OCC)[5]	44
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[6]	6