I Like Trains - He Who Saw The Deep

Three years on after their debut album, ‘Elegies To Lessons Learnt’, I Like Trains return with their much anticipated follow up - cleverly paid for using a pledge system, whereby fans bought signed drumsticks, private acoustic sessions via Skype, artwork prints and the like to fund the recording and marketing process.

‘He Who Saw The Deep’ sees them tweak their sound somewhat. As a whole it’s a lot more immediate, with a sound more refined than in their previous material. Gone are the intensely thick layers of bass and guitars, the band opting to strip back, resulting in eleven tracks that show how they have moved on since 2007.

The most obvious influence in those years must surely be the chiming melodies of Explosions In The Sky. Opening track ‘When We Were Kings’ thunders along as a potent reminder that the band, despite their newfound influences, are still firmly rooted in the darker more morose side of life. David Martin’s trademark deadpan drawl now showcases a wider palette of vocal range, reflected by guitars whose restraint invokes the age-old cliché that less can indeed be more.

The graceful ‘Sea Of Regrets’ is an eight minute wonder that melts into a whirl of lush strings, whilst the crashing guitars and drum work in ‘Progress Is A Snake’ shows a band that can still pen a big melody without having to resort to their more traditional post-rock thrashing. At times these moments are missed - anyone who has ever caught the band live will know what a thrilling mix of intensity and sorrow I Like Trains specialise in - but as an album this is a satisfying step in the right direction nonetheless.