CD Review: The Big Picture by The Yorkshire Building Society Band

 In December 2019 I boldly proclaimed the start of a new series of pieces, reviewing old CD's that I'd long forgotten about, kicking off with this review of Flash! by Sandstorm Brass. Three years later, and the (probably) long-anticipated sequel has finally hit the box office. Hopping into a road-legal time machine and accelerating to 88mph, this writer takes you all the way back to the early days of the twenty-first century. In the dark times before my household had an internet connection we encounter portable CD-players, video tapes and the much lamented 'Dixons' electronic store. Grab your popcorn, relax into an easy chair and enjoy the review!

A trip back in time

The year is 2002. Tony Blair is Prime Minister of the UK, David Beckham has redeemed himself at the World Cup in Japan & Korea, YBS were at the peak of their powers and a recently-turned-ten-years-old me received a portable CD player for Christmas. The CD player was awesome. It was blue and silver, fit into the big pocket on the front of my hoody and came with a funny cassette with a wire attached that meant you could connect it to the tape player in your car. 

This is a brass band blog though, not a 'Dixons products of the early twentieth century' blog and the crucial part of this story is that I received a CD to go with this new player: ‘The Big Picture’ by YBS.

It quickly became my favourite CD. It was not the first band CD I owned, but it was the first one I was really inspired by. I knew who YBS were and knew they were quite possibly the best band in the world because all the grown-ups said so. I knew their players names because everybody talked about them. It contained music from films I knew, was easy to listen to and, ultimately, it made me want to be in a brass band.

Listening back to it again twenty years later, I think the light-hearted and easy listening nature of this CD is exactly what makes it so endearing. Yes some of the arrangements are a little corny, and yes now I’m older and armed with a music degree (which included a module in film scoring) I understand the breadth of colour an orchestra has gives such much to a film score that a brass band just can’t. However, the combination of a top class band at the absolute peak of their powers under one of the finest MD’s of his generation, and familiar music is a winning one for me.

What the Critics Think

The first Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings films were ground-breaking and represented the first time I was aware of the importance a soundtrack plays in a film. Particularly Lord of the Rings – that was my favourite. At my Primary School you either liked Lord of The Rings OR Harry Potter – you couldn’t like both even though everyone did. Needless to say therefore, that the big hit for me is the opening track Selections from The Lord or The Rings – The Fellowship of the Ring. Not necessarily the most exciting soundtrack of the trilogy but at the time of the CD's release the other two films hadn't been released. The soundtrack is so evocative, it is instantly recognisable and this arrangement makes excellent use of the strengths of a brass band; punch, power and presence whilst also demonstrating the technical prowess of the band in the more lightly scored sections. The scoring features beautiful melodies and allows the soloists to really showcase their lyricism and musicality.

The two offerings from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, (Hedwig's Theme and Selections from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone) are pleasingly well crafted arrangements demonstrating some gorgeous playing, as well as bringing back childhood memories for me. As with The Lord of the Rings, at the time of release there was only one Harry Potter film to choose from but I don’t think this is sufficient enough an excuse for including two strikingly similar tracks. As beautifully arranged and played as they are, I can’t help but think whoever selected them could have found a bit more contrast in such a dynamic film score.

Probably best described as my guilty pleasure is Cartoon Classics, an incredibly cheesy, but addictive, compilation of The Loony Tunes Theme, The Flintstone’s Theme, The Pink Panther and The Simpsons. I love this track now as much as I did when I was ten as it includes music from TV shows I was familiar with and a trombone had the lead line in The Pink Panther. I loved the fact that a brass band was playing The Simpsons when I wasn’t even allowed to watch it and I had great fun joining in with whoever it is who shouts ‘yabadabadoo’ and ‘that’s all folks’. With the benefit of age there is scope to be more cynical - yes, its a cheesy arrangement and the Fred Flintstone and Bugs Bunny (I think?) impressions are terrible but as a child it was a big part of what inspired me to learn to play, and if it did the same for other kids my age then that can only be a good thing.

April in Paris, originally written by Vernon Duke and Yip Harburg for the musical Walk a Little Faster, is probably the best arrangement, in this writer’s opinion, on the CD. It features some beautiful flugel playing from Iwan Williams and takes me right back to a pre-war Parisian café, sipping coffee (nothing stronger, thank you) and watching the world go by. 

A Braveheart Suite and Reunion and Finale (from Gettysburg) are two more well-crafted arrangements, making the best use of the heavy brass required of movies with big battle scenes. They are dynamic, expressive and demonstrate the power a brass band can have. Over the Rainbow showcases more stunning flugel playing and takes me right back to my Grandma's living room, watching The Wizard of Oz on video. 

The disappointments, in my opinion, are Selections from Titanic which to me feels a little clunky and perhaps almost rushed to be ready for this CD. In this case I have the opposite complaint to the Harry Potter offerings as I feel that the arranger has tried to squeeze too much in to the arrangement. Soul Bossa Nova isn't my cup of tea, in general. The Austin Powers films are, I think, the least well known of everything on this CD so the listener might not understand the context, and ultimately it just becomes too repetitive for me. 

All that said, the crucial point is that, twenty years after this CD was released, I have it on my iPod and, when it comes on in the car, I join in with cartoon classics with just as much enthusiasm as I always have. I was listening to it whilst writing this review and my two year old son came trotting into the office, grabbed a pen off my desk and began conducting along. In doing so he wrote my punchline for me.

The Big Picture is a CD that allows the listener to appreciate some fine playing from one of the best bands to have ever graced the contest stage, littered with some of the biggest names of not just the early 2000’s but the present day. But they’re not playing St Magnus (not that there’s anything wrong with that - I was listening to it earlier). They’re playing music from films that everybody knows, that people can sing along to, and they’re playing it brilliantly. This is a CD that involves and engages the listener, and is a bit of fun in what can be something of a straight-laced movement. If it contributes to my son wanting to learn to play, then it's done its job really.

Current Availability

This CD has proved very difficult to find, but is still available to purchase on the music room for £10. 

Full Track Listing

1. Selections from Lord of The Rings, The Fellowship of The Ring 

2. Hedwig's Theme

3. Selections from Titanic

4. April in Paris

5. A Braveheart Suite

6. Over The Rainbow

7. Cartoon Classics

8. Selections from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

9. Soul Bossa Nova

10. Reunion and Finale (From Gettysburg)