Customer Reviews

Wings of Joy

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Cranes create minimalistic songs that relentlessly move forward until they reach climaxes of savage power. They combine insistent simple beats with piano, sophisticated guitar noise, and the most unique and spine-tingling voice you've ever heard.

Cranes "Wings of Joy" is their best album in my opinion.I first heard the Cranes live at The Cure's wish tour back in 1992 and bought the album the very next day.I have been a huge fan ever since.The music on this album is filled with harsh guitar sounds,beautiful piano melodies and intense drums.Alison Shaw's little girl voice adds a touch of innocence to this intense album.While most of the songs are quite intense like "star blood" (my favorite) there are some beautiful soft melodies like "tomorrows tears".The album has a elements of Industrial,Gothic rock and hints of ethereal.

The Cranes are one of the best goth bands I have ever heard. Their lead singer has such a beautiful voice, the lyrics are poetic, and the music is just wonderfully heavy and ambient. Great stuff...

one of the most beautiful albums i've ever listened to, and contrary to what some may think, it's not just another soundtrack for teenage depressions. this album is unusually beautiful, unusually well done, unusually intense and unusually original. perfect for those tired of vulgarity.

Sounding as if it had never completely left pre-pubescence, Allison Shaw's singing voice is eerily reminiscent of a toddler who has been allowed to inhale too much helium from a party balloon by an overly-indulgent parent, an impression reinforced by her intonation and delivery.

However, this isn't necessarily a bad thing, though somewhat jarring to listen to as each track on Crane's "Wings of Joy" unfolds for the first time. "Living and Breathing", perhaps the standout track on the CD, unfolds as many of the other cuts do; heavy with percussive instrumentation (bass, drums, keyboards, and piano) as well as aggressive, industrial, almost discordant squalling wrung from the guitar, alternating in variable intensity as the cuts progress. The juxtaposition of Shaw's vocals provides what is revealed to be a counterpoint to the frequently menacing turn even the piano can take.

This isn't to say that Cranes aren't capable of recording delicate compositions ( the orchestration of "Watersong", the first track, comes to mind here) but even there a wistfulness and sense of personal incompletion can be heard. "Tommorow's Tears" and "Adoration" ( the closing track) both opt for a more fluid progression instead of a deliberately jarring presentation ("Starblood"), and are as close to melodic pop songs that you'll be able to find on this release.

My first impression, before actually listening to the CD, was that Cranes were named after the graceful, elegant bird that populates wetland refuges that are so often places of stunning beauty, but their sound is more synched in with the relentless excavatory purpose of the industrial equipment that also shares its name. After listening to it a number of times, I have to conclude that "Wings of Joy" is actually a blend of both. Recommended.

This was and always will be one of the most haunting, beautiful, intense and O-R-I-G-I-N-A-L albums of the 1990's decade. The swirling screeching guitars, the crashing drums, the melancholy piano and Allison's sweet plaintive voice make up one of the most unforgettable albums of that time. If they had gotten half the attention of "goth" or "ethereal" bands like Sisters of Mercy or Cocteau Twins they would have been HUGE.
This album should be listened to as a whole since many of the songs blend together, still gems on here that deserve their own mention.
"Starblood" is one that is unmatched in its raw, primal, angry intensity and is as passionate as any great punk song. It is placed among songs like "Leaves of Summer" and "Adoration" which are as moving and sophisticated as any modern day classical composition.
This is a JEWEL that you must own.

Hauntingly beautiful, mesmerizing, evocative. This band is like nothing else I've ever heard, and this album is my favorite. Its both great for active listening, in which it will put you into a trance-like state of pure joy and satisfaction, albeit lethargic. Or, its a great listen in the backdrop of a room. Just as beautiful as a thunderstorm rolling across the land on the horizon.

Conveying a mystique that is not musically there, this Cocteau-Dead Can Dance lift only mimics a few hallowed principals, usually at the expense of much artistic integrity. The increasingly-grating, female-baby-like vocal deliveries only compliment these attempts at haunting melodic minimalism when the songwriting somehow stands up- which it usually does not. With some refinement, and perhaps a more informed musical vocabulary this could have been something special, as brief signs of darkened life shimmer beneath the plodding craftsmanship enough to appease fans of the genre.

Some good moments, but overall this album never really "gets" me...
I'd recommend "Loved" for new Listeners.

Great album, haunting lyrics, hypnotic music, this album will leave an impression on you. Rare and hard to find but a must for anyone into dark, gothy, brooding music. Highly recommend!!