Cranes (band)
Encyclopedia
Cranes are a British
music group formed in 1986, whose style has been described as "gothic minimalism".
, England
by siblings Alison and Jim Shaw, and named after the many mechanical cranes
around the city's docks, Cranes are best known for the childlike, high-pitched vocals of lead singer Alison.
The band's first release was the self-financed Fuse cassette. They recorded the Self Non Self mini-LP
in 1989, which led to them recording their first of two sessions for John Peel
's BBC Radio 1
show. They then to the BMG
offshoot Dedicated Records in 1990. With the addition of Mark Francombe and Matt Cope (both guitar), they released a series of EP
s in 1990 and 1991 that preceded their debut full-length album, Wings of Joy, which reached number 52 on the UK Albums Chart
. Following a general softening of their sound, the introduction of pop
elements to their music, and a world tour with The Cure
in 1992, the band's popularity increased, and peaked with the release of the album Forever
(UK #40), which contained their biggest hit single, "Jewel" (UK #29).
The band fell silent for a period of approximately four years after the release of Population 4 in 1997, and the subsequent closure of Dedicated, with the original line-up breaking up. In 2000, the Shaws formed a new line-up and began writing music again, and released Future Songs and Particles and Waves on their own label, Dadaphonic. These albums signified a change in the overall style of their music, emphasising its ambient
, ethereal qualities. Despite heading in a more electronic
direction, however, the band's music continued to revolve around Alison Shaw's distinctive singing. In 2002 the band again supported The Cure, at Hyde Park
and several European festivals.
. In the early 1990s they were briefly lumped in with the "shoegazing
" bands of the era.
Much has been made of Alison Shaw's vocals, with descriptions ranging from "the helium tones of a small child", "baby-doll-voiced", and "a mewling, childish wisp of a voice". One reviewer described the band: "Imagine a small child singing lullabies at the bottom of the well with a background of grinding guitars".
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
music group formed in 1986, whose style has been described as "gothic minimalism".
History
Formed in 1986 in PortsmouthPortsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
by siblings Alison and Jim Shaw, and named after the many mechanical cranes
Crane (machine)
A crane is a type of machine, generally equipped with a hoist, wire ropes or chains, and sheaves, that can be used both to lift and lower materials and to move them horizontally. It uses one or more simple machines to create mechanical advantage and thus move loads beyond the normal capability of...
around the city's docks, Cranes are best known for the childlike, high-pitched vocals of lead singer Alison.
The band's first release was the self-financed Fuse cassette. They recorded the Self Non Self mini-LP
Mini-LP
A Mini-LP or Mini-album is a short album, usually retailing at a lower price than an album that would be considered "full-length".-History:...
in 1989, which led to them recording their first of two sessions for John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
's BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
show. They then to the BMG
BMG
Bertelsmann Music Group, , was a division of Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Japan's Sony Corporation of America on October 1, 2008. It was established in 1987 to combine the music label activities of Bertelsmann...
offshoot Dedicated Records in 1990. With the addition of Mark Francombe and Matt Cope (both guitar), they released a series of EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
s in 1990 and 1991 that preceded their debut full-length album, Wings of Joy, which reached number 52 on the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
. Following a general softening of their sound, the introduction of pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
elements to their music, and a world tour with The Cure
The Cure
The Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member...
in 1992, the band's popularity increased, and peaked with the release of the album Forever
Forever (cranes album)
Forever is a 1993 album by the British shoegaze band Cranes. It is often cited by fans as the band's best album, and together with the Loved album, marks the peak of the band's popularity. Forever continues the trend of the band's previous albums, revolving largely around Alison Shaw's distinctive...
(UK #40), which contained their biggest hit single, "Jewel" (UK #29).
The band fell silent for a period of approximately four years after the release of Population 4 in 1997, and the subsequent closure of Dedicated, with the original line-up breaking up. In 2000, the Shaws formed a new line-up and began writing music again, and released Future Songs and Particles and Waves on their own label, Dadaphonic. These albums signified a change in the overall style of their music, emphasising its ambient
Ambient music
Ambient music is a musical genre that focuses largely on the timbral characteristics of sounds, often organized or performed to evoke an "atmospheric", "visual" or "unobtrusive" quality.- History :...
, ethereal qualities. Despite heading in a more electronic
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
direction, however, the band's music continued to revolve around Alison Shaw's distinctive singing. In 2002 the band again supported The Cure, at Hyde Park
Hyde Park, London
Hyde Park is one of the largest parks in central London, United Kingdom, and one of the Royal Parks of London, famous for its Speakers' Corner.The park is divided in two by the Serpentine...
and several European festivals.
Musical style
The band's music has been described as "gothic minimalism", although the band themselves disputed the 'gothic' tag. They have also been described as dream popDream pop
Dream pop is a subgenre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom in the mid-1980s, when bands like The Passions, Dif Juz, Lowlife and A.R. Kane began fusing post-punk and ethereal experiments with bittersweet pop melodies into dreamy, sensual soundscapes. The term was almost...
. In the early 1990s they were briefly lumped in with the "shoegazing
Shoegazing
Shoegazing is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged from the United Kingdom in the late 1980s. It lasted there until the mid 1990s, with a critical zenith reached in 1990 and 1991...
" bands of the era.
Much has been made of Alison Shaw's vocals, with descriptions ranging from "the helium tones of a small child", "baby-doll-voiced", and "a mewling, childish wisp of a voice". One reviewer described the band: "Imagine a small child singing lullabies at the bottom of the well with a background of grinding guitars".
Band members
- Alison Shaw - vocals, guitar
- Jim Shaw - guitar
- Mark Francombe - guitar, bass guitar, keyboards (1989–1997)
- Matt Cope - guitar (1989–1997)
- Paul Smith - guitar and keyboards (1995–present)
- Jon Callender - drums (2000–present)
- Ben Baxter - bass guitar (200?–present)
Albums
- Fuse (MCCompact CassetteThe Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. It was designed originally for dictation, but improvements in fidelity led the Compact Cassette to supplant the Stereo 8-track cartridge and reel-to-reel...
, 1986) - Self-Non-Self (1989), Bite Back
- Wings of Joy (1991), Dedicated/RCA - UK #52
- ForeverForever (cranes album)Forever is a 1993 album by the British shoegaze band Cranes. It is often cited by fans as the band's best album, and together with the Loved album, marks the peak of the band's popularity. Forever continues the trend of the band's previous albums, revolving largely around Alison Shaw's distinctive...
(1993), Dedicated/RCA - UK #40 - Loved (1994), Dedicated/Arista
- La tragédie d'Oreste et Électre (1996), Dedicated/Arista (Limited Edition)
- Population 4 (1997), Dedicated/Arista
- EP Collection, Vol. 1 & 2 (1997), Dedicated
- Future Songs (2001), Dadaphonic
- Live in Italy (2003), Dadaphonic
- Particles and Waves (2004), Dadaphonic
- Live at Paradiso 1991 (2007) (for download only)
- Cranes (2008), Dadaphonic
Singles & EPs
- Inescapable (1990), Dedicated - 4 non-album tracks
- Espero (1990), Dedicated - 3 non-album tracks
- Adoration (1991), Dedicated - 2 tracks including a non-album B-side
- Tomorrow's Tears (1991), Dedicated - 4 tracks including 2 non-album tracks
- Adrift (1993), Dedicated - 3 tracks including 1 non-album track
- Jewel (1993), Dedicated/RCA - UK #29, 3 different releases with remixes. One of them includes a non-album track
- Forever Remixes (1993) - 6 remixes of a few tracks from the Forever album
- Shining Road (1994), Dedicated - UK #57, 2 different releases each of them with 4 tracks including 2 (different) non-album tracks
- Can't Get Free (1997), Dedicated - 5 tracks including 4 non-album tracks
- Submarine (2002) - 8 remixes of a few tracks from the Future Songs album
- The Moon City/It's a Beautiful World (7", 2002), Elefant - 2 non-album tracks