Wings of Joy is the debut studio album by English rock band Cranes. The album was released on 16 September 1991 by Dedicated Records.[4] It followed the band's mini-album Self-Non-Self, released two years earlier.

Wings of Joy
Studio album by
Released16 September 1991 (1991-09-16)
StudioFirst Protocol (London)
GenreDream pop[1]
Length44:09
LabelDedicated
ProducerCranes
Cranes chronology
Self-Non-Self
(1989)
Wings of Joy
(1991)
Forever
(1993)
Singles from Wings of Joy
  1. "Adoration"
    Released: 13 May 1991[2]
  2. "Tomorrow's Tears"
    Released: 26 August 1991[3]

Critical reception edit

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [5]
Chicago Tribune    [6]
Los Angeles Times    [7]
The Philadelphia Inquirer    [8]
Q     [9]
Rolling Stone     [10]
Select4/5[11]

Ned Raggett of AllMusic found that Wings of Joy reflected Cranes' musical development, noting that while their "gripping, chilling atmosphere... hasn't moved an inch", the album showed the band continuing "to expand its palette."[5]

Track listing edit

All lyrics are written by Alison Shaw; all music is composed by Jim Shaw

No.TitleLength
1."Watersong"3:51
2."Thursday"4:23
3."Living and Breathing"3:30
4."Leaves of Summer"3:44
5."Starblood"3:35
6."Sixth of May"4:39
7."Wish"3:58
8."Tomorrow's Tears"3:59
9."Beautiful Sadness"4:04
10."Hopes Are High"2:59
11."Adoration"5:27
Total length:44:09
UK limited CD edition bonus disc
No.TitleLength
1."Inescapable"2:45
2."Dada 331"3:11
3."I Hope"4:00
4."E.G. Shining"3:46
Total length:13:42
UK limited LP edition bonus disc
No.TitleLength
1."Starblood" (remix)3:38
2."Fuse" (original version)3:32
3."Self Non Self"2:15
Total length:9:25

Personnel edit

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.[12]

Cranes

  • Matt Cope – guitar
  • Mark Francombe – guitar
  • Alison Shaw – vocals, bass
  • Jim Shaw – drums, guitar, piano

Production

Design

  • Robert Coleman – design

Charts edit

Chart (1991) Peak
position
UK Albums (OCC)[13] 52
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[14] 4

References edit

  1. ^ Pearis, Bill (15 February 2019). "Bill's Indie Basement (2/15): the week in classic indie, college rock, and more". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  2. ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 11 May 1991. p. 21. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  3. ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 24 August 1991. p. 19. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  4. ^ "New Releases: Albums" (PDF). Music Week. 14 September 1991. pp. 12, 21. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  5. ^ a b Raggett, Ned. "Wings of Joy – Cranes". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  6. ^ Kot, Greg (30 January 1992). "Cranes: Wings of Joy (Dedicated/RCA)". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  7. ^ Hochman, Steve (8 March 1992). "The Cranes, 'Wings of Joy,' Dedicated/RCA". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  8. ^ Wood, Sam (21 May 1992). "Cranes: Wings of Joy (Dedicated/BMG)". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
  9. ^ "Cranes: Wings of Joy". Q. p. 133. [T]heir pretty industrial-lite, featuring Shaw's unfathomable lyrics, still has the power to disturb.
  10. ^ Berger, Arion (2 April 1992). "Cranes: Wings of Joy". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 9 April 2008. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  11. ^ Griffiths, Nick (October 1991). "Cranes: Wings of Joy". Select. No. 16. p. 63.
  12. ^ Wings of Joy (liner notes). Cranes. Dedicated Records. 1991. ZD 75122.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  14. ^ "Distribution: Indie Albums" (PDF). Music Week. 5 October 1991. p. 24. Retrieved 28 May 2021.

External links edit