Cranes are a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

rock band, perhaps best known for the childlike

vocals Singing is the art of creating music with the voice. It is the oldest form of musical expression, and the human voice can be considered the first musical instrument. The definition of singing varies across sources. Some sources define sing ...

of lead singer Alison Shaw, who formed the band with her brother Jim Shaw.Bite Back interview 1989

History

The Shaw siblings started the band in

1985 The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** The Internet's Domain Name System is created. ** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a n ...

, taking their name from the many mechanical cranes located around the docks in their home city of

Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island, off the south coast of England in the Solent, making Portsmouth the only city in En ...

. After signing with local independent label Bite Back!, the band's first release was the self-financed ''Fuse'' mini-album in 1986, released only on cassette; it would take another three years before Cranes followed up with another mini-album, a 12" record called ''Self-Non-Self'', in

1989 1989 was a turning point in political history with the "Revolutions of 1989" which ended communism in Eastern Bloc of Europe, starting in Poland and Hungary, with experiments in power-sharing coming to a head with the opening of the Berlin W ...

. They recorded the first of their two sessions for

John Peel John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), better known as John Peel, was an English radio presenter and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original disc jockeys on BBC Radio 1, broadcasting regularly from ...

BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and Contemporary hit radio, current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including ...

show,Bottomly, Mo (1991) "Cranes", ''Lime Lizard'', March 1991, p. 4-6Cranes
, ''Keeping it Peel'',

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

, retrieved 1 January 2011 which led to them becoming one of the first bands signed to the BMG offshoot label Dedicated Records in 1990. After the addition of two

guitarist A guitarist (or a guitar player) is a person who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of guitar family instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselve ...

s, Mark Francombe and Matt Cope, Cranes were featured on the front cover of

Melody Maker ''Melody Maker'' was a British weekly music magazine, one of the world's earliest music weeklies; according to its publisher, IPC Media, the earliest. In January 2001, it was merged into "long-standing rival" (and IPC Media sister publicatio ...

magazine, and went on to release a series of critically acclaimed singles and EPs through 1990 and

1991 It was the final year of the Cold War, which had begun in 1947. During the year, the Soviet Union Dissolution of the Soviet Union, collapsed, leaving Post-soviet states, fifteen sovereign republics and the Commonwealth of Independent State ...

. Their first full-length

album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...

, '' Wings of Joy'', reached #52 on the

UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is the United Kingdom's industry-recognised national record chart for album, albums. Entries are ranked by sales and audio streaming. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the O ...

. Following a world tour with

the Cure The Cure are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Crawley in 1976 by Robert Smith (musician), Robert Smith (vocals, guitar) and Lol Tolhurst (drums). The band's current line-up comprises Smith, Perry Bamonte (guitar and keyboards), Reev ...

1992 1992 was designated as International Space Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 – Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt replaces Javier Pérez de Cuéllar of Peru as United Nations Secretary-General. * January 6 ** The Republ ...

, the band's popularity increased, and peaked with the release of their second album, ''

Forever Forever or 4ever may refer to: Film and television Films * ''Forever'' (1921 film), an American silent film by George Fitzmaurice * ''Forever'' (1978 film), an American made-for-television romantic drama, based on the novel by Judy Blume * '' ...

'' (UK #40), in

1993 The United Nations General Assembly, General Assembly of the United Nations designated 1993 as: * International Year for the World's Indigenous People The year 1993 in the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands had only 364 days, since its ...

. Continuing with the subtle, gradual softening of their sound, the album introduced elements of

pop music Pop music is a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form during the mid-1950s in the United States and the United Kingdom.S. Frith, W. Straw, and J. Street, eds, ''iarchive:cambridgecompani00frit, The Cambridge Companion to Pop ...

, resulting in their two biggest hits: though not officially released as a single, the album's opening track, "Everywhere", received a heavy amount of airplay on alternative

radio station Radio broadcasting is the broadcasting of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based rad ...

s in the US, while the second single, "Jewel", was buoyed to #29 in the UK after being

remix A remix, also sometimes called reorchestration or rework, is a piece of media which has been altered or contorted from its original state by adding, removing, or changing pieces of the item. A song, piece of artwork, book, poem, or photograph ca ...

ed by Robert Smith. Another album, '' Loved'', was released in

1994 The year 1994 was designated as the " International Year of the Family" and the "International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal" by the United Nations. In the Line Islands and Phoenix Islands of Kiribati, 1994 had only 364 days, omitti ...

, after which Matt Cope left the band. Working as a duo, the siblings recorded an album inspired by the

Jean-Paul Sartre Jean-Paul Charles Aymard Sartre (, ; ; 21 June 1905 – 15 April 1980) was a French philosopher, playwright, novelist, screenwriter, political activist, biographer, and literary criticism, literary critic, considered a leading figure in 20th ...

play '' Les Mouches''; called ''La Tragédie d'Oreste et Électre'', the album was initially given a limited-edition release in

1996 1996 was designated as: * International Year for the Eradication of Poverty Events January * January 8 – A Zairean cargo plane crashes into a crowded market in the center of the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ...

. Cope was eventually replaced by

drummer A drummer is a percussionist who creates music using drums. Most contemporary western music ensemble, bands that play Rock music, rock, Pop music, pop, jazz, or Contemporary R&B, R&B music include a drummer for purposes including timekeepi ...

Manu Ross, which allowed Jim Shaw to move to guitar for live performances, and this lineup released the fifth Cranes album, ''Population Four'', in

1997 Events January * January 1 – The Emergency Alert System is introduced in the United States. * January 11 – Turkey threatens Cyprus on account of a deal to buy Russian S-300 missiles, prompting the Cypriot Missile Crisis. * January 1 ...

. Following the

1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for Lunar water, frozen water, in soil i ...

closure of Dedicated, the group went on an indefinite hiatus, and functionally disbanded. In

2000 2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year. Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...

, the Shaws began writing music again, assembled a new lineup, and set up their own label, Dadaphonic, which released the album ''Future Songs'' in

2001 The year's most prominent event was the September 11 attacks against the United States by al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror. The United States led a Participan ...

.Strutt, Anthony (2004)
Cranes : Interview with Alison Shaw
", pennyblackmusic.co.uk, 24 September 2004, retrieved 28 December 2010 Cranes again supported The Cure in

2002 The effects of the September 11 attacks of the previous year had a significant impact on the affairs of 2002. The war on terror was a major political focus. Without settled international law, several nations engaged in anti-terror operation ...

, at Hyde Park and at several European

festival A festival is an event celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, Melā, mela, or Muslim holidays, eid. A ...

s. Two more albums have been released on Dadaphonic: ''Particles and Waves'' in

2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...

, and a self-titled album in

2008 2008 was designated as: *International Year of Languages *International Year of Planet Earth *International Year of the Potato *International Year of Sanitation The Great Recession, a worldwide recession which began in 2007, continued throu ...

. These albums have signified a change in the overall style of their music, heading in a more electronic direction and emphasising its ambient, ethereal qualities, while continuing to showcase Alison Shaw's distinctive voice. Cranes reformed in

2023 Catastrophic natural disasters in 2023 included the Lists of 21st-century earthquakes, 5th-deadliest earthquake of the 21st century 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes, striking Turkey and Syria, leaving up to 62,000 people dead; Cyclone Freddy ...

for their first live shows in eleven years, and also played a handful of shows in

2024 The year saw the list of ongoing armed conflicts, continuation of major armed conflicts, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Myanmar civil war (2021–present), Myanmar civil war, the Sudanese civil war (2023–present), Sudane ...

. They have recently overseen the reissues of early and archival recordings, including a compilation of their two John Peel sessions from 1989 and 1990, as well as albums that had never been released on vinyl before. The band are also rumoured to be in production for their next album.

Musical style

The band's music has been described as " gothic

minimalism In visual arts, music, and other media, minimalism is an art movement that began in the post-war era in western art. The movement is often interpreted as a reaction to abstract expressionism and modernism; it anticipated contemporary post-mi ...

", although the band have disputed the "gothic" label. In the early

1990s File:1990s decade montage.png, From top left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope orbits the Earth after it was launched in 1990; American jets fly over burning oil fields in the 1991 Gulf War; the Oslo Accords on 13 September 1993; the World ...

, they were briefly included as part of the

shoegazing Shoegaze (originally called shoegazing and sometimes conflated with dream pop) is a subgenre of indie and alternative rock characterized by its ethereal mixture of obscured vocals, guitar distortion and effects, feedback, and overwhelming volum ...

movement of the era. They have also been described as

dream pop Dream pop (also typeset as dreampop) is a subgenre of alternative rock and neo-psychedelia that emphasizes atmosphere and sonic texture as much as pop melody. Common characteristics include breathy vocals, dense productions, and effects such ...

. Much has been made of Alison Shaw's vocals, with descriptions ranging from "the helium tones of a small child",Price, Simon (2010)
Paolo Nutini, Royal Albert Hall, London; Cranes, Jazz Café, London
, ''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...

'', 11 April 2010, retrieved 28 December 2010 "baby-doll-voiced",Hochman, Steve (1993) "England's Cranes Soar at the Whisky", ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...

'', 18 September 1993, p. 10 and "a mewling, childish wisp of a voice".Pareles, Jon (1992)
Cranes and Belly, Limelight
, ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', 23 April 1992, retrieved 28 December 2010 One reviewer described the band thusly: "Imagine a small child singing lullabies at the bottom of the well with a background of grinding guitars".VanNoy, Emily (1994)
Cranes Trade Gothic Pianos for Guitars
, '' Cavalier Daily'', 10 November 1994, p. 7, retrieved 28 December 2010

Band members

;Current members * Alison Shaw –

bass guitar The bass guitar (), also known as the electric bass guitar, electric bass, or simply the bass, is the lowest-pitched member of the guitar family. It is similar in appearance and construction to an Electric guitar, electric but with a longer nec ...

acoustic guitar An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked, its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...

(1985–1997, 2000–present) * Jim Shaw –

guitar The guitar is a stringed musical instrument that is usually fretted (with Fretless guitar, some exceptions) and typically has six or Twelve-string guitar, twelve strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming ...

, bass guitar, keyboards,

drums The drum is a member of the percussion instrument, percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel–Sachs classification system, it is a membranophones, membranophone. Drums consist of at least one Acoustic membrane, membrane, c ...

(1985–1997, 2000–present) * Paul Smith – guitar, keyboards (1995–1997, 2000–present) * Ben Baxter – bass guitar (2000–present) * Jon Mattock – drums (2008–present) ;Former members * Kevin Dunford – lead guitar (1988–1989) * Mark Francombe – guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, spanner (1989–1997) * Matt Cope – guitar (1989–1997) * Manu Ross – drums (1996–1997) * Jon Callender – drums (2000–2007)

Discography

Albums and mini-albums

* ''Fuse'' (1986, Bite Back!) * ''Self-Non-Self'' (1989, Bite Back!) * '' Wings of Joy'' (1991, Dedicated Records/

RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside Columbia Records (its former longtime rival), Arista Records and Epic R ...

) * ''

'' (1993, Dedicated/RCA) * '' Loved'' (1994, Dedicated/

Arista Records Arista Records ( ) is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the American division of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. The label was previously a division of Bertelsmann Music G ...

) * ''La Tragédie d'Oreste et Électre'' (1996, Dedicated) * ''Population Four'' (1997, Dedicated/Arista) * ''Future Songs'' (2001, Dadaphonic) * ''Particles & Waves'' (2004, Dadaphonic) * ''Cranes'' (2008, Dadaphonic)

Live albums

* ''Live in Italy'' (2003, Dadaphonic) * ''Live at Amsterdam Paradiso 22.02.91'' (2006, Dadaphonic)

Compilations

* ''Forever Remixes'' (1993, Dedicated) * ''EP Collection Volumes 1 & 2'' (1997, Dedicated) * ''John Peel Sessions 1989-1990'' (2023, Dadaphonic)

Singles and EPs

* "Inescapable" (1990, Dedicated) * ''Espero'' EP (1990, Dedicated) * "Adoration" (1991, Dedicated) * "Tomorrow's Tears" (1991, Dedicated/RCA) * "Adrift" (1993, Dedicated) * "Clear" (1993, Dedicated/RCA) * "Jewel" (1993, Dedicated/RCA) * "Shining Road" (1994, Dedicated/Arista) * "Beautiful Friend" (1994, Arista) * "Lilies" (1995, Arista) * ''Ancienne Belgique'' EP (1996, Dedicated) * "Can't Get Free" (1997, Dedicated) * "Future Song" (2001, Dadaphonic) * "Submarine" (2002, Dadaphonic) * "The Moon City (Demo Version)" (2002, Elefant Records)

Notes

* Cranes' first recorded appearance was a track called "Vegetate" for a cassette

compilation album A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one Performing arts#Performers, performer or by several performers. If the recordings are from ...

called ''Against the Tide'', released by Bite Back! in 1986. * "Nothing in the Middle, Nothing in the End" first appeared on another Bite Back! compilation, ''Make Ready for Revelation'', in

1987 Events January * January 1 – Bolivia reintroduces the Boliviano currency. * January 2 – Chadian–Libyan conflict – Battle of Fada: The Military of Chad, Chadian army destroys a Libyan armoured brigade. * January 3 – Afghan leader ...

. * Cranes contributed a demo of "Cha Cha Escueta" which was released on the

cassette compilation ''Gigantic 2'' in 1990, although the track is simply named "Untitled" on the sleeve. * Alison Shaw also participated in a short-lived collaboration called Inrain with Rudi Tambala of AR Kane, which resulted in a single called "Glow", released as part of the Rough Trade Singles Club in 1991. * "Shining Road" was used in the 1996 film ''

Eye for an Eye "An eye for an eye" (, ) is a commandment found in the Book of Exodus 21:23–27 expressing the principle of reciprocal justice measure for measure. The earliest known use of the principle appears in the Code of Hammurabi, which predates the wr ...

''. * "Astronauts" (from ''Particles and Waves'') was used in an

American Express American Express Company or Amex is an American bank holding company and multinational financial services corporation that specializes in payment card industry, payment cards. It is headquartered at 200 Vesey Street, also known as American Expr ...

commercial Commercial may refer to: * (adjective for) commerce, a system of voluntary exchange of products and services ** (adjective for) trade, the trading of something of economic value such as goods, services, information or money * a dose of advertising ...

with actress

Kate Winslet Kate Elizabeth Winslet (; born 5 October 1975) is an English actress. Primarily known for her roles as headstrong and complicated women in independent films, particularly period dramas, she has received numerous accolades, including an Ac ...

in 2005. * Alison Shaw provided vocals on the track "Endormie" for the American group Twine on their 2008 album, ''Violets''. * "Don't Wake Me Up" (from ''Future Songs'') was used in a 2011 episode of the television series '' Californication''. * "Shining Road", "Beautiful Friend" and "Trumpet Song" were used in the 1996 short film ''Scarborough Ahoy''.

References

External links

* * by Alexander Laurence * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Cranes (Band) Musical groups established in 1989 Musical groups disestablished in 1997 Musical groups reestablished in 2000 English gothic rock groups British dream pop musical groups 1986 establishments in the United Kingdom Dedicated Records artists Rock music groups from Hampshire Sibling musical groups