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CRANES

Cranes

Cranes

    Cranes is a dream pop/shoegaze band formed by siblings Alison and Jim Shaw who rose to stardom following a world tour with the Cure in 1992. After the influential Dedicated label folded in 1998 they went on a two-year hiatus after which they set up their own label Dadaphonic. Here, they released three studio albums between 2001 and 2008, of which this self-titled record is their last. After some 17 years, Cranes is finally available on vinyl for the first time.

    TRACK LISTING

    Side A
    1. Diorama
    2. Worlds
    3. Feathers
    4. Wires
    5. Panorama
    6. Wonderful Things

    Side B
    1. Collecting Stones
    2. Invisible
    3. Move Along
    4. Sleepwalking
    5. High And Low

    Cranes

    Wings Of Joy - 2025 Reissue

      Cranes had a modest start in the late 80s on Bite Back!, a label based in their hometown of Portsmouth on which they released a cassette and a 12" mini-album. A bit later they would record a session for John Peel's BBC Radio 1 show which led them to sign to Dedicated Record. Wings of Joy is the first of five studio albums Cranes did for Dedicated and is considered a dreampop/neo-psychedelic classic.

      TRACK LISTING

      Side A
      1. Watersong
      2. Thursday
      3. Living And Breathing
      4. Leaves Of Summer
      5. Starblood
      6. Sixth Of May

      Side B
      1. Wish
      2. Tomorrow's Tears
      3. Beautiful Sadness
      4. Hopes Are High
      5. Adoration

      Cranes

      John Peel Sessions 1989-1990

        The first in a series of archival releases from Cranes, the band’s John Peel Sessions are collected for the first time.

        Formed in mid-1980’s Portsmouth by the brother & sister duo of Jim Shaw (drummer, keyboardist, guitarist, programmer) & Alison Shaw (vocalist, guitarist, bassist), Cranes first appeared in 1986 with Fuse, a self-released & now highly sought-after cassette of demos.

        Their debut album ‘Self-Non-Self’ followed in 1989, catching the attention of legendary DJ John Peel, who invited them to record two sessions for his show in 1989 & 1990, the second seeing Mark Francombe (guitarist, keyboardist, bassist) & Matt Cope (guitarist) join ranks to form the line-up who would go on to record multiple albums for Dedicated including the much-loved album, ‘Forever’, which enjoys it’s 30th anniversary this year.

        Cranes are releasing John Peel Sessions (1989-1990) on their own Dadaphonic label. The first in a series of archival releases, this compilation features original artwork by fêted 4AD & v23 sleeve designer Chris Bigg (Pixies, Cocteau Twins, The Breeders).

        John Peel Sessions (1989-1990) will be available on black vinyl and as a highly-limited Dinked Archive Edition pressed on silver vinyl with an exclusive 12”x12” print of alternate artwork and Obi Strip.


        TRACK LISTING

        1. E.G. Shining
        2. Focus Breathe
        3. Starblood
        4. Til Tomorrow
        5. Da Da 331
        6. Give
        7. Inescapable

        Cranes

        Population Four - 2024 Reissue

          "Population Four" is the fourth studio album by Cranes, originally released in 1997. This album marks a major change in the lineup. With bassist Cope leaving the band, Jim Shaw took on the role of lead guitar, Francombe transitioned to bass, and new member Manu Ros joined as the drummer. The album showcases a more traditional sound, as Cranes move away from stark and mysterious vocals toward acoustic guitars and standard drums, while maintaining their distinctive ethereal blend of dream pop and gothic rock. Alison Shaw's haunting vocals continue to take center stage, as the band embraces a more mature and refined sound. Tracks such as "Brazil" and "Angel Bell" demonstrate their ability to blend lush melodies with introspective lyrics. The single “Can’t Get Free” is a haunting and atmospheric track that encapsulates the band's unique ethereal style, cementing their status as a cult favorite.

          TRACK LISTING

          Side A
          1. Tangled Up
          2. Fourteen
          3. Breeze
          4. Can't Get Free
          5. Stalk
          6. Sweet Unknown

          Side B
          1. Angel Bell
          2. On Top Of The World
          3. Brazil
          4. Let Go
          5. To Be

          Cranes

          Self-Non-Self - 35th Anniversary Edition

            After releasing their first EP Fuse, Cranes expanded to a four-piece band and recorded their debut full-length album Self-Non-Self in 1989. Their sound has been described as “gothic minimalism” and “dreampop”, and also became part of the shoegazing movement in the early Nineties. This 1989 album showed their progression with the increased textures in sound and drum slams. The album contains a darker sound and is a mixture of industrial and post-punk music. Originally only six tracks, the band’s label Dedicated Records added a further two tracks upon its re-release in 1992: “Reach (Live)” and “Nothing In The Middle, Nothing At The End”. In that same year, Cranes went on a world tour with The Cure, which increased their popularity.

            TRACK LISTING

            SIDE A
            1. One From The Slum
            2. Joy Lies Within
            3. Heaven Or Bliss
            4. Beach Mover

            SIDE B
            1. Focus Breathe
            2. Fuse
            3. Reach (Live) *bonus Track
            4. Nothing In The Middle, Nothing At The End *bonus Track

            Cranes

            Collected Works Vol 1 - 1989-1997

              Formed in 1986 by siblings Alison and Jim Shaw, Cranes remain one of the most distinctive bands of the late 1980s and 1990s, their ever-mutating sound defying categorisation and existing outside of the zeitgeist. Their recorded output during their initial ten-year incarnation is collected together here for the first time, from the raw 1989 mini album ‘Self-Non-Self’ (originally released on Bite Back!) through to the sophisticated 1997 epic ‘Population Four’.

              Curated and overseen by singer Alison Shaw on behalf of the band, and resplendent in artwork by 4AD legend Chris Bigg (with detailed liner notes and discographic information), ‘Collected Works Vol 1’ serves as timely reminder of Cranes’ magnificence as they evolved from stark, noisy soundscapes to bolder, more elaborate instrumentation and arrangements. With hints of ethereal rock, dream pop, shoegaze, industrial and neo- classical, theirs was a sound truly like no other.

              A must for fans and a perfect all-in-one deep dive for the curious, ‘Collected Works Vol 1’ is an emotionally charged time capsule showcasing one of the finest bands of the 1990s. A recently revived Cranes continue to perform with more unmissable gigs scheduled for 2024.

              TRACK LISTING

              DISC ONE
              Self-Non-Self +
              1 One From The Slum
              2 Joy Lies Within
              3 Heaven Or Bliss
              4 Beach Mover
              5 Focus Breathe
              6 Fuse
              Bonus Tracks
              7 Reach (Live)
              8 Nothing In The Middle, Nothing At The End
              9 Cha Cha Escueta
              10 Self-Non-Self

              DISC TWO
              Wings Of Joy +
              1 Watersong
              2 Thursday
              3 Living And Breathing
              4 Leaves Of Summer
              5 Starblood
              6 Sixth Of May
              7 Wish
              8 Tomorrow’s Tears
              9 Beautiful Sadness
              10 Hopes Are High
              11 Adoration
              Bonus Tracks
              12 Inescapable
              13 Give
              14 Dada 331
              15 Inescapable II
              16 I Hope
              17 E.G. Shining
              18 Brighter
              19 Casa Blanca
              20 Dreamless
              21 Starblood (Remix)

              DISC THREE
              Forever +
              1 Everywhere
              2 Cloudless
              3 Jewel
              4 Far Away
              5 Adrift
              6 Clear
              7 Sun And Sky
              8 And Ever
              9 Golden
              10 Rainbows
              Bonus Tracks
              11 Underwater
              12 Leave Her To Heaven (I)
              13 At Sea
              13 Slide
              15 Leave Her To Heaven (II)
              16 Jewel (Robert Smith Mix)
              17 Clear (Boll Weevil Mix)
              18 Cloudless (Thaïs Mix)

              DISC FOUR
              Loved +
              1 Shining Road
              2 Pale Blue Sky
              3 Reverie
              4 Lilies
              5 Are You Gone?
              6 Loved
              7 Beautiful Friend
              8 Bewildered
              9 Come This Far
              10 Paris And Rome
              11 In The Night
              Bonus Tracks
              12 September
              13 Lilies (Flood Mix)
              14 Don’t Close Your Eyes
              15 Paris And Rome (Flood Mix)
              16 Green Song 7
              17 Shining Road (Brauer Mix)
              18 Organ Song

              DISC FIVE
              Population Four +
              1 Tangled Up
              2 Fourteen
              3 Breeze
              4 Can’t Get Free
              5 Stalk
              6 Sweet Unknown
              7 Angel Bell
              8 On Top Of The World
              9 Brazil
              10 Let Go
              11 To Be
              Bonus Tracks
              12 Wild Yellow Bloom
              13 Perfect World
              14 Lemon Tree
              15 Trumpet Song
              16 Pier Scene From Scarborough Ahoy!

              DISC SIX
              La Tragédie D'Oreste Et Électre
              1 Comme Je Suis Libre
              2 Oreste Et Électre
              3 La Cérémonie
              4 Danse D'Électre
              5 Le Palais
              6 Au Temple
              7 Danse Des Érinnyes

              Cranes

              Loved - 30th Anniversary Edition

                Loved is the third album by the British band Cranes, released in 1994. Siblings Alison and Jim Shaw formed the band back in 1989. They recorded several successful albums, including the 1991 Wings Of Joy and 1994 Loved. Loved combines elements of alternative rock, shoegaze, dream-pop, and darkwave. Their gothic elements made a return, while they retained the feeling of their previous album Forever. It was another artistic experience, with nicely orchestrated and constructed songs.

                TRACK LISTING

                Side A
                Shining Road
                Pale Blue Sky
                Rêverie
                Lilies
                Are You Gone?

                Side B
                Loved
                Beautiful Friend
                Bewildered
                Come This Far
                Paris And Rome
                In The Night (Hidden Track)

                Cranes

                Fuse

                  Whilst the release of 1989's ‘Self-Non-Self’ EP represented an introduction to the band for many (John Peel among them) Cranes had quietly made their debut with the release of the ‘Fuse’ cassette in 1986 on local Portsmouth label Bite Back!

                  Infamous among hardcore fans, the recordings have been largely unavailable since release (‘Fuse’ made an appearance as a bonus track in later years) with the original tape changing hands on-line at a premium.

                  Remastered at Abbey Road and with the addition of the previously unreleased ‘New Liberty’ (a song originally slated for inclusion on ‘Self-Non-Self’) this release will be the first time the music has been widely available since its initial release.

                  ‘Fuse’ is the 2nd release from the band’s archive following the recent release of their ‘BBC Peel Sessions’ and prefaces the promise of new music to come.

                  STAFF COMMENTS

                  Darryl says: Before they expanded to a four-piece the duo of siblings Alison and Jim Shaw recorded
                  ‘Fuse’ in 1986 as a cassette only release via local Portsmouth label Bit Back! ‘Fuse’ melded sparse dark industrial noises with a brittle post-punk edge. Now fully remastered and available on both vinyl and CD.

                  TRACK LISTING

                  Side A
                  Pillow Panther
                  Fuse (Original Version)
                  Valentine
                  Gas-Ring

                  Side B
                  1. Things That I Like
                  2. Wrench
                  3. Fracture
                  4. New Liberty

                  Cranes

                  Forever - 30th Anniversary Edition

                    Forever, originally released in 1993, continues the trend of Crane's previous albums, revolving largely around Alison Shaw's distinctive vocals. The album contains elements of shoegaze, dream pop and gothic rock, and features the singles "Adrift" and "Jewel".

                    The album starts with hypnotizing acoustic guitar chords on the first track "Everywhere". Songs like "Cloudless", "And Ever" and "Far Away" show the band taking an extremely minimalist approach to their songwriting with sometimes nothing more than a piano accompanying Alison's voice. The songs "Adrift" and "Clear" are heavy post-punk rockers and "Jewel" is one of the brightest and most colorful songs that Cranes have ever produced.

                    "Jewel" ended up being an underground hit in the U.K. and U.S., thanks to a somewhat transformed remix courtesy of longtime Cranes fan Robert Smith (Forever takes its name from a The Cure rarity of the same title) and Forever turned out to be a favorite amongst fans and critics. It's a lost treasure of early 90s dream pop, delivering unique and mesmerizingly beautiful music. The hidden track "Shine Like Stars" is included on the LP.

                    TRACK LISTING

                    Side A
                    1. Everywhere
                    2. Cloudless
                    3. Jewel
                    4. Far Away
                    5. Adrift

                    Side B
                    1. Clear
                    2. Sun And Sky
                    3. And Ever
                    4. Golden
                    5. Rainbows
                    6. Shine Like Star (Hidden Track)


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