Wings of Joy

1991 studio album by Cranes

Wings of Joy

Studio album by

Cranes

Released| 16 September 1991 (1991-09-16)
Studio| First Protocol (London)
Genre| Dream pop,[1] Neo-psychedelia[2]
Length| 44:09
Label| Dedicated
Producer| Cranes
Cranes chronology
| Self-Non-Self
(1989)  | Wings of Joy
(1991)  | Forever
(1993)

|
|

Singles from  Wings of Joy

1. "Adoration"
Released: 13 May 1991[3]
2. "Tomorrow's Tears"
Released: 26 August 1991[4]

Wings of Joy is the debut studio album by English rock band Cranes.[5] The album was released on 16 September 1991 by Dedicated Records.[6] It followed the band's mini-album Self-Non-Self, released two years earlier.

## Critical reception

[edit]

Professional ratingsReview scores

Source| Rating
AllMusic| [7]
Chicago Tribune| [8]
Los Angeles Times| [9]
NME| 7/10[10]
The Philadelphia Inquirer| [11]
Q| [12]
Rolling Stone| [13]
Select| 4/5[14]
Vox| 8/10[15]

The Washington Post determined that "the Cranes' balladeering may be a little bland, and even irksome when A. Shaw's voice is at its most little-girlish, but it's actually more appealing than the group's harder side".[2]

Ned Raggett of AllMusic called Wings of Joy "a beautiful, if unsettling, piece of work" and found that in comparison to Cranes' earlier work, "the gripping, chilling atmosphere that Cranes dwell in hasn't moved an inch, but in terms of approach ... the quartet has continued to expand its palette."[7]

## Track listing

[edit]

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

No.| Title| Length

|
|

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 discNo.| Title| Length

|
|

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 discNo.| Title| Length

|
|

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.[16]

Cranes

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

Production

* Cranes – production
* Gail Lambourne – engineering

Design

* Robert Coleman – design

## Charts

[edit]

Chart (1991)  | Peak
position

|

UK Albums (OCC)[17] | 52
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[18] | 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. ^ a b Jenkins, Mark (9 February 1992). "Tripping Out of Britain: Psychedelic Rock for the '90s". The Washington Post. p. G6.
3. ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 11 May 1991. p. 21. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
4. ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 24 August 1991. p. 19. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
5. ^ Brothers, Stud (31 August 1991). "Wings of Joy by Cranes". Melody Maker. Vol. 67, no. 35\. p. 33.
6. ^ "New Releases: Albums" (PDF). Music Week. 14 September 1991. pp. 12, 21. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
7. ^ a b Raggett, Ned. "Wings of Joy – Cranes". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
8. ^ Kot, Greg (30 January 1992). "Cranes: Wings of Joy (Dedicated/RCA)". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
9. ^ Hochman, Steve (8 March 1992). "The Cranes, 'Wings of Joy,' Dedicated/RCA". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
10. ^ Williams, Simon (7 September 1991). "Appal Right Now". NME.
11. ^ Wood, Sam (21 May 1992). "Cranes: Wings of Joy (Dedicated/BMG)". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
12. ^ Aston, Martin (October 1991). "Cranes: Wings of Joy". Q. No. 61.
13. ^ Berger, Arion (2 April 1992). "Cranes: Wings of Joy". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 9 April 2008. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
14. ^ Griffiths, Nick (October 1991). "Cranes: Wings of Joy". Select. No. 16\. p. 63.
15. ^ Howe, Rupert (October 1991). "Cranes: Wings of Joy". Vox. No. 13\. p. 67.
16. ^ Wings of Joy (liner notes). Cranes. Dedicated Records. 1991. ZD 75122.`{{cite AV media notes}}`: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
17. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
18. ^ "Distribution: Indie Albums" (PDF). Music Week. 5 October 1991. p. 24. Retrieved 28 May 2021.

## External links

[edit]

* Wings of Joy at Discogs (list of releases)

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz release group

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*[No.]: Number