Much Pain, No Meaning

The Cranes do not list the lyrics to their new album Wings of Joy. Perhaps lyricist Alison Shaw does not wish to make her personal thoughts known to the listener, which would also explain the virtual incomprehensibility of her soft, high vocals. Or maybe she really isn't saying anything after all.

Hailing from southern England, this new alternative band has created music that could be somewhat intriguing if it were not so infuriating and utterly meaningless. Shaw's vocals complement the mysterious sound of Wings of Joy, but she uses her voice only to blend with the menacing guitars and hypnotic rhythm of piano and drums. The mood is eerie, and sounds unique. But the words, the thoughts and the meaning simply fade away into a perverse swirl of annoying sound. This album is mood music for masochists.

The Cranes weave a musical spell strangely reminiscent of David Lynch's bewildering and beloved town of Twin Peaks. A frightening thought perhaps, but Wings of Joy will send visions of Audrey and Agent Cooper dancing through your head. Alison Shaw's vocals also bear an astounding resemblance to those of Twin Peaks own Julee Cruise. Merits of the show aside, do we really need another soundtrack?

Wings of Joy begins with "Watersong," a delicately orchestrated piece of lightly plucked strings and gentle vocal accompaniment that sets the mood for the rest of the album. Indeed, the rest of Wings of Joy could be considered merely a continuation of the opening piece, with no really noticeable variation in style or substance from song to song. The album is comprised of eleven pieces, all virtually instrumentals, all three to four minutes in length and all conveying the same vaguely disturbing mood with the same absurdly unintelligible lyrics.

A few tracks do stand out from Wings of Joy, however, if only for the extent to which they are devoid of any artistic worth or musical value.

"Leaves of Summer" and "Sixth of May"--the fourth and sixth tracks respectively--both begin with the same maddening piano passage of three notes that are played over and over again until you find yourself longing for the beginning of the next song--even though you know it won't be any better--just so this torture will end.

Unfortunately, "Starblood" offers no reprieve from the surrounding insanity of the fourth and sixth songs on Wings of Joy. It can only be described as a twisted tribal chant driven by the beat of Jim Shaw's drums ad made even more irritating by Alison Shaw's infantile vocals. Several other tracks on Wings of Joy also feature Jim Shaw on piano, always with rather painful results.

You might have noticed by now that the the Crames features the musical stylings of one family, brother and sister Jim and Alison. Guitarists Mark Francombe and Matt Cope provide some background noise, but the real blame for this musical ordeal should go to the Shaws.

Someone needs to stop this dreadful duo. Keep them away from musical instruments, and above all, do not let Alison open her mouth.