 |
|
AMG Expert Review
Hooking up with AR Kane/Sugarcubes producer Ray Shulman, Cranes stepped things up a notch with the three-track Espero. It's Spanish for I Hope, which is the title of the first track as well. Here, Cranes really start coming into their own; Alison Shaw's buried vocals wail chillingly in the distance while Jim Shaw's complex, steady drumming sets the pace. Francombe's extended sheets of feedback and Cope's cutting bass complete the blasted, alien atmosphere. "E. G. Shining" continues the Cranes style of having an upfront bass/drum part while Francombe's guitar creates compressed murk in the background, crunching in fully and queasily on the chorus. "Cha Cha Escueta" closes Espero out with one of the group's quirkier rhythms; it's not quite a waltz through hell, but it's another example of the distinctly different approach the group takes to rock instrumentation.
Reviewed by Ned Raggett
|
|
|