Marry Waterson & Adrian Crowley – Cuckoo Storm – Album Review
by Killian Laher

Marry Waterson is a folk singer from the north of England, and she has collaborated with Adrian Crowley on this album.  Waterson appears to be the more prominent voice on the album, though Adrian Crowley contributes significantly throughout, musically as well as vocally.  The first track, Undear Sphere will give you a good indication as to what the album is like, an amiable folk song.  The Leviathan, and Lovers In The Waves are driven by doomy piano chords, teamed with snatches of strings on the former and uplifting brass on the latter.

Crowley takes the lead vocal on the wintry-sounding Watching The Starlings on probably the most Crowley-esque song here, with Waterson on backing vocals, and little swirls of keyboards and horns.  They duet on Kicking Up The Dust which channels early Leonard Cohen to great effect.  Heavy Wings is the longest song here and it falls right in the middle of the album.  It’s a long, slow moody crawl, with hints of jazz and it’s very good indeed.  Instrumentation is kept to only what is necessary, foregrounding Waterson’s voice.  Later the subtle Lucky Duck For Grown Ups, and Distant Music feature Crowley’s guitar playing, along with a gorgeous piano part on the latter.  There is one acapella track, the trad-sounding One Foot of Silver, One Foot of Gold while, the closing duet The Trembling Cup will please those looking for moodier fare, again Crowley’s guitar to the fore.

Initially, the album might seem a little on the light side, and a bit of a stretch for fans of Crowley’s more downbeat output.  However, on repeated listens it pulls you in more and more, wrapping its wings around your ears.

Watching The Starlings