Album Review: Adrian Crowley, Measure Of Joy

In some ways, Adrian Crowley has it easy. With his gravelled, dignified baritone, he could pretty much sing-speak the phonebook and you’d still want to listen to it.

In other ways, though, he has it more difficult. With a voice that has drawn plenty of comparison to Leonard Cohen over the years, there’s no doubt there’s a lot of pressure for the singer to conjure tunes with a lot to say. Still, on previous albums, Crowley has never failed to deliver, and album number 10, he’s on top form once again.

The recording of Measure Of Joy found Crowley teaming up PJ Harvey producer John Parish, with 11 songs captured in Bristol in autumn 2022.

These are stirring tracks, but in a sparse, exacting way, with the arrangements key in conveying the emotional heft. ‘Tangled’ boasts a gorgeous combo of vibraphone and clarinet, while ‘Swimming In The Quarry’ makes simple images – “Floating on my back in the dark quarry waters” – feel epic, thanks to muted drone sounds and pared back guitar.

At his best, Adrian Crowley conjures dreamlike images and holds fast to them, song, a particular highlight being ‘The Trembling Cup’: "On the dark edge of the river bank, I got down on my knees / In the bony shadows of the sycamore trees / And with both my trembling hands, I made a cup.”

If he wasn’t such a good singer, a career as a world class poet would undoubtedly await.

9/10