RIP Caroline Crawley (Shelleyan Orphan, This Mortal Coil)

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by vertigone, Oct 4, 2016.

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  1. vertigone

    vertigone Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    I just heard that Caroline Crawley passed away today after a long illness.

    I discovered Shelleyan Orphan in 1989, when they opened for The Cure. They never became household names but they put out some good records (Helleborine is my favorite) and Caroline had a beautiful voice. She may be best known for her cover of Syd Barrett's "Late Night" on the This Mortal Coil album, Blood.

     
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  2. thematinggame

    thematinggame Forum Resident

    Location:
    Germany
    This is sad news - I really like the three Shellean Orphan albums (never heard the 2008 album)
     
    Last edited: Oct 4, 2016
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  3. Chris DeVoe

    Chris DeVoe RIP Vickie Mapes Williams (aka Equipoise)

    Tragic. Thanks for letting us know.
     
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  4. Thrillsville

    Thrillsville Forum Resident

    Location:
    Port Coquitlam, BC
    I heard "Burst" on Coast 800 (short-lived AM alternative music radio station) in 1992. I bought the parent album Humroot and then Century Flower shortly thereafter. I prefer Century Flower but "Burst" is magnificent.

    Both still get played semi-regularly and probably will again today.
     
    Last edited: Oct 4, 2016
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  5. jpgettes

    jpgettes Senior Member

    Location:
    Atlanta
    Very sad news. Like vertigone I discovered her with Shelleyan Orphan on the Cure's Disintegration tour in '89. Still listen to Century Flower quite often. I've never owned anything else but I will certainly pick up Helleborine.
     
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  6. Sordel

    Sordel Forum Resident

    Location:
    Switzerland
    I wasn't keen on Shelleyan Orphan and there were certainly vocalists I preferred to her in This Mortal Coil but she is a part of that rich fabric and - quite apart from the personal loss to her friends & family - it is sad to see that fabric unravel. Seems like a good excuse (as if an excuse were needed!) to dig out Blood again.
     
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  7. vertigone

    vertigone Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    Yes, I never even knew there was a new album in 2008 until reading about it today. I'll have to track it down.
     
  8. John54

    John54 Senior Member

    Location:
    Burlington, ON
    Rest in peace. She couldn't have been out of her 50s; much too young.

    I bought one Shelleyan Orphan album (almost certainly the debut) off the interesting-sounding reviews in Melody Maker and/or the NME, and it wasn't bad. I have some This Mortal Coil as well but probably before she was with them.
     
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  9. vertigone

    vertigone Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
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  10. oldturkey

    oldturkey Forum Resident

    Location:
    Gone away.
    Very sad news. She had a beautiful voice and was a big part of the tapestry of alternative music of the 80s/90s that helped to form the great character of those days. Listening to Blood and the Shelleyan Orphan albums will never be the same, but it is such beautiful music. Very sorry for her family.
     
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  11. Jimi Bat

    Jimi Bat Forum Resident

    Location:
    tx usa
  12. Moshe

    Moshe "Silent in four languages."

    Location:
    U.S.
    Very sad. Rest in peace.
     
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  13. Echo

    Echo Forum Resident

    Awfull, didn't know that she was ill! Loved her voice in This Mortal Coil and will look for other albums with her as singer.
     
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  14. Echo

    Echo Forum Resident

    Awfull, didn't know that she was ill! Loved her voice in This Mortal Coil, and will defintely look for other albums with her as singer!
     
  15. Scott Davies

    Scott Davies Forum Resident

    Like many, I discovered them by seeing The Cure on the Disintegration tour. I went right out and bought Century Flower. I really liked some of it. 'Shatter' is still a classic single and wonderful video.

    I ran across Helleborine by accident and snapped it up. I didn't really care for it because it seemed the male did most of the vocal on that album and I preferred Carolyn. Then I saw the classic video 'Burst' premier on MTV's 120 minutes and bought the Humroot album on release. I wasn't really taken by it though, then they were gone. I still really liked her voice and hold a handful of select songs in high regard.

    Scott
     
  16. oldturkey

    oldturkey Forum Resident

    Location:
    Gone away.
    I've been on a Caroline Crawley kick for the last couple of weeks since she died. I've been playing everything over again, and my favourite has got to be Babacar. I know it doesn't seem to get that many good reviews and is a bit under the radar, but I really love it, and the single B sides from Midsummer.
    If you haven't got the album, you can get it on a download for about £7.99 on Amazon UK.

    From the single I don't think you can get a download but it's here
    https://www.discogs.com/Babacar-Midsummer/release/1228669:
     
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  17. tommy-thewho

    tommy-thewho Senior Member

    Location:
    detroit, mi
    RIP Caroline.

    Beautiful voice didn't realize she was sick.
     
  18. oldturkey

    oldturkey Forum Resident

    Location:
    Gone away.
    I forgot about this - a new Shelleyan Orphan boxed set of the first 3 albums on Rough Trade now on (appropriately) the Caroline label. It was planned before Caroline died but was postponed.
    I will have to get this - I've already got all their albums (cd only) but this has BBC sessions etc and is remastered (I hope for the better).

    I don't know why it's so much cheaper to buy outside of the UK. Another UK price hike.

    Shelleyan Orphan / five-disc box set

    Edit - I still think Babacar is the best album!
     
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  19. Telegram Sam

    Telegram Sam Forum Lurker

    Location:
    Portland Oregon
    I picked up the box set late last year and was astonished/delighted to discover that the UK mixes for Century Flower & Humroot are noticeably different than the US mixeswith which I grew up!
     
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  20. manicpopthrill

    manicpopthrill Forum Resident

    Location:
    ICT, Kansas
    Be glad you snagged one when you did. I can't find a single copy of this boxset online.
     
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  21. manicpopthrill

    manicpopthrill Forum Resident

    Location:
    ICT, Kansas
    Finally getting a copy of Century Flower. Gorgeous album. Guess I'll have to pick them off one at a time.
     
  22. kwadguy

    kwadguy Senior Member

    Location:
    Cambridge, MA
    Wow... Fewer than 20 replies in more than three years for a primary member of a band that put out multiple critically acclaimed major label albums.
     
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