Season of the Sparks
Encyclopedia
Season of the Sparks is the fifth studio album released by Irish
singer-songwriter Adrian Crowley
. On March 3, 2010 it was announced as the winner of the Choice Music Prize
for Irish Album of the Year 2009 at Vicar Street
, Dublin.
It was released on April 24, 2009.
gave Season of the Sparks five stars, calling it a "batch of beautiful Al Stewart
/Leonard Cohen
esque pastoral reflections". RTÉ
reviewer Harry Guerin gave the record four out of five stars and called it "an album for all seasons". Lauren Murphy, who reviewed the album for The Irish Times
, also gave it four out of five stars, stating that this is Crowley's "most consistently beautiful album yet" and that the artist "utilises his lyrical talent to conjure up the most gorgeous imagery this side of the Shannon
". The Sunday Times
reviewer Dan Cairns also gave it four out of five stars, calling it "a great album" and saying it was " like a Paula Rego
painting set to music". State
called it "that rare and precious thing, a perfect expression of joy", noting that the first track "Summer Haze Parade" was "Crowley's most overtly uplifting moment to date". Clash
praised Crowley's "ability to craft a beautiful lullaby to the simplicity of the countryside".
Season of the Sparks was the last album to be reviewed by Les Inrockuptibles
journalist Richard Robert before he retired after 35 years of work. Robert sent a letter to Crowley in Dublin expressing his joy about the album.
for Irish Album of the Year 2009 at Vicar Street on March 3, 2010. It was chosen by a panel of twelve people from the Irish music industry as most deserving winner from a shortlist of ten albums. Crowley received a prize of €10,000 cheque. He described himself as "totally flabbergasted", adding "I didn't really think it was the sort of record that was going to win awards". Crowley promised to use the money to fund his music. He was one of eight nominees who performed at the awards ceremony, including the Academy Award-winning, Grammy Award
-nominated The Swell Season
and Crowley's close friend Valerie Francis.
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| 2010 || Season of the Sparks || Choice Music Prize - Irish Album of the Year 2009 ||
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Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
singer-songwriter Adrian Crowley
Adrian Crowley
Adrian Crowley is a singer–songwriter from Galway but based in Dublin. Despite being born in Sliema, Malta, much of his success has come in Ireland....
. On March 3, 2010 it was announced as the winner of the Choice Music Prize
Choice Music Prize
-Establishment:It was established by journalist Jim Carroll and manager Dave Reid in 2005. as an alternative to the industry-dominated Meteor Music Awards. The Choice Music Prize is modelled after the Mercury Prize which is awarded each year to the best album from the United Kingdom or Ireland...
for Irish Album of the Year 2009 at Vicar Street
Vicar Street
Vicar Street is a concert and events venue in Ireland, located on Thomas Street, Dublin 8. Its capacity allows for 1,000 people for seated performances, and 1,500 people for standing gigs...
, Dublin.
It was released on April 24, 2009.
Reception
Hot PressHot Press
Hot Press is a fortnightly music and political magazine based in Dublin, Ireland founded in 1977. The magazine has been edited since its inception by Niall Stokes. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it had a circulation of 19,215 during 2007...
gave Season of the Sparks five stars, calling it a "batch of beautiful Al Stewart
Al Stewart
Al Stewart is a Scottish singer-songwriter and folk-rock musician.Stewart came to stardom as part of the British folk revival in the 1960s and 1970s, and developed his own unique style of combining folk-rock songs with delicately woven tales of the great characters and events from history.He is...
/Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Norman Cohen, is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet and novelist. Cohen published his first book of poetry in Montreal in 1956 and his first novel in 1963. His work often explores religion, isolation, sexuality and interpersonal relationships...
esque pastoral reflections". RTÉ
Raidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
reviewer Harry Guerin gave the record four out of five stars and called it "an album for all seasons". Lauren Murphy, who reviewed the album for The Irish Times
The Irish Times
The Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Kevin O'Sullivan who succeeded Geraldine Kennedy in 2011; the deputy editor is Paul O'Neill. The Irish Times is considered to be Ireland's newspaper of record, and is published every day except Sundays...
, also gave it four out of five stars, stating that this is Crowley's "most consistently beautiful album yet" and that the artist "utilises his lyrical talent to conjure up the most gorgeous imagery this side of the Shannon
River Shannon
The River Shannon is the longest river in Ireland at . It divides the west of Ireland from the east and south . County Clare, being west of the Shannon but part of the province of Munster, is the major exception...
". The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
reviewer Dan Cairns also gave it four out of five stars, calling it "a great album" and saying it was " like a Paula Rego
Paula Rego
Paula Rego is a painter born in Portugal although she is a naturalised British citizen.-Biography:Rego was born in the Portuguese capital Lisbon, the daughter of an electrical engineer who worked for the Marconi Company. Although this gave her a comfortable middle class home, the family was...
painting set to music". State
State (magazine)
State.ie is an Irish website and formerly a monthly music magazine, which launched in March 2008 and folded in January 2009 having published a total of nine issues...
called it "that rare and precious thing, a perfect expression of joy", noting that the first track "Summer Haze Parade" was "Crowley's most overtly uplifting moment to date". Clash
Clash (magazine)
Clash is a popular music and fashion magazine based in the United Kingdom. Its magazine title is published 12 times a year. It has a circulation of around 40,000....
praised Crowley's "ability to craft a beautiful lullaby to the simplicity of the countryside".
Season of the Sparks was the last album to be reviewed by Les Inrockuptibles
Les Inrockuptibles
Les Inrockuptibles is a French cultural magazine. Started as a monthly magazine in 1986, it became weekly in 1995. The name is a play on "Les Incorruptibles", the French title of the American television series The Untouchables...
journalist Richard Robert before he retired after 35 years of work. Robert sent a letter to Crowley in Dublin expressing his joy about the album.
Track listing
Season of the Sparks features ten tracks, including the title track "Season of the Sparks".Awards
Season of the Sparks won the Choice Music PrizeChoice Music Prize
-Establishment:It was established by journalist Jim Carroll and manager Dave Reid in 2005. as an alternative to the industry-dominated Meteor Music Awards. The Choice Music Prize is modelled after the Mercury Prize which is awarded each year to the best album from the United Kingdom or Ireland...
for Irish Album of the Year 2009 at Vicar Street on March 3, 2010. It was chosen by a panel of twelve people from the Irish music industry as most deserving winner from a shortlist of ten albums. Crowley received a prize of €10,000 cheque. He described himself as "totally flabbergasted", adding "I didn't really think it was the sort of record that was going to win awards". Crowley promised to use the money to fund his music. He was one of eight nominees who performed at the awards ceremony, including the Academy Award-winning, Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
-nominated The Swell Season
The Swell Season
The Swell Season is a folk rock duo formed by Irish musician Glen Hansard and Czech singer and pianist Markéta Irglová. "The Swell Season" name is derived from Hansard's favourite novel by Josef Škvorecký from 1975 bearing the same title...
and Crowley's close friend Valerie Francis.
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| 2010 || Season of the Sparks || Choice Music Prize - Irish Album of the Year 2009 ||
|-