County: Dublin

Decades Active: 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s

About Adrian Crowley

Adrian Crowley recorded his first album, 'A Strange Kind', in a Dublin city house and self released it in Ireland in July of 1999. The flickering, low flying super 8 video for the opening song 'Capricorn' became a regular on the (now discontinued) music video programme 'No Disco'. His second album, 'When You Are Here You are Family', was recorded in Chicago in 2000 by Steve Albini. Adrian toured the US in 2003. In 2004 he recorded album number 3, 'A Northern Country'. Following this he toured with Hood in Spain and Portugal, Charlie Parr in the UK, Damon & Naomi in USA, James Yorkston in UK & Ireland, opened for Jose Gonzalez, Howe Gelb, Badly Drawn Boy, did a month long UK tour with Adem played Greenman Festival 2006, Homefires, Homegame (Fence Collective), Pitenweem Festival and in November 2006 played his first London headliner at The Luminaire.

'Long Distance Swimmer' was released in 2007. The record received positive reviews and was nominated for the Choice Music Prize. The NME said it was "a lo-furnished, snug, auburn-tinged folk album which calls to mind Bill Callahan, Johnny Cash, and Edwyn Collins". The Irish Independent's John Meagher named it his favourite album of 2007 and sixteenth best Irish album of the decade, while his colleague Eamon Sweeney suggested Crowley's record was one of the few Irish albums preventing that year from being "an absolute stinker". It was around this time that Crowley began working with The Fence Collective and members of Halfset. He featured on the edition of 12 March 2008 of the sixth series of Other Voices. Also that month, he performed a residency at Whelan's.

'Season of the Sparks' was released on 24 April 2009 and featured an expanded palette of instruments including marxophone, shruti box, upright harmonium, viola de gamba, baroque viola. It was generally well received by critics in both and Ireland and the UK, and, so pleased was the reviewer with the French magazine Les Inrockuptibles that he wrote a letter of thanks to Crowley. He was also one of the first acts to be announced for Electric Picnic 2010.

Adrian Crowley's eighth album, 'Dark Eyed Messenger' was recorded in New York and was produced by and features Thomas Bartlett who has also worked with Sufjan Stevens, Anna Calvi, Sam Amidon and Laurie Anderson.

His ninth album, 'The Watchful Eye Of The Stars' was released in 2021.

Video

Adrian Crowley - Northbound Stowaway


Adrian Crowley - Liberty Stream, live Other Voices