Punk Rock Ich Nicht Tot

10/10

With all the genres and sub genres out there right now, pretty much every style of music you can think of is covered, except that is, the crooner, and I love a good crooner! Sure, Richard Hawley has a go, and he’s not bad, but he’s no Roy Orbison or Matt Monroe. So when I first heard Crybaby it was with great anticipation that I awaited the release of their debut long player.

Skilfully blending the old and the (not so) new, the easiest way to describe Crybaby is Roy Orbison fronting the Jesus and Mary Chain, produced by Phil Spector. Skilfully blending the old and the (not so) new, the easiest way to describe Crybaby is Roy Orbison fronting the Jesus and Mary Chain, produced by Phil Spector. As with all good crooners, Crybaby’s songs revolve around love ,but in a melancholic kind of way; ‘What Am I Supposed to Do with You Now’ explores the pain of having a partner who is stricken with Alzheimer’s (I am the stranger / I live day by day / watching you piece by piece / fade away), while ‘When the Light’s Go Out’ is about saying goodbye to a loved one. Singer Danny Coughlan’s voice is perfectly suited to this style of music and when he sings it sounds like it’s coming from the heart. Musically the band hit the target too; recreating authentic reverb soaked backing tracks and adding a modern flavour. A real surprise and one of my favourite albums so far this year, ‘Crybaby’ is loaded with exceptionally charming and well crafted songs that you can’t help but sing along too unless your throat is hoarse. None more so than the brilliantly titled ‘I Cherish the Heartbreak More Than the Love I Lost’ clearly a song for those of us who find a perverse comfort from heartache. Fantastic! – Mark Cousens