The story behind “Just Popping In To Say Hi” from Crywank is sad but true, the outcome is a worthy farewell of anti-folk punk formation Crywank.
Jay Crywank about the album that is also some sort of goodbye to the glory days of Crywank: “On the 23rd of August 2021 there was a house fire at my flat with my partner which left us and our neighbours displaced, my partner out of work and my foot all gross and burnt up. We don’t know how the fire started and just woke up to a blaze on our deck.
Despite writing an entire album about the break-up of Crywank, and doing a farewell world tour (that was postponed half way through due to the global pandemic) I wanted to make some good out of bad and get some much needed creative release so decided to record an ep. I booked in studio time with my friend Colm Hinds four days later and quickly realised I had much more to say.
We recorded what became this album within that one session. Rather than rush release to try and raise funds for me and my neighbours like I had initially planned, I booked in two more days the following week and with the help of friends added instrumentation to the songs as I felt they deserved more time. I’d been trying to write love songs for my new project ‘Lovewank’ but as you’ll probably be able to tell by this albums lyrics this couldn’t really be anything other than Crywank. With the permission of Dan to continue the project without him whilst we are living in different countries (I am currently living in Ontario) this album ‘Just Popping In To Say Hi’ is the first solo Crywank release since 2012.
These songs are largely focused on themes of lost and distant friendships, your place within the narratives of others lives, the fog of memory and the mental limitations of self-image (apart from the last track which is a diss track about a fictional band called Ultra Bono). I was proud to know when to stop, but what lingered after a closed book has manifested. There where too many pages so the book keeps bursting open. I hope you find some enjoyment or solace in what me and my friends have created over this bizarre couple of weeks.
This album is being prereleased at £3 but anything more you can give is so helpful. Profits from the first week are going towards paying the expenses of recording, paying musicians who played on it and going towards everyone living on the third floor where the fire occurred. After a week as with all Crywank albums it will be properly released on streaming platforms and go down to name your price.”
“Just popping in to say hi” order here
