Usually, I don’t like to pigeon-hole, but it can be so clarifying sometimes. Especially when describing music. This time, I’ll leave it to the band to explain what they’re up to. Depending on the publication, I’ve seen Cry Club call themselves a ‘queer bubblegum punk duo’ or an ‘angry gay guitar pop duo’. Get the picture? For further reference, I’d like to add they sound a bit like MisterWives, a band I like a lot!

Cry Club are Heather Riley and Jono Tooke. They’re from the Australian town of Wollongong, but currently live in Melbourne. After meeting as students – acting for Riley, music for Tooke – they eventually formed Cry Club. Originally as a Siouxsie & The Banshees/The Cure cover band, they soon started releasing original songs. Their debut album God I’m Such A Mess collects six of the eight singles the duo released so far, alongside six new tracks. All of them produced by Gab Strum (a.k.a. Japanese Wallpaper), who worked with everyone from Charli XCX to Death Cab For Cutie, as well as many fellow-Aussie acts.

One Step is Cry Club’s new single. If you like another description, let me give you ‘no-holds-barred high throttle noise pop’. Riley recalls this being the first song the two wrote from scratch together (not building off an instrumental Jono had already written). Tooke explains: “It’s about what it’s like to see a friend go through some hard shit and wanting them to get help, but them resisting making that first step to getting better.”

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Werner Schlosser

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.