Review Summary: who the hell is bili?
Don’t draw too many similarities between Crying and Anamanaguchi. Though it’s true both fall squarely under the banner of “chip-punk,” the two bands operate on totally different ends of the spectrum. Whereas Anamanaguchi’s fantastic
Endless Fantasy was decidedly chiptune-centric,
Get Olde is punk to the core. Eschewing the intricacies, feel-good attitude, and, quite frankly, coherence of the former, Crying instead opts for sullen, pull-no-punches lyricism and a sonic chiptune-synths-and-distorted-guitars framework which ends up far less dense than much of Anamanaguchi’s work.
Not to focus too much on a comparison point at the expense of an excellent little snippet of punk spirit, though: make no mistake,
Get Olde still works. Maybe it’s the all-too-honest and angsty yet somehow not clichéd lyrics, maybe it’s the rough, sparsely edited female vocals, maybe it’s the way Crying has harnessed the rawness and energy of a good bleepy chip lead synth. Whatever it is, the EP is exciting as hell. The title “Get Olde” is an excellent summary of the release as a whole: the seven songs make for a frighteningly realistic chronicling of the twists and turns of the various battles of life - growing up, getting in touch with uncomfortable feelings, learning to control life as it comes.
It’s also wonderful to see, though, that
Get Olde also encapsulates those few immensely satisfying moments of euphoria which come occasionally during those turbulent times. There hasn’t been much music this year more straight-up celebratory than the chorus of “Bodega Run:” “Bodega run, oo-oo-ooh / do you want to share a yoo-hoo? / Lil’ Debbie’s giving me the eye down that aisle, / but pass me a bag of those hot fries, baby.” Songs like “Bodega Run” are prime examples of why punk is still alive and well: the point isn’t just to lament everything wrong, there’s always something good to extract from any situation.
And, of course, while the rest of the EP is rather morose, it’s still a celebration of sorts: life sucks, but at least we can experience that major suckage together. Family reunions might be horrible, I might be burning out, the M might not run on the weekends, but still, it’s life. The energy of
Get Olde is hard to understate, despite how laid-back most of the songs present themselves to be. Beneath our scowling exteriors, we’re all really just looking for connections, some meaning in our human existence. However overused the idea behind this release might be, Crying has interpreted that idea in a way that, while not radically new, feels fresh and truthful. A wonderful example of chip-punk done right,
Get Olde is a triumphant expression of self, and it’s great to see the medium of chiptune used in a way which satisfies.
