Crywank started in 2009 with Jay Clayton attempting to do some folk-punk influenced acoustic music with no previous experience playing guitar. The first album "James is going to die soon" was inspired by a painful break up. Jay stated that "I wrote these songs out of frustration and sadness and they ended up making me feel a lot better, I hope they have a similar effect on you".
In 2012 Crywank released their second album 'Narcissist On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown'. Described as "a collection of paranoid songs mostly about me trying to understand my own sadness along with the concept of sadness as a whole. It was fueled by self help books and pot."
In late 2012 Dan Watson joined Crywank on percussion, and in early 2013 they released tour demos for their third album 'Tomorrow Is Nearly Yesterday And Everyday Is Stupid' which was released in October 2013.
In 2016 Jay and Dan began couch surfing to afford to be able to tour as much as possible. Over the next four years they performed over 500 shows in over 30 countries and released four albums.
Crywank announced their breakup following a world tour in 2019, alongside the album ‘fist me til your hand comes out my mouth’’ a huge departure in sound and the first release to include songwriting from Dan and explained the tense relationship between Jay and Dan that had developed over the years on the road.
Their breakup tour was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic and the North American and European dates had to be rescheduled numerous times. During this time Jay was in a house fire, which led to the release of a solo Crywank album ‘Just Popping In To Say Hi’ that was written and recorded over three days.
Between 2022-2023 Crywank managed to continue their final tour and performed 100 shows in the USA and over 50 shows in the UK and Ireland, often with bass player Jules Noel (AKA Guard Petal). In 2024 it was announced that Crywank will no longer be breaking up and Jules would be joining the band.
The name Crywank comes from reclaiming a cruel nickname given to Jay during a period of depression. Jay has since said that if they knew how popular the band would have become they probably would’ve chosen a different name.
Blink
Crywank Lyrics
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I smoke all day to soften the hard parts of when I think
In the song "Blink" by Crywank, the artist uses a powerful metaphor to describe the way he copes with his emotional pain. The first line, "Just like the way your brain edits out the dark parts when you blink," is a comparison between the way our brains automatically edit out the dark parts when we blink and how the artist is trying to numb the pain he feels by smoking all day. By smoking all day, the artist tries to escape from the hard parts of his thoughts, much like how we blink and our brain shuts out the darker parts of our vision.
Furthermore, the use of the present tense "smoke all day" suggests that the coping mechanism is continuous and long-term. It implies that the pain is so constant that it requires a constant state of escape. This song serves as a reminder of how others cope with pain and how important it is to recognize and address our pain in a healthy way.
Overall, "Blink" is a beautiful and poignant song that captures the intricacies of coping with emotional pain. It's a reminder that we each have our own ways of dealing with hurt, but it's also essential to recognize and address pain in a healthy way to move forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Just like the way your brain edits out the dark parts when you blink
Similar to the way your subconscious removes troubling thoughts when you blink, I use smoking as a coping mechanism to dull the harsh realities of my own thinking.
I smoke all day to soften the hard parts of when I think
I consistently smoke in an effort to ease the emotional difficulties that arise from my constant introspection and critical thinking.
Contributed by Jordan V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.