While “first take, best take” may be the way to go with an instrumental melody that pops into your head, a song like “Crybaby” is something that requires much more attention. As they kick off a slew of West Coast dates with The Dreaded Laramie, Chicago rockers Pinksqueeze are delivering their new standalone single after extensive tinkering as lead songwriter April wrestled with the emotions behind it. “At its core, writing this song was a way for me to process some really difficult feelings toward myself in the midst of depression and to do some ‘shadow work,’” April shares, describing “Crybaby” as a song about “losing yourself in the process of losing someone else.”
With the help of patient bandmates, the song ultimately reached its final form as an upbeat pop-punk tune marked by passionate vocals in conversation with noodling Midwest-emo guitars. Despite the sadness and dissociation that fueled it, “Crybaby” became “something to dance to and have fun with, which initially I didn’t see as possible,” April continues. “During live shows we even have the crowd yell with us, and it feels feral and so good. I’ve never rewritten or revised another song quite so much, but the sense of relief I felt when the song was finished was incredible. It helped me transform powerlessness into power.”
Hear the new track below, and find all of Pinksqueeze’s upcoming tour dates here.