Crack Cloud’s Tough Baby is blistering and scratching, an orchestrated chaos. The Canadian art collective’s approach to making music has never just stopped there (with the music). It’s been an all encompassing, multi-format, experience. Some say it’s a disservice to simply listen to them versus seeing them live. To those of us who can only access the art collective via headphone/speaker variation though, it’s easily still a worthwhile experience.
The scene is set for the record with opener “Danny’s Message”. The voicemail/voice memo trope might be a bit overdone, but coming from member Zach Choy’s late father, its placement is thoughtful and effective. I think the intentionality behind creating a world for a record to exist within speaks to the level of continued artistry throughout. There’s a moment of silence, a blooming orchestral cacophony, and a few parting words before we’re launched into the record proper.
“The Politician” stalks in hauntingly with an ominous overtone the evolves into a driving bassline before transitioning into the skittering banger “Costly Engineered Illusion”. The production on each track is so rich and varied, it’s a wonder how they even perform the songs to their fullest extent live with brass and backing vocals to boot. Choy’s vocals are biting and fervent. “Please Yourself” ends with a piano solo that’s sparseness and slight dissonance is so strangely sad. The phone rings and maniacal laughing erupting into all out madness on “Virtuous Industry” is perfectly suited to the music industry commentary of the track. Alluding to pitchforks (both the devil and potentially the publication), “the wokeness of the rhythm”, and a “perpetual idealism” is as clever as it is accurate.
The title track, “Tough Baby”, has anthemic moments of clarity (“you’ve never felt like you’ve belonged”) sandwiched between some of the best instrumentation on the record. “Criminal” finds the band at odds with themselves and their environment. It feels like a turning point for them and for the album. The electric guitar at the top of “115 at Night” feels like a fever dream, its spikiness is grounded by the chorus of vocals, but in equal step maddened by Choy’s frantic lyricism.
“Afterthought (sukhi’s Prayer)” feels like a natural conclusion for the record except for the fact that it is not (despite the lyric’s false confirmation of this). It feels almost delusionally triumphant. The true ending comes with closing track “Crackin up”. Previously recorded and released in 2019, it doesn’t feel out of place in the slightest thematically or musically. If anything, there’s a darkness in that seamless fit. The fact that three years later, things have not gotten better. Arguably worse. And the relevance remains.
Tough Baby is easily a triumph for the collective and a truly remarkable record. One that deserves your devout attention.
