This is as emo as it gets. Fall Out Boy, a band which has been considered the spearhead of emo rock for nearly 20 years now, have announced the release of their albums on “Crynyl” – a combination of the words “Cry” and “Vinyl.” And when it comes to crying, it’s meant literally in this case: the band is pressing records on vinyl that contain tears of the band members.
The motto “Boys Don’t Cry” certainly doesn’t apply to the band members. Even on the current album, the song “Heartbreak Feels So Good” explicitly mentions that crying is part of the emotion: “And we could cry a little, cry a lot / But don’t stop dancing, don’t dare stop / We’ll cry later or cry now / You know it’s heartbreak.”
The band itself says about Crynyl on the website: “Music is more than just sound waves. It’s passion, struggle, and emotion. That’s why we developed a new kind of record: one that contains the artists’ actual tears. When you listen to a Crynyl release, you’re not just listening to what the artist played. You’re feeling what they felt!”
First Crynyl release of the latest album
A couple of weeks ago, the band posted a video in which guitarist Pete Wentz’s tears were collected and alluded to an upcoming project. For Crynyl the tears are collected in sterile kits and diluted in an “sonically optimized” solution. They are then filled into the vinyl record. The band added a warning that the solution may contain traces of eyeliner.
The first record to be released on Crynyl is their latest album “So Much (For) Stardust,” which was released in March. The Crynyl edition includes a tear-filled double vinyl in a gatefold box, along with a built-in tissue dispenser in case you find yourself shedding tears while listening.
Unfortunately there is a major downside for fans eagerly anticipating this release. Only 50 copies were pressed for the first Crynyl edition and they sold out in less than two minutes. It is feared that after its release some of these copies will be offered on Discogs at exorbitant prices. At least more Fall Out Boy albums will be released on Crynyl, providing fans with additional chances to add this undoubtedly unique release to their record collections.