Cry (2019) is the sophomore effort from Greg Gonzalez’s solo project turned full band Cigarettes After Sex. 2017’s self-titled debut took inspiration from the outfits previous EP releases (recording in Gonzalez’s apartment stairwell) with smooth guitar licks and velvet bass lines. Revealing (often a little too much) and honest lyrics about sexual adventures, successful and unsuccessful, are the real essence of the music. Comparable in style to that of The Smiths and content near pre-parachutes Coldplay.

Cry doesn’t attempt to break away from the formula, in fact, it doubles down. Impressively the guitar rarely plays a chord instead tranquil licks are layered on top of gentle bass. The lyrics are even more honest with Gonzalez singing: “There was a hentai video that I saw / I told you about the night that we first made love / About a girl who as soon as she made you cum / Would show you the future and tell you your fortune”. These lines could make you cringe or burst out laughing but are rescued by the beauty of the music and the sincerity in Gonzalez’s singing. Other highlights include the title track and ‘Falling In Love’ which momentarily diverge from edgy honesty and relate universal emotional circumstances.



Although Cry doesn’t break down new musical barriers it builds on the intimacy constructed in their debut. An intimacy that resonates on a similar sonic level as smooth jazz. Although the lyrics are at times too honest a certain amount of respect has got to be given to Gonzalez for his earnest approach. Cry, is the soundtrack for late-night dreaming, smoke-filled minds and cigarettes after sex.



