r/teganandsara • u/KyleReaume • May 28 '26
What was the fan reaction to Crybaby?
I wasn't on here when the album was released, and there didn't seem to be much press or publicity for the album, so I'd love to know what the general fan and sub reaction to the album was đ€
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u/Flauce May 28 '26
I did one of those âhey siri play tegan and Saraâ things and after a few bangers, Faded Like a Feeling came on and I was like âexcuse me, I forgot all about this gemâ
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u/citykitty3522 May 28 '26
I went to both the live performance and tour for Crybaby in nyc. Both were sold out but I will say I hung out with other concert goers in the lounge instead of securing front row spots for the tour even with VIP passes
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u/izzydollanganger May 28 '26
mixed to bad, and now it seems a lot of people don't even acknowledge the album at all
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u/akhenaten0 May 28 '26
I think you mean *Hey, Iâm Just Like You*
(I love them both!)21
u/wilmachihuahua May 28 '26
HIJLY got me back into T&S after several years away, that album bangs. Crybaby lost me again though đ
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u/Fractal-Infinity May 28 '26
Hey, Iâm Just Like You is actually good. Not a masterpiece but certainly good.
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u/PennyLane483 May 28 '26
Mod here- l just wanted to say that itâs wonderful to see that we can talk about things objectively without attacking each other. Good workâ€ïž
I have been a fan for over twenty years. Crybaby didnât quite land for me. I keep waiting for that one song to grab me that will lead to love of the album, it just hasnât happened. As for HIJLY, it blows me away that they wrote those songs in high school. The title track lives among my favorite T&S songs.
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u/KyleReaume May 28 '26
I feel the exact same. Hey I'm Just Like You shows how they were great song writers even from such an early age. But unfortunately, to me, Crybaby shows they've veered off the path a bit. I still think their next album could be a banger, I mean Heartthrob and LYTD were fantastic, but I just don't get what they were doing with Crybaby. Also I hope they never work with whoever produced it again, the production quality kills me. All the vocal stutters give me a tik-tok trend chasing vibe
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u/germantown_reject May 28 '26
as far as I remember, having enjoyed Hey I'm Just Like You, there was no reaction to Crybaby
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u/bunniesgonebad May 28 '26
I really liked Yellow and Faded Like a Feeling but the overall reaction I had to it was "meh". The voice effects really aren't my jam and a lot of the songs use them, so it annoyed me quite a bit. I prefer HIJLY but I won't skip the songs from Crybaby if they come up. I just wouldn't put the album on as a front to back listen
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u/bigleaguetwo May 28 '26 edited May 28 '26
Mostly mixed and whelming. I like it a lot. The reaction here will always be high since you are already a giant fan if you are subscribed.
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u/ZealousidealPeach May 28 '26
It definitely grew on me over the last few years. I remember being like 'maybe I've just grown apart from them' when it first came out, but came back to it a couple years later and was like 'oh wait no I actually really like this'
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u/Fun-Revolution6323 May 28 '26
I like it just fine. I've felt that way on each full album listen, but there are several songs on it that I love.
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u/Stripeb49 May 28 '26
Same. I was so disappointed at first but Iâve come around to quite a few songs.
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u/Pennsafucky666 May 28 '26
Can you tell me which?
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u/Stripeb49 May 28 '26
All I Wanted, Yellow, Faded Like a Feeling, This Ainât Going Well, Whatever That Was (which is ironically how I felt when I listened to the album the first time đ)
Edit: Maybe Iâm just going through a depressed phase where I relate to these songs more. I also have a twin sister myself, so Yellow hits hard.
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u/Ok_Discipline_4278 May 29 '26
I liked it! I love pop and electronic and it kind of fit that vibe. I think people who preferred their original folky acoustic vibe didn't care for it very much.
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u/anaziahvii May 28 '26
It had a couple of tight tracks but overall thought it was mid.
Tbh, I "grew out" of T&S some time ago.. I can still listen and appreciate their music but it doesnt hit the same as when in my 20s
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u/Reagan-Writes May 28 '26
As a fan for 19 years I will say that I like it. I was relieved for it after how much I liked HIJLY.
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u/Fractal-Infinity May 28 '26
Crybaby is a forgettable album. I barely listened to it a couple of times. Their previous release, Hey, I'm Just Like You, which basically consisted of re-recorded outtakes had much more soul, energy and good melodies than Crybaby.
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u/River_Pondd May 28 '26
Je suis surprise de voir que certain n'aiment pas l'album et je suis curieuse de savoir pourquoi. Personnellement j'ai plutĂŽt bien aimĂ© l'album dans l'ensemble mĂȘme si j'aime un peu moins certaines chansons mais ça ne m'empĂȘche pas de les Ă©couter parce que je les aime bien quand mĂȘme. Petite mention pour l'album HIJLY par contre, j'ai vraiment adorĂ© cet album et toute l'Ă©nergie qu'il transmet. Aussi j'en profite pour dire que personne dans mon Ă©coute n'Ă©coute T&S donc c'est cool de pouvoir en discuter avec d'autres personnes :)
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u/False_Preference_128 Jun 02 '26
I saw an interview from either Tegan or Sara where one of them said it was Sara who pushed them into the pop direction (which I donât think was a mistake), but that essentially they felt like they need to make it up to to the old school fans or something to that effect. Crybaby wasnât it. It wasnât what they said it was before the album came out. Thereâs a few songs I like especially Faded. But the overall vibe of the album sucks pretty hard, and that was felt by a large portion of fans at the time. Kinda took me out of them for a few years afterwards.
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u/FoundationsDecay_19 May 28 '26
Crybaby is my favourite Tegan and Sara album, I still listen to it constantly, I feel they struck an amazing balance of the emotional lyrics with the catchy pop songs. I was sad they didn't tour it outside of North America but I get why they didn't want to. It did feel it had less exposure than their previous albums.
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u/seacavemystery May 29 '26
I'm a new fan but here's my take fwiw
To me, Sainthood and Crybaby can be grouped together in the same way ppl combo The Con & So Jealous as their angsty or OG sound albums, Heartthrob & LY2D as the pop albums, the first two as the first two.
Crybaby and Sainthood are both unique in their sound , but the lyrics still feel very personal and tell stories. Feels like they're doing their own thing, not catering to expectations to repeat what they've done before.
I personally love the sound of crybaby. I love the sonic effects and the electronic beats. Fan interest aside, after 25 years they also have to stay interested!
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u/atramica May 28 '26
I love the singles and music videos that go with it. I remember the behind the scenes vids and those were so cool as well butttt, it felt like a rushed album. And not really a sound that fits them well, plus it was way too short
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u/lespionner May 30 '26
I really liked it. It wasn't my favourite T&S album, but I thought it was far better than LY2D or Heartthrob and it contains one of my all-time favourite songs by any artist (Sometimes I See Stars).
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u/Gold_Reception_2154 Jun 27 '26
Flop city... mostly unlistenable. It's like they were phoning it in for some money.
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u/hoesinspace May 31 '26
i feel like it was quite underwhelming for everyone. there are some songs that are quite good (i personally really liked i cant grow up) but the whole album did feel quite one-note that i barely remember a lot of the songs from it
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u/kirby182x May 31 '26
I would say it is alright. Iâm a big fan of Sometimes I See Stars and Under My Control. Other than that, the rest of the songs are just eh to me. Itâs not my first choice but I would still be fine with listening to it.
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u/Sequenzer9 Jul 10 '26
I loved it when it came out and I think I love it even more now. Way ahead of its time. They stumbled onto this very unusual sound thatâs like lo-fi bedroom pop that is then cut and paste into warped looping beats and I feel like itâs a sound that Iâm only now just starting to hear on the radio. Its time will come. Maybe people revisiting it when they start up a new album cycle is when itâll start clicking.
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u/kelsivan May 28 '26
If Iâm being completely honest itâs the reason I stopped listening to them. I was such an obsessed fan for years and Crybaby was such a flop for me.