Tough Baby is the second studio album by Canadian musical collective, Crack Cloud, released on September 16, 2022, via the group's independent imprint, Crack Cloud Media Studio, and Meat Machine Records. The album was preceded by three singles, "Please Yourself", "Tough Baby" and "Costly Engineered Illusion" released May 11, July 8, and September 1. 2022, respectively.
Promotion and release On April 1, 2022, Crack Cloud released a teaser trailer via social media, featuring a brief cameo by Canadian singer/songwriter, Mac Demarco as a clapper loader, alongside members of the collective on a soundstage as a film crew documenting a teenage girl and a group of patients in hospital gowns watching a mysterious television program in a partially-constructed set decorated and made to appear like the girl's bedroom.
The trailer was later revealed to be the music video for the album's first single, "Please Yourself" which was released on May 11, 2022, alongside the album's announcement. On July 6, 2022, the group released the album's self-titled second single and music video, consisting of a narrative focused around a young, adolescent girl who daydreams of living amongst a group of Troglodytes (also portrayed by members of the collective).
The album's third single, Costly Engineered Illusion was released September 1. 2022.
Track listing
Personnel Zack Rain Hope Choy – lead vocals, drums, percussion, violin, mellotron, production, synthesizer, keyboards, design, album concept, writing, composition, lyrics, processing, arrangements, additional mixing Nicolas Dirksen – strings, organ, guitar, synths, drum machine, bass, vocals, additional engineering, additional mixing, additional lyrics Eve Adams – vocals Jesse Atkey – saxophone Sukhi Aulakh – voice Will Hael Choy – guitar, vocals Danny Choy – voice , masks (featured on the album cover) Bryce Cloghesy – saxophone, guitar, synths, vocals Mackenzie Cruse – vocals, graphic design Justin Defries – percussion Caton Diab – trumpet, bowed guitar, flute Aleem Khan – piano, vocals Jouvaughan Meek – voice Garnet Aroynk MMuhammmed – guitar, bass, vocals Sage Aroynk Muhammed – percussion, vocals Daniel Robertson – keys, synths, mellotron, guitar, vocals Mohammad Ali Sharar – guitar, vocals, graphic design, album concept Camryn Sproule – percussion, vocals
Additional musicians Tabitha Brasso-Ernst – vocals Greta Das – trumpet Kira Fondse – vocals Alison Gorman – flugelhorn Jacob Grammit – vocals Brian Harding – trombone Marc Lindy – tuba Steve Maddock – vocals Carman J. Price – vocals Taka Shimojima – vocals Lucy Smith – vocals Risa Takahashi – vocals
Technical John Paul Stewart – engineering, additional mixing, processing, synths, guitar, bass, vocals Be Hussey – additional engineering Paul Corley – mixing Lisa Choy – cover model Heba Kadry – mastering Fahim Kassam – cover photography Amy Lowe – diorama (featured on album insert) Shilo Preshyon – additional engineering Nathan Salon – additional mixing Curtis Windover – album layout
References