Why Twisted Teens’ “I Spend My Time Crying” Is the Most Relatable Garage-Punk Anthem of the Year

If you keep a close pulse on the underground music scene, you already know that keeping up with Twisted Teens is a full-time job. The relentless New Orleans garage-punk duo—consisting of masterminds Caspian Hollywell and RJ Santos—have been operating at a dizzying velocity, treating us to back-to-back-to-back record drops that have completely upended modern indie rock expectations.

Their latest massive full-length record, The Holy Cross Tigers, arrived via Sub Pop Records, sending shockwaves through the alt-rock community. Amidst a stacked tracklist of rough-around-the-edges gems, track five has quickly become an obsessive fan favorite: the brilliantly raw, emotionally bruised single, “I Spend My Time Crying”

If you haven’t given this track a spin yet, clear three minutes of your day, strap on your headphones, and prepare to have your heart gently cracked open and put back together with duct tape.

Deconstructing “I Spend My Time Crying”: The Sound of Real Heartbreak

Modern indie music can sometimes feel a bit overly manicured. Bands spend months in pristine, high-budget studios sanding down every jagged edge until the music loses its pulse. Twisted Teens are the glorious antidote to that sterile trend.

“I Spend My Time Crying” doesn’t try to hide its bruises. From the very first chord, the song leans hard into a kind of ragged garage-rock melancholy that feels lived-in, authentic, and startlingly immediate. Hollywell’s vocal delivery isn’t hidden behind layers of vocal tuning or atmospheric reverb; it’s plainspoken, direct, and conversational. It sounds less like a performance from a stage and more like an late-night phone call from a friend who has finally run out of things to pretend about.

Musically, the track bridges the gap between slacker-rock nonchalance and intricate structural arrangement. Santos’s instrumentation weaves through Hollywell’s driving guitar lines, creating that chaotic storage-unit aesthetic that has made The Holy Cross Tigers one of the most critically praised records of the season.

What Makes “I Spend My Time Crying” Stand Out?

• Unflinching Lyrical Vulnerability: Instead of hiding behind poetic abstraction or cynical irony, the lyrics dive straight into the universal awkwardness, grief, and raw exhaustion of a devastating breakup.
• Dynamic Garage-Rock Production: It balances lo-fi grit with striking melodic clarity. Every drum hit and guitar scratch feels purposeful without losing its DIY charm.
• The Sub Pop Pedigree: Joining the iconic Sub Pop roster has given the duo a global platform, but they haven’t compromised a single ounce of their underground credibility.

Behind the Lens: The Official Music Video

To celebrate the release of The Holy Cross Tigers, the band teamed up with director Jack Massucci—who previously worked magic on their video for “Florida Water Blues”—to drop an official music video for “I Spend My Time Crying.”

The visual companion piece is a masterclass in indie nostalgia. Rather than leaning into high-concept CGI or heavy narratives, Massucci captures the band in their natural habitat, matching the track’s rough-around-the-edges vibe with a cinematic, low-fi aesthetic that feels timeless. If you love independent film and authentic music video direction, this one is an absolute must-watch on YouTube.

Catch Twisted Teens on Tour Supporting Kurt Vile and More

Record numbers and streaming milestones are great, but Twisted Teens are, at their core, a powerhouse live band. If you want to experience the kinetic, sweaty energy of “I Spend My Time Crying” in person, you are in luck.

The duo is currently in the middle of a massive touring schedule. They’ve been tearing up stages across North America—including high-profile dates supporting Kurt Vile and the Violators at venues like the Headliners Music Hall, the Summit in Denver, and the Joy Theatre in New Orleans.

Following their US dates, they’re packing their bags for a run of international shows, heading down under for the Meredith Music Festival in Victoria, Australia, before hopping over to Europe in 2027 for major festival appearances at Primavera Sound in Barcelona and Porto, alongside Best Kept Secret in the Netherlands.