THIS IS ONLY A TEST” by Crooked Cranes

Hailing from Fuquay Varina, United States, Crooked Cranes step into the spotlight with This Is Only a Test, a debut EP that crackles with raw edge, electric honesty, and the kind of unruly charm only childhood friends can conjure. Born from basement sessions thick with smoke, laughter, and the slow swirl of late-night conversation, this six-track offering is both a love letter to reckless youth and a signal flare for something greater. The EP opens with “GF,” a fuzz-drenched anthem that sets the tone in glorious disarray. Lyrically, it walks barefaced into the absurd, weaving a surreal betrayal where heartbreak and dark humor collide—when blood and love cross wires, do you raise a fist, or offer a crooked grin and a handshake? The guitars bite, the drums pound, and the band delivers their chaos with a wink, never sacrificing sincerity for spectacle.

“Mehico” follows with cinematic flair, recounting a true and startling encounter with a cartel jefe. The song plays like a grainy road film at dusk, pulsing with dusty tension and the adrenaline of youth pushed too far from home. Here, Crooked Cranes become mythmakers, spinning memory into melody with a touch of danger in their storytelling. The mood softens with “Dolfin,” where a nameless girl drifts in and out like a dream you can’t hold onto. Gentle and strange, it flows into “Interstate Song,” a melancholic wanderer of a track that feels like a long drive under clouded skies—reflective, slow-burning, and beautifully unresolved.

“Met a Gurl” adds a different kind of weight, channeling the grief of divorce into jagged riffs and strained emotion. It’s a reminder that Crooked Cranes are just as capable of bruised introspection as they are of blistering grooves. And finally, the EP glides into its closing track, “NeWay,” a stoner-rock reverie that leans fully into the joy of tuning out—an invitation to let go, light up, and lose yourself in the music. Released May 9th, 2025, This Is Only a Test is a debut with swagger and soul. It’s rough around the edges, proudly so, and it hums with the sound of a band discovering itself in real time. Crooked Cranes aren’t here to impress—they’re here to play loud, speak truth, and leave a trail of feedback behind them.