Two generations of sulky northern mastery collide on the latest long-player from The Cribs.
The stately Cheat On Me is the first track on which the addition of Johnny Marr is really apparent. His guitar is always glassy and needle-sharp, weaving a way through the track, creating a separate melody but never overplaying or sounding out of place against the barrelling bar chords. But most importantly they have created a classic football chant with the chorus. It’s only a matter of time before the terraces are echoing with “That’s another!” as their team put away multiple goals. Although I imagine, this is almost certainly not the effect the band were aiming for.
It seems like Marr has slotted in very nicely to his new gang, refining and enriching the sound, he is the ingredient you didn’t know was missing until now. Far from being watered down or neutered, Ignore The Ignorant is given depth and dimension by the elder musical statesmen, his guitar playing elegant and ethereal next to the Jarman brother’s stroppy, brat-punk riffs. Although there is little doubt that the crystalline chime of Last Year’s Snow and Save Your Secrets could see this cult band garner more mainstream appeal, it is clear upon hearing the latter’s opening lines “You are far more likely to be devoured/than empowered by your sense of romance” that we are still a long way from generic, charmless enorm-o-dome territory. Those devoted disciples concerned that The Cribs have mellowed or matured a bit too much need not fret, We Were Aborted and Nothing both spit and sizzle with the same trademark energy of old and Ryan Jarman delivers the chorus to Hari Kari with the urgency of a neurotic dalek .
One thing is for sure, The Cribs have managed to progress in a very satisfying musical direction whilst also retaining their unique ability to make the listener instinctively reach for the play button as soon as the final track fades.
The stately Cheat On Me is the first track on which the addition of Johnny Marr is really apparent. His guitar is always glassy and needle-sharp, weaving a way through the track, creating a separate melody but never overplaying or sounding out of place against the barrelling bar chords. But most importantly they have created a classic football chant with the chorus. It’s only a matter of time before the terraces are echoing with “That’s another!” as their team put away multiple goals. Although I imagine, this is almost certainly not the effect the band were aiming for.
It seems like Marr has slotted in very nicely to his new gang, refining and enriching the sound, he is the ingredient you didn’t know was missing until now. Far from being watered down or neutered, Ignore The Ignorant is given depth and dimension by the elder musical statesmen, his guitar playing elegant and ethereal next to the Jarman brother’s stroppy, brat-punk riffs. Although there is little doubt that the crystalline chime of Last Year’s Snow and Save Your Secrets could see this cult band garner more mainstream appeal, it is clear upon hearing the latter’s opening lines “You are far more likely to be devoured/than empowered by your sense of romance” that we are still a long way from generic, charmless enorm-o-dome territory. Those devoted disciples concerned that The Cribs have mellowed or matured a bit too much need not fret, We Were Aborted and Nothing both spit and sizzle with the same trademark energy of old and Ryan Jarman delivers the chorus to Hari Kari with the urgency of a neurotic dalek .
One thing is for sure, The Cribs have managed to progress in a very satisfying musical direction whilst also retaining their unique ability to make the listener instinctively reach for the play button as soon as the final track fades.
