The Cribs -‘In the Belly Of the Brazen Bull.’ (Wichita)

…and somehow, it comes to pass that this is none other than the Cribs’ fifth album. A few tracks have been doing the rounds, but the entire album is now upon us. In the last three years they have lost Johnny Marr as guitarist and Ryan Jarman has split with long-term girlfriend Kate Nash.

However, this should not give the impression that this is a ‘woe is me/us’ album. The band recorded part of the album with Flaming Lips/Mercury Rev producer Dave Fridmann and another part with veteran ‘recorder not producer Steve Albini. Whilst I prefer the rougher edges of the work with Albini, this is an album that shows that, this far into thire career, the band are continuing to make solid indie-rock, but without treading water; nor feeling the urge to reinvent themselves drastically or go experimental.

‘Chi-Town’ was the first track to do the rounds, and it is my favourite track on her, but over the course of the album the band manage to show that they understand the difference between anthemic and anaemic. This album won’t change your life, but it does indicate why the Cribs have managed to hold their heads so high when so many of their contemporaries have floundered.

***1/2

In the Belly Of the Brazen Bull is out now on Wichita

The Cribs -‘Chi-Town.’ mp3

Stream the album over at Stereogum

The Cribs have returned! Whilst their last couple of records didn’t do as much for me as 2005’s The New Fellas (even if Ignore The Ignorant did see them joined by a fourth member in the form of none other than Johnny Marr!), their new album In the Belly Of the Brazen Bull is out in May and the tracks doing the rounds so far suggest that the band, now back to just th three Jarman brothers, are very much firing on all cylinders.

They’ve also been working with two very notable American figures on the album. First of all, the legendary Steve Albini (who never produces albums but engineers or records them), and you can hear his work all over the first track to do the rounds, ‘Chi-Town.’

The Cribs -‘Chi-Town.’ mp3

Meanwhile, they’ve also been working with Dave Fridman, who not only worked with The Flaming Lips and Mercury Rev, but ALSO produced The Delgados’ The Great Eastern, my favourite scottish album, by my favourite Scottish act ever.

This is the first single, due out next month:

..and here’s the video, too:

The album tracklisting, by the way, is as follows:

1. Glitters Like Gold
2. Come On, Be A No-One
3. Jaded Youth
4. Anna
5. Confident Men
6. Uptight
7. Chi-Town
8. Pure O
9. Back To The Bolthole
10. I Should Have Helped
11. Stalagmites
12. Like A Gift Giver
13. Butterflies
14. Arena Rock Encore With Full Cast