For many years, the British brothers Gary, Ryan, and Ross Jarman have been making music together as the Cribs. These days, all three Cribs are living in different places, and it's not quite so easy for all of them to get together and make music. Five years ago, the Cribs released Night Network, their most recent LP, and they followed it by releasing a series of outtakes as singles. Now, the Cribs are getting ready to follow that album and to play their first North American shows in eight years.
The Cribs recorded their forthcoming LP Selling A Vibe, out early next year, with former Chairlift member Patrick Wimberly on production. The Jarman brothers started things off by just spending a few months back together without writing or playing anything, and then they got to work. In a press release, Gary Jarman says, "We don’t want this to be seen as an 'indie rock' record or a 'punk' record or whatever -- all those things that used to seem to matter to us. Our only hope is that people enjoy and connect with the songs and lyrics for what they are."
Lead single "Summer Seizures" is a catchy, satisfying rocker with some bright, direct riffage and a little synth action. The Andy Knowles-directed video is nothing fancy, just the band playing live. Here's what Ryan Jarman says about it:
Lyrically, I was in the kitchen in my apartment in NYC one morning, and I could feel that summer was starting. All the major events in my life seem to have happened in the summer, the good and the bad, and so when I could feel it coming around again it was a way of marking time and looking at where I’m at now and trying to tie it all together. It’s a song about love, tragedy and learning to live with yourself, all set during summertime in NYC.
We wanted [the video] to be no gimmicks, done to a really high quality, and just let the band and the song do the talking, so we spoke to our old friend Andy Knowles (who happens to be an amazing director) and decided to shoot on 16mm film and just present us as we are. In an age of digital and infinite options, shooting on film meant that it had to be quick, spontaneous, and most importantly, natural. Of course, those guys spent ages making sure it’d look amazing before the cameras started rolling, but we got exactly what we were looking for: the band as we are now, in our natural environment on celluloid.
Below, check out the "Summer Seizures" videos, the Selling A Vibe tracklist, and the Cribs' upcoming tour dates.
TRACKLIST:
01 "Dark Luck"
02 "Selling A Vibe"
03 "A Point Too Hard To Make"
04 "Never The Same"
05 "Summer Seizures"
06 "Looking For The Wrong Guy"
07 "If Our Paths Never Crossed"
08 "Self-Respect"
09 "You’ll Tell Me Anything"
10 "Rose Mist"
11 "Distractions"
12 "Brothers Won’t Break"
TOUR DATES:
8/22 - Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK @ The Town Moor
8/24 - London, UK @ All Points East
9/19 - Chicago, IL @ Reggie's Rock Club (Riot Fest Late Night)
9/20 - Chicago, IL @ Riot Fest
9/23 - Toronto, ON @ Lee's Palace
9/25 - Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair
9/27 - Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw
Selling A Vibe is out 1/9/26 on Play It Again Sam.
