The Cribs – Selling A Vibe review: the indie veterans still pulse with colour and intent
As a band long defined by a productive tension between punk grit and pop instinct, The Cribs have often signposted their next move through the collaborators they choose. Their scrappy, abrasive 2017 album 24-7 Rock Star Shit was shaped with the help of Steve Albini, a producer synonymous with rawness and confrontation. This time around, on Selling A Vibe, they’ve swerved in a different direction, enlisting Patrick Wimberley — formerly of Chairlift and known for his work in contemporary pop and hip-hop. As guitarist Ryan Jarman put it last year, the idea was to explore what might happen by teaming up with someone more closely associated with pop music.
Despite that shift, this ninth studio album is not a glossy bid for chart domination or a calculated attempt to chase mainstream trends. From the opening moments of “Dark Luck,” with its blurred-but-sharp guitar tones, long-time fans will instantly recognise Ryan Jarman’s playing as the driving force. What Selling A Vibe does bring, however, is a heightened sense of focus. Across 12 compact, hook-heavy tracks — most hovering just over the three-minute mark — the band lean into clarity and economy, drawing from the most melodic end of their sound without sacrificing edge.
Lyrically, the Jarman brothers remain as uncompromising as ever. Their songs continue to grapple with personal ethics and internal struggle, from lines about integrity that doesn’t pay the bills to reflections on mental health and emotional misdirection. The difference lies in how these ideas are delivered: the melodies are assured, streamlined and free of excess, giving each track a directness that feels deliberate rather than diluted.
“You’ll Tell Me Anything” opens with a striking flourish, as an operatic Italian tenor delivers a line translating to “for a life lived at night,” before Ryan and bassist Gary trade vocals on a song about confronting — and casting off — the darker pull of years spent on the road. Elsewhere, “Self Respect” pairs wiry bass work and shimmering guitar details with textures that edge into unfamiliar territory for the band, hinting at subtle ’80s influences without losing their identity. These experiments land smoothly thanks to the solid musical framework the trio have developed over more than 25 years together.
That foundation also supports some of the album’s most affecting moments. The brothers’ frayed, on-the-verge vocals cut deep on “A Point Too Hard To Make,” while the pairing of “Never The Same” and “Summer Seizures” showcases a matured version of classic Cribs traits. The former leans into bright, jangling melodies, while the latter unfolds as a slow-building, fist-clenching release — both infused with a lyrical perspective shaped by experience rather than youthful urgency.
Ultimately, Selling A Vibe captures a band who have managed the rare trick of growing older without growing dull. Rather than coasting on past glories, The Cribs continue to refine and reimagine what makes them distinct. They still sound unmistakably like themselves — but crucially, they’re finding fresh ways to do so, which is no small achievement at this stage of their career.
