For the record, The Cribs are punk rock.
Sure, the ‘world’s premier mid-fi band’ can serve up a slice of pop brilliance with the best of ‘em, but let’s not forget for one minute that we’re also dealing with a raucous force to be reckoned with. The Cribs have got ’24/7 Rock Star Shit’ going on, to borrow a phrase (see what we did there?). To prove it we’ve pulled together a bunch of their scuzziest tracks from across the years they’ve been ‘on the scene’. Scope ‘em out below.
Third Outing
‘Third Outing’ is essentially a four-minute flail, with slightly nasal sneers punctuated by snippets of melody. It should be a mess but actually, it’s kind of great. The Crib’s youthful energy on this first record is boundless, and gives a taster of what the band are like when they play live and in person.
Mirror Kissers
‘The New Fellas” entry here is a mocking take down of particularly image-obsessed types who “like to tell yourself that I’m nobody”. It’s the Jarmans gobbing all over the mainstream, basically, which makes it perfect for when you’re feeling a bit snotty and unwanted.
Our Bovine Public
‘Our Bovine Public’ sneers and flicks the Vs at coattail riders and fair-weather friends, then casts them aside with a shrug. Vicious, insouciant, and only made sharper by some seriously jagged guitar work.
Hari Kari
We know what you’re thinking – this one is quite poppy, innit? Correct. ‘Hari Kari’’s a wildcard entry, thanks to the line “it’s your mind, it’s your voice / it’s your body, it’s your choice”. Bodily autonomy is punk rock.
Come On, Be A No-One
This one ticks all the boxes. Short? Check. Fast? Check. Loud?
…what was that? Our ears are ringing. Oh. Check. To top it off, ‘Come On Be A No-One’ comes with a bonus dose of nihilism for extra marks.
Mr Wrong
Part ‘80s glam, part ‘90s film soundtrack, ‘Mr Wrong’ is another example of the lyrics pushing things over into punk territory. “I was always Mr Wrong” is a misfit rallying cry for our times. Truly.
Year of Hate
‘Year of Hate’ was first released on those super-secret 7” white labels the brothers Jarman hid around the country a few months ago, and cropped up on the tracklisting for 24/7 Rock Star Shit today. It’s furious, squalling, and a fair whack more aggressive than almost all of their other tracks. Hardly a surprise for a song called ‘Year of Hate’ though, is it? If this is what’s in store for the rest of the album, we’d better strap in. It might get loud.
The Cribs’ album ’24/7 Rock Star Shit’ is out 11th August.