Wakefield’s veteran indie-rock siblings can no longer claim to be the new fellas. However, their ninth album finds them powering confidently back into the limelight after half a decade’s absence. Robert Plummer buys into the vibe.

Much-loved alt-hitmakers they undoubtedly are, but the Cribs cannot fail to have been a little bruised by what happened to them last time out. After successfully enlisting a string of big-name producers (Edwyn Collins, Alex Kapranos, Steve Albini), the Jarman brothers took the plunge in 2020 and self-produced their work for the first time. The resulting album, Night Network, saw them overcome the privations of the pandemic and was hailed as a masterpiece – yet it broke a run of top 10 chart placings, landing at number 19.

Retiring to lick their wounds, the trio let five years go by before returning to the fray, their longest gap between albums to date. And yes, they have a producer again. This time, the man in the chair is Patrick Wimberly, best-known for working with avant-pop artist Caroline Polachek, as well as the likes of Ellie Goulding and Paloma Faith.

Indie purists should hesitate before casting any stones, though: cries of betrayal would be wholly misplaced. Remember how production-line pop maestro Mike Chapman gave a new diamond-hard clarity to Blondie’s sound on Parallel Lines? Well, in his own quiet way, Wimberly has worked a similar magic on the Cribs’ sound.

The brothers’ power-trio rifferama was always tight, but sometimes to the point of being claustrophobic. Now there is a new sense of space and airiness to their soundstage: the vocals have room to soar, while the instruments are more clearly delineated. The difference is clear on opener Dark Luck: the stop-start guitar, the rumbling bass and the thudding drumbeat all gain in precision, without losing any of the band’s attack.

The loping title track and the kinetic forward motion of A Point Too Hard To Make press the point home. The latter is the album’s first instant classic, with subtle synth touches enhancing the anthemic power-pop feel. The graffiti is on the wall for those who can read it, say the lyrics: “In vandalism oath/We leave behind our quotes/And hope that you will find it.”

The jaunty Never The Same looks back ruefully on a past friendship, or maybe relationship, that was chaotic, but fun at the time. “The sad thing is, I still miss when things were never the same,” runs the chorus. Summer Seizures slows the tempo, lulling the senses while warning of love’s consequences: “The scars of romance/Look good in the mirror but they/Will echo through the years.”

A wash of electronic sound ushers in Looking For The Wrong Guy, an affecting it-ain’t-me-babe ballad sung by (and for) beautiful losers. “If you’re looking for blame/It’s ‘cos you’re still in pain,” comes the crowning kiss-off. Chalk that up as instant classic number two.

The pop gems keep on coming: the chirpy If Our Paths Never Crossed, the moody Self-Respect, the surprisingly operatic You’ll Tell Me Anything. Rose Mist is another appealing chugger with programmed beats and finger-clicking breakdowns. However, there are still thrills to come.

It’s often said that singers who are related to each other can produce the sweetest vocal combinations. Twins Gary and Ryan Jarman, who jointly front the Cribs, have that same harmonic gift, but it’s often drowned out in their sound and fury. Now, on this album’s penultimate song, Distractions, the pair get to sing in glorious unison and the effect is exquisite: instant classic number three, anyone?

Fraternal harmony, too, is foremost on the album’s closer, Brothers Won’t Break. Although the twins now live in the US, thousands of miles away from each other and from brother Ross still in Yorkshire, their bond remains unbreakable. And they have a defiant message to share: “There could never be any shame for the things that we would never change, after all this time holding the line.”

It’s been a while coming, but this latest collection from the Cribs leaves them sounding stronger than ever. From Wakefield to the world, their journey has seen many triumphs and setbacks, yet their boundless energy and their creative drive are fully intact. Not all indie bands can weather the transition from young bucks to elder statesmen, but the Jarman brothers have passed that test with flying colours.

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All words by Robert Plummer. More writing by Robert can be found at his author’s archive. He is also on X as @robertp926.