The Beat Surrender

The Cribs are at a difficult stage in their career now, the release of Men’s Needs, Women’s Needs, Whatever is the bands third full length album to date, they’ve churned all three albums out in fairly quick succession and have kept the momentum going that way and with a hectic live schedule… but yet mainstream success seems to be as far away as ever on record for them.

This may not be something that bothers them in the least bit and listening to their music I do get that impression, the spirit of the band is very much caught in the live arena, so much so that they have played live on this album to give it the same raw, rough edge you get when you see them live. Surely though the fact that bands with similar local roots and equally mad live performances are shifting albums and heading towards the top end of the charts on a regular basis must grate a bit?

I say they are as far away as ever because possibly their most catchy and radio friendly single since You Were Always The One has stalled at seventeen in the charts and no other track on the album looks to have the right sound to be the breakthrough hit they deserve.

They aren’t helped in my opinion by the production on this album, Alex Kapranos took on knob twiddling duties and for me hasn’t done the best of jobs. The band actually sound a little subdued on tracks like Girls Like Mystery, Major’s Titling Victory and My Life Flashed Before My Eyes, yes they have the thrashiness of some of their earlier songs but it’s all dulled slightly in production. It’s these sort of tracks that will probably come to life in the live arena when they embark on their biggest tour to date shortly.

The thing that stands out from listening to this album for me, is that when the band are allowed to breathe and actually try something different they come up with two really good tracks, songs that at last show a little bit of development and something that needs to be continued. Be Safe sounds like Michael Stipe (i’m guessing it isn’t though) giving a five minute monologue with occasional moments from the band crashing in around him as the chorus comes in and the guitars are stoked up. The best though is saved for last, Shoot The Poets is a beautifully tender acoustic track that shows that Jarman really can sing on a quiet track, with heart and passion and pull it off.

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