The Cribs - In The Belly of the Brazen Bull

Cribs bassist/singer/brother/lover Gary Jarman revealed the reason why we have all been awaiting a new record from The Cribs for so long, ‘We have been waiting for the corporate indie ship to sink’ cries the joint frontman. And with that not looking likely any time soon, The Cribs are coming out swinging.

On their past 3 records, The Cribs have started off with a raucous number (‘We Were Aborted’ ‘Our Bovine Public’ and ‘Hey Scenesters’) Glitters Like Gold however takes you back into the early days of The Cribs with their blasé yet confident approach.

Come on, Be a No-One is the first official single off the album and immediately lets you know that the Jarmans are not messing around, with riffs that sound like they came straight from the grunge scene back in the early 90’s. One of the heaviest songs The Cribs have released to date, Come on, Be a No-One sets the tone wonderfully as the screeching guitars fade out and segue into Jaded Youth impeccably.

Another song we should have all heard by now – Chi Town, and as great as the song is, Chi Town feels out of place on this record as the rest of 'In the Belly of the Brazen Bull' flows together so well. You can’t help but feel this song would be better off as a b-side. The incredibly adorable Noisey kids described Chi Town better than most critics ever could: ‘Elephants like this because they can stomp, it’s quite stompy music.’

Back to the Bolthole is far different to anything The Cribs have done before, the slow build up to the sing-a-long chorus accompanying Ross’s military like drum beat let you know that this is a very special song indeed.

Most Cribs records have an acoustic number; ‘Haunted’ and ‘Shoot the Poets’ to name a couple, I Should Have Helped is ITBOTBBs acoustic number, slowing things down before Stalagmites brings the military-esque drum beats back with full effect.

The last 4 songs on ITBOTBB all merge together to create 11 minutes of brilliance. Self produced by the band at Abbey Road, The Cribs show that although they have roped in legendary producers such as Dave Fridmann and Steve Albini for this record, they can capture the band’s sound and progression just as well as the best of producers.

In The Belly of the Brazen Bull is by far the darkest and heaviest Cribs record to date, but also the most important. The Cribs have come to reclaim indie rock.


8.5


Aaron Lewins