It is hard to imagine a better record shop than Rough Trade East to launch an album. The traditional pageantry of the rock concert is discarded, although the queue at the bar and toilets is not. Luckily, only 300 lucky punters are in on a sold-out night. The Jarman brothers—twins Gary and Ryan, and younger brother Ross—emerged from behind a rack of vinyl to take the stage. There was no smoke, no pyrotechnics, and no lighting rig beyond the shop's basic fixtures.
The occasion was the launch of Selling a Vibe, the Wakefield trio’s ninth studio album and their first release in five years. For a band that has survived two decades of industry volatility and a legal battle with former management, the setting felt appropriate. Rough Trade remains a sanctuary where music is treated as a tangible commodity rather than a digital abstraction, a distinction the Jarmans understand better than most. Between songs, the band’s philosophy remained as insular as ever. “All The Cribs wanted to be was our own favourite band, and we are our own favourite band,” Ryan noted. “I know it sounds arrogant but it’s really not. If you can make whatever you want it to be, then it’s fine for that to be your own favourite thing.”
The show began with "Our Bovine Public," a reliable relic from 2007 that immediately established the evening’s proceedings: Ryan’s jagged, treble-heavy guitar work set against Gary’s propulsive bass lines. Despite the five-year hiatus, the interplay remains instinctive. Ross Jarman, positioned behind a compact drum kit, provided the rhythmic anchor that allowed his siblings to navigate their trademark vocal harmonies, a blend of melodic pop sensibility and Yorkshire grit.
Understandably, the setlist drew heavily from the new record, produced by pop maestro Patrick Wimberly. "A Point Too Hard to Make" was a power-pop highlight, which retained the band’s characteristic friction. "Never the Same," a track that was originally written for Louis Tomlinson before the band reclaimed it, showcased a cleaner, jangling guitar sound which brings to mind the best of The Strokes or The Vaccines.
The album’s lead single, 'Summer Seizures,' a hazy, mid-tempo track, sets a more measured, reflective tone. There are moments when it feels as if Johnny Marr is still part of the band. Perhaps the greatest endorsement the brothers ever received was the decision of a guitarist of Marr’s stature to join their ranks as a full member. The songwriting standard is clear to see; this album will stand the test of time, as The Cribs inevitably will.
The evening concluded with 'Men’s Needs,' a song that has transitioned from a contemporary hit to a must-have indie disco floor-filler. There was no encore. With the job done, they moved directly to the signing table in an effort to bolster their first-week chart standing. The work had been completed, and the vibe had been sold. This is a great album which gets better with every listen; go try it out.
Setlist Our Bovine Public Girls Like Mystery Selling a Vibe Things You Should Be Knowing A Point Too Hard to Make Another Number What About Me Never the Same We Were Aborted You’ll Tell Me Anything Leather Jacket Love Song Summer Seizures Men's Needs
