The Cribs and Johnny Marr part company

 
Having recorded a single, an EP and an album with Smiths legend Johnny Marr, as well as touring the world as a four-piece, The Cribs have announced that they are returning to their original line-up. In a statement released on their official website today, the Jarman brothers explain the reasons behind the decision:

We don't want it to be seen as a split, that just has so many negative connotations and really doesn't represent the way everyone is feeling right now.

The truth is that, as Johnny said, we did more than we ever set out to do together really - we were initially just playing together as friends, and decided it might be fun to do a trademark Cribs 'surprise one-off seven inch' or something of that ilk, but as we went along we just kept writing. First it was a single, then an EP, we just happened to really enjoy playing together and ended up writing a full album. We were/are all really proud of the work we did together and we did mean it in our assertions that Johnny was very much a full-time member of the band. There were definite intentions of continuing on together and making another record - we even went into the studio with Edwyn Collins again last spring and started recording some stuff, but it just wasn't really working. We were all pretty burnt at that point and that is why we decided that after 8 years and 4 records we should take some time off.

During that time we all intended on working on other projects and at some point late last year, we just casually got together out in Portland as a 3-piece and it was so much fun. Johnny had started working on a solo record in the time off, and it just seemed like the right time to go our separate ways.

No one is down about this in our camp. It's actually the start of a really exciting phase for everyone. Johnny has gone back to The Healers and is writing a new record, and we are really honestly loving being back together as just 3 brothers literally playing in the basement/garage again. Right now we are in Portland and demoing in Gary's basement and it feels so liberating. We have a bunch of new songs and are embracing the lo-fi again. It never was about fancy studios and LA and all that. We are back in our usual environment and feeling good about it. We've got everything we need.

The Cribs at Manning Bar, Sydney

THE CRIBS
BRIDEZILLA
Manning Bar, 19/02/10

Considering Bridezilla have been winning fans around the city over the past four years, it's somewhat surprising that this was their debut performance at Manning Bar. Less surprising was that their atmosphere-drenched show was enthralling. Most notable was frontwoman Holiday Carmen-Sparks' increasingly impressive vocal range. Balancing out their intense sound with plenty of smiles throughout, the Sydney quintet are clearly enjoying themselves at the moment, and well they might, as they remain one of the most captivating acts in Australia today.

The Cribs' dynamic has always been appealing; three brothers across drums, bass and guitar, with duelling lead vocals. So adding another guitarist would seem crazy, except when he happens to be a certain Johnny Marr. Regardless, it was going to be interesting to see whether it would be the same visceral, raucous Cribs experience.

Bursting into We Were Aborted, guitarist Ryan Jarman stooped over his mic, stomped his feet and spat lyrics as loud as he could in his strong Wakefield accent as veins popped out of his neck. With that, it was instantly clear that, while the addition of a member of indie royalty added to their depth of sound, it took nothing away from the Jarman brothers' insane live energy. The crowd, who had waited four years to see them, went nuts as Hey Scenesters and Cheat On Me provoked early singalongs. Indeed, there were few songs that weren't singalongs, as this set featured more infectious choruses than your average pop act could come up with in a lifetime, all delivered with shouty punk rock sensibilities. Every “whoa-oh” was hollered back at the band with increasing gusto, and, as Ryan questioned where all the crowd-surfers were, waves of bodies began to flow towards the stage.

The epic Be Safe offered an alternative to the punchy songs that surrounded it, featuring a video of Sonic Youth's Lee Ranaldo's spoken word prose as the band belted out another massive chorus, “I know a place we can go where you'll fall in love so hard that you'll wish you were dead.”

Ending with Men's Needs, City of Bugs and a spot of stage-diving, the quartet left the sweat-drenched crowd breathless. Even four albums in, The Cribs' raw energy and vivacity hasn't abated, and to combine that with tunes to die for is to be in the presence of one of the most thrilling live bands around.