Twins Gary and Ryan Jarman and younger brother Ross, operating as the Cribs, seem to relish doing things the hard way. When emerging in the oughties U.K. post-Libertines scene, they swam against the then-prevalent shambolic Merseybeat-meets-garage-punk sound to create a turbulent punk squall rooted in the more corrosive elements of ’80s/’90s U.S. indie rock: the atonal screech of Sonic Youth or Pussy Galore, the fuck-you propulsion and heart-on-sleeve songwriting of the Replacements, the bratty overdrive of Superchunk. So unique has been their ethos, they seemed to have influenced the stripped-down overdrive brief that second guitarist Johnny Marr has adopted in his solo career. Hence, it makes sense to hire Steve Albini to helm their seventh LP. With a snarl on their lips, drums set to bash and guitars red-lining all the way, snotty new Cribs anthems such as “Year Of Hate” and “Partisan” shine within Albini’s typical sonic vérité approach to recording.
—Tim Stegall