The Cribs have shared an EP of the early Gordon Raphael sessions for their new album ‘Selling A Vibe’.
The Wakefield indie trioreleased their ninth studio album last week (January 9)via Sonic Blew/PIAS, with the final recordhaving beenproduced by ex-Chairliftmember Patrick Wimberley(Beyoncé,Ellie Goulding,Lil Yachty).
As Ryan Jarman toldNMElast year, though,theinitialsessions for the album took place in Leeds with Raphael, who famously producedThe Strokes’ legendary first album ‘Is This It’and its follow-up ‘RoomOnFire’.Jarman said the resulting tracks “sounded great”,but the band had already committed to trying something “less comfortable” for this project, eventually settling on the morepop-orientedtouch ofWimblerley.
On Thursday (January 15), the band gave fans the chance to hear both versions, however. In an Instagram post, they said:“As part of our final day push towards the charts, we have made our ‘Gordon Raphael Sessions’ EP available as part of a digital deluxe version of the album.”
The band added that the Raphael versions “capture these songs in early and pure form”, and you can find them now on major streaming platforms.
NMEawarded ‘Selling A Vibe’ four stars, writing: “The brothers’ raw, almost-breaking vocals are in full force on ‘A Point Too Hard To Make’, while the one-two of ‘Never The Same’ and ‘Summer Seizures’ – the former, a Beatles-y jangler; the latter, an air-punching slow burn – take classic Jarman qualities but add the lyrical wisdom that only comes with time.It’sthe work of a groupwho’vemanaged to grow up without losing their spark. On ‘Selling A Vibe’,the trioarestill finding new ways to sound like The Cribs – andthat’sa more impressive and unusual feat than it might first appear.”
The album landed at Number Five in the UK Albums Chart on its first week of release yesterday (January 16),the highest placing of their career. It finishedbehindOlivia Dean’s ‘The ArtOfLoving’,and records byBlueandZach Bryan anda greatest hitsrecord from Fleetwood Mac.
Elsewhere, Ryan Jarman revealed this week thata guitar that was stolen from him over 20 years ago was later discovered in the hands ofThe1975 and Beabadoobee.