Customer Reviews

Ignore The Ignorant

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3 star:		(3)
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With a brand new member (ex-Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr) into the mix the boys from Yorkshire stroll out a new album. How well it compares to previous efforts is always a matter of taste--and if you like the new direction. And here in lies the problem: does the inclusion of Johnny Marr change the formula too much, or does it complement the established presence of the original trio?

In a way, it's a mixed bag.

While the inclusion of Johnny isn't a terrible one, the end result definitely feels a bit off from the bravado that 'Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever' established so wonderfully. This new formula feels flatter, more mellow and introspective, but the band doesn't let you in much, rather they feel a little removed from their music.

Here and there they do open up and revisit the musical style of previous albums. Songs like "We Were Aborted" and "We Share the Same Skies" has a ring more akin to classic Cribs; you can hear the fun and exuberance you've come to expect from them.

However, once you give the album a once through, you feel that the catchy hooks and riffs don't permeate the songs as much as previous works. And you terribly want to like 'Ignore the Ignorant' as much as 'MNWNW,' but it just doesn't reach to those heights. The melancholy in songs like "City of Bugs" and the single "Cheat on Me" don't allow the album to open up, and instead anchors the band in this quasi happy/sad state that muddles the enjoyment of the whole.

Is this the worst album that they've recorded? No, not really. To be truthful there is potential in the new lineup and in the direction they might be going after. This feels like the beginning of that journey, but at its current state it lacks the gusto that we've come to know and love. Most people will be satisfied with the new work, but in the end if you want the old Cribs to come out, just pop in 'Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever' for that fix.

I am not sure what is going on in British music this last year. It seems like once a band puts out a great album their next one is overproduced and they aim for a more top 40 market. It happened to the Kooks big time and also to the Fratellis. The new Cribs is not that bad but after 3 great albums I am disappointed. I admit I had to listen to Mens Needs... a few times but then it really got a hold of me. This one has taken many listens and just does not have the rough punk edge that made the other ones great. Even the vocals are too smoothly produced.

There are some very goods songs once you listen through the overproduction but what were they thinking with "City of Bugs"?! Even the suppposed UK single (I live in the US) "Cheat On Me" sounds like what happened when the Goo Goo Dolls went for top 40 sales. It is a middle of the road sound that does not do the band justice.

If having Johnny join the band was to give them a different perspective on doing their songs, go back to a threesome and the garage where you sounded great.

The latest Cribs disk represents a departure from earlier efforts. The sound is more mature and a little bit "lighter" overall. I know that this will be unacceptable to many, but really, do you really want the band to continue to put out clones? An analogy to this disk is The Smiths' "The Queen is Dead". After three very successful efforts, The Smiths broke new ground with "The Queen is Dead", and in the end it became their best album. So I bet it will be with "Ignore the Ignorant" for The Cribs.

The disk certainly does reflect Johnny Marr's input. (As an aside, give the bloke some credit: at his age to still be rocking out is pretty darn good.) Since all of the songs are listed as being written by all four band members it's impossible to know what songs had the most input from Johnny.

My favorite tracks include "We Were Aborted" (a hard rocking great way to start things out), "Cheat On Me" (this one does sound like Johnny penned it), "Hari Kari", "Last Years Snow" (a beautiful ballad), and "Ignore the Ignorant" (the closest to songs from Men's Needs). "City of Bugs" is probably the weakest track here. If you liked "Be Safe" (which I deplore) you'll probably like "City of Bug".

My only criticism is that the lyrics overall are not as smart as those on "Men's Needs Women's Needs. But this is one disk that will still sound great five years from now.

I am not a Cribs fan,but they do sound rather interesting.
With the inclusion of the great jingle jangle guitar of
Johnny Marr, the band might have more depth and star quality.

Johnnie's list of session work and joining other bands is
quite a resume. The Healer's, Modest Mouse, Pet Shop Boys
and The The...come to mind. Therefore I have added the Cribs
CD to my Marr collection.I am sure many others will do the same.

Modest Mouse did not work for me, but the Cribs brothers seem to
be having more fun. Enjoy!