The Cribs will release their first new album in five years, Selling A Vibe on January 9 via Play It Again Sam. Along with the news, the band have shared lead single “Summer Seizures.” The band will also be playing their first shows in close to a decade, including dates in Chicago, Toronto, and Brooklyn.

Guitarist and vocalist Ryan Jarman comments on the single: “Lyrically, I was in the kitchen in my apartment in NYC one morning and I could feel that summer was starting. All the major events in my life seem to have happened in the summer, the good and the bad and so when I could feel it coming around again it was a way of marking time and looking at where I’m at now and trying to tie it all together. It’s a song about love, tragedy and learning to live with yourself, all set during summertime in NYC.”

Expanding about the video, he says: “We wanted it to be no gimmicks, done to a really high quality and just let the band and the song do the talking, so we spoke to our old friend Andy Knowles (who happens to be an amazing director) and decided to shoot on 16mm film and just present us as we are. In an age of digital and infinite options, shooting on film meant that it had to be quick, spontaneous and most importantly, natural. Of course those guys spent ages making sure it’d look amazing before the cameras started rolling, but we got exactly what we were looking for: the band as we are now, in our natural environment on celluloid.”

The goal with producer Patrick Wimberly was very much about not reverting to type. Having worked with some bucket-list producers on previous albums – Edwyn Collins, Alex Kapranos, Nick Launey, Dave Fridmann, Steve Albini, and Ric Ocasek to name a few – the appointment of former Chairlift man Patrick Wimberly for Selling A Vibe came from a place of continued curiosity, possibility, and adventure. They wanted to work with someone who operated in a more contemporary way, and Wimberly’s list of production credits (Solange, MGMT, Lil Yachty) more than caught the eye. For The Cribs, it wasn’t about recapturing lightning-in-a-bottle moments of yore, it was about breaking the bottle entirely and seeing what could be inside. That meant a slower, more considered recording process, and time in the studio to indulge their love of melody.

Bassist and vocalist Gary Jarman says: “I think as time has gone by our albums have become more and more open – and as such the songs on “Selling A Vibe” feel very personal. So it can be nerve wracking releasing them because they matter so much to us. I know that may sound overly romantic or idealistic, but ultimately – it’s the only thing that matters when all is said and done. Did we connect with people? We don’t want this to be seen as an “indie rock” record or a “punk” record or whatever – all those things that used to seem to matter to us – our only hope is that people enjoy and connect with the songs and lyrics for what they are. We want them to be for everyone, really. And as such, I suppose you could say that makes it our most ambitious album, as we have fully given ourselves over to that. In short, we sincerely hope you enjoy it.”

The Cribs
Selling A Vibe
PIAS

1. Dark Luck
2. Selling A Vibe
3. A Point Too Hard To Make
4. Never The Same
5. Summer Seizures
6. Looking For The Wrong Guy
7. If Our Paths Never Crossed
8. Self-Respect
9. You’ll Tell Me Anything
10. Rose Mist
11. Distractions
12. Brothers Won’t Break

The Cribs 2025 North American Tour Dates

Sep 19 – Reggies Chicago, Chicago, IL (Riot Fest Late Night)
Sep 20 – Riot Festival, Chicago, IL
Sep 23 – Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON
Sep 25 – The Sinclair, Cambridge, MA
Sep 27 – Warsaw, Brooklyn, NY

Pre-order Summer Seizure by The Cribs HERE