Album Review: The Cribs - Ignore the Ignorant

On Ignore the Ignorant, it's apparent that The Cribs have been taking their lessons from former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr to heart. Marr makes his first appearance on a Cribs record after officially joining the band in 2008 and his impact is profound.

Overall, the new album is much tighter and the production is cleaner than we have ever heard from The Cribs. The band has been steadily moving in this direction, but it has finally reached a point where the production is adding to the music instead of taming it.

The benefit is that it's now possible to hear how all the parts fit together, which makes for a more nuanced and satisfying record. The dual guitars on “City of Bugs” weave together in a mesmerizing way that demands attention for the entire 6 minutes and 21 seconds.

Most British indie rock bands have a little bit of The Smiths in their sound, but this album is fortified with two extra scoops of it thanks to the guidance of Marr. There is more melody on Ignore the Ignorant than on any of the previous records. It's a welcome addition; without it, the bouncy pop of the title track and the gorgeous, slow burn of “Stick to Yr Guns” wouldn't have been possible.

There are still instances where the garage band roots of The Cribs show through. “We Were Aborted” is a rousing opener and “Nothing” and “Emasculate Me” unleash the band and their rough vocals.

Ignore the Ignorant is The Cribs' most well-rounded record and shows that there is some serious song writing talent behind their fiery front.

Ignore the Ignorant will be available Nov. 10 in the U.S. on Warner Brothers Records.