Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever

The Cribs don't seek easy opportunities

Judging by all indications an English indie trio The Cribs doesn't look like a marketable band. They behave weirdly, they play totally unsexy music and the highest chart position their singles has ever reached was always around number thirty. And this is where the whole puzzle lies, how do labels know which of the bands will be a next big thing, how can they count on something that doesn't look that promising? They must be heaving their own secrets. If so, than the Jarman brothers have live up the expectations in a full measure. Their third album Man Need's, Woman Need's, Whatever, easily puts The Cribs on a position of the best post-Strokes band. It's not the best title of course but this is a real break trough for The Cribs. At the end of the day the title itself is not the main point – the music, this is what the whole thing is about. The album would hardly help the band to avoid comparisons with the aforementioned leaders of the genre but admirers of garage rock shouldn't worry about that, Man Need's, Woman Need's, Whatever can offer piles of simply great indie songs. 

Man Need's, Woman Need's, Whatever is a punk disguised as an indie rocker

The most intriguing fact about Man Need's, Woman Need's, Whatever is a collaboration of Franz Ferdinand's Alex Kopranos who has taken duties of the album's chief producer. It is worth admitting that it was helpful not only for the album's promotion but for the overall sounding either. By the standards of indie music Man Need's, Woman Need's, Whatever sounds pretty qualitative and even polished. But Kopranos managed to keep all the splendid traits of a basement band at that. In a word, it's not a LoFi record any longer but it still sounds quite dirty and ramshackle. In fact, nobody expected that The Cribs would suddenly turn into band with a big budget sound - noise, din and clamor were always distinctive features of this band. Therefore you shouldn't expect that Man Need's, Woman Need's, Whatever is a good natured, danceable indie rock in the vein of Kaiser Chiefs. The mutual friendship between these bands doesn't mean they influence each other. The album sounds too wild and aggressive to get such characteristics. Kopranos has simply washed, brushed and gave this little indie beast called The Cribs a proper, radio friendly appearance.

The Cribs: underground expatriates

All these things are evidently audible from the very first song. A short and explosive Our Bovine Public stands much closer to punk rock than to fashionable indie moans. Yet, riffage and melodies keep it in the boarders of the garage stylistic. Girls Like Mystery is a more tuneful attempt to draw a wide audience. It sounds simple but pretty attractive. The album's single Man's Need is a good song indeed. It features interesting riffs and a solid arrangements, it is really hard to miss this track. The song sounds reasonably poppy but keeps that very unrestraint of The Cribs floating on the surface. However, more or less pacifying songs have found their place on the album too. Moving Pictures, for instance, sounds very appropriately. The main experimental track of the album is Be Safe. The song's arrangement creates a slightly dark, half meditative atmosphere, which is used a background for angrily expressive narration performed by Sonic Youth's Lee Ronaldo. But despite these few unconventional tracks Man Need's, Woman Need's, Whatever can be hardly called a diverse album. However, this may sound as a compliment for a band like The Cribs. Its essence is its rebellious spirit; it is a true indie underground, which was composed not for money but for those who love this kind of music. The Cribs are definitely moving through a stage of self development, their best works are to follow and Man Need's, Woman Need's, Whatever signals that they chose a right direction.