The Cribs are set to return with their first new album in over five years. ‘Selling A Vibe’ will be released on 9th January 2026, with the news arriving alongside lead single ‘Summer Seizures’ and an accompanying video. The track received its radio debut from Steve Lamacq on BBC 6 Music, with a UK headline run confirmed for Spring 2026.
Ryan Jarman says of the single, “Lyrically, I was in the kitchen in my apartment in NYC one morning and I could feel that summer was starting. I’d had the best summer of my life here and then, a few years ago, undoubtedly the hardest 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 on the video, he adds, “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 a digital age of 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.”
Produced by Patrick Wimberly (Chairlift, Solange, MGMT) and mixed by Lars Stalfors (Lil Peep, St. Vincent, The Mars Volta), the album is described as leaning into the group’s melodic instincts through a more considered studio process. One track, ‘You’ll Tell Me Anything’, was recorded earlier in the writing process with Gordon Raphael (The Strokes) and later incorporated into the final record.
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.”
Reflecting on the family dynamic at the core of the band, Gary notes, “It’s not something we ever really said to each other explicitly,” while explaining how the album’s themes took shape: “On our first records, we were just writing about our individual experiences. That’s a really verdant field of inspiration, but as you go along, life points you towards bigger things to write about,” he says. “But this time, I realised when I was writing the lyrics that all of the songs were really rooted in the only consistent thing – and the most valuable thing – and that was our relationship as family. The thing that has seen us through to this point”.
Looking back to 2020’s ‘Night Network’, Ryan recalls being “in two minds about whether to carry on,” following difficult legal disputes, and later confronting personal challenges during the enforced separation of the pandemic. “There was a lot of unhealthiness I had to leave behind,” he says.
On their choice of producer, Gary adds, “We needed the perfect balance of somebody who worked in the modern paradigm but understood who we were, our history and what we’re about. Not an easy thing to find. And that’s how we ended up with Patrick,” with the band saying they “entirely gave the reins over” like never before. Of ‘You’ll Tell Me Anything’, they explain, “We knew there was no need to re-record that one – Gordon had absolutely nailed it – we’d have just been trying to replicate that early energy”.
The Cribs have also confirmed a headline UK tour for Spring 2026. Ticket pre-sale begins at 10am on Wednesday 20th August, with general sale from 10am on Friday 22nd August. Ahead of those shows, the band will play a War Child benefit at London’s Shacklewell Arms and appear at All Points East, before North American dates in September.
The dates read:
AUGUST
23 The Shacklewell Arms, London, UK (In Support of War Child)
24 All Points East, London, UK
SEPTEMBER
19 Reggies Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA (Riot Fest Late Night)
20 Riot Festival, Chicago, IL, USA
23 Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, CAN
25 The Sinclair, Cambridge, MA, USA
27 Warsaw, Brooklyn, NY, USA
MARCH
18 Boiler Shop, Newcastle, UK
20 Foundry, Sheffield, UK
21 Albert Hall, Manchester, UK
22 O2 Institute 1, Birmingham, UK
24 Rock City, Nottingham, UK
25 Tramshed, Cardiff, UK
28 Concorde 2, Brighton, UK
The tracklisting for ‘Selling A Vibe’ reads:
‘Dark Luck’
‘Selling A Vibe’
‘A Point Too Hard To Make’
‘Never The Same’
‘Summer Seizures’
‘Looking For The Wrong Guy’
‘If Our Paths Never Crossed’
‘Self Respect’
‘You’ll Tell Me Anything’
‘Rose Mist’
‘Distractions’
‘Brothers Won’t Break’
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