Veteran U.K. indie band The Cribs have shared “Never The Same,” the final preview from their forthcoming album Selling A Vibe, out Friday, January 9. The track received its first radio play from Steve Lamacq on BBC Six Music and has since been added to the station’s A-list, marking a strong final lead-in to the record’s release.
“Never The Same” finds the band reflecting on personal change and the quiet weight of leaving former versions of oneself behind. Musically, it leans into a stripped-back immediacy that nods to the band’s earliest instincts—short, sharp, and direct—while lyrically confronting the contradictions of growth and nostalgia.
Guitarist and vocalist Ryan Jarman describes the song as a deliberate return to fundamentals:
“‘Never The Same’ is kind of a throwback to our original approach: trim all the fat, bring it in as short as possible and keep out of the way… streamlined. Stylish,” he explains. “It’s almost a little paradoxical as lyrically it’s about feeling like a different person at this point in life, and missing the chaos of your previous existence, even if it wouldn’t make sense anymore.”
Bassist and vocalist Gary Jarman notes that the track came together with unusual speed following the band’s return from Italy, where they had played Louis Tomlinson’s “Away From Home” festival.
“We got to work and banged this out, fully formed, in a couple of hours,” he says. “In an alternate timeline it could’ve been a Louis song.”
The single is accompanied by a self-directed video shot on eight-millimeter film during the band’s US tour, featuring live footage captured in San Diego. Shot primarily by Ryan and edited by Gary, the video reflects the band’s desire to create something candid and personal while staying within the visual world of the album.
This week also sees The Cribs begin a run of U.K. instore and outstore release shows, followed by a full U.K. headline tour in March. The album marks their first full-length release in more than five years, following Night Network in 2020. Earlier singles “Summer Seizures” and “A Point Too Hard To Make” earned BBC Six Music A-list support and signaled a renewed creative confidence.
Behind the scenes, Selling A Vibe represents a period of reconnection for the Jarman brothers—Gary, Ryan, and Ross—after years spent living across three different time zones and navigating the pressures of constant release and touring cycles. A deliberate pause from writing and recording allowed the band to refocus on their relationship as a family before returning to the studio.
That renewed perspective extended to the album’s production. After working with a long list of celebrated rock producers throughout their career, the band chose Patrick Wimberly—known for his work with Solange, MGMT, and Lil Yachty—to guide the project. The decision reflected a desire to embrace contemporary pop sensibilities without losing the band’s emotional core.
“We’d always said if we made another record we would specifically focus on enhancing the pop element of the band,” Gary Jarman explains. “Patrick’s way of working seemed a great fit whilst also being a completely new experience.”
Lyrically, Selling A Vibe is the band’s most open and personal record to date, centering on connection, vulnerability, and the endurance of family bonds.
“Our only hope is that people enjoy and connect with the songs and lyrics for what they are,” Gary says. “We want them to be for everyone.”
After more than two decades together, The Cribs continue to release music only when they feel they have something meaningful to add. With Selling A Vibe, that meaning is rooted in renewal—both creative and personal—and a reaffirmation of the bond that has carried them this far.
Selling A Vibe Tracklist
- 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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