The Cribs, an indie-rock band made up of three brothers from West Yorkshire, have released their new single, “Things Could Be Better”, the fourth installment from their Singles Club project. In addition to the track release, the band has also announced their winter 2022 U.S. tour dates.

“Things Could Be Better” takes a soft melancholy approach, highlighting the group’s echoing guitar riffs along with a childlike xylophone melody sounding off every now and then. The vocal layering is tasteful and delicate, further adding to the gentle indie-rock atmosphere at hand. The Jarman brothers’ chemistry is evident, and their sound is airtight. Their newest single is a prime example of their lasting familial and musical creativity.

When talking about the song, group vocalist and bassist Gary Jarman stated, “This song is a true full-band effort – it required all 3 of the brothers to make it happen. I originally started work on the track back in 2011,” continued Jarman. “It was supposed to be an anniversary present for my wife (who was away on tour at the time). Unfortunately, around that time a friend of ours was involved in an accident and ended up in the ICU, and so I shelved the song indefinitely due to the sad memories that became attached to it.”

Jarman finished off his thoughts after describing the realization he came to after having to be convinced to bring back and record the song. “[D}espite spending over a decade gathering dust, I am really proud of how this song eventually came into being. It’s pretty special.”

In November of last year, The Cribs released their eighth album Night Network. After rescheduling their 2022 United Kingdom tour dates, the group announced their U.S. leg of the tour featuring the Portland-based band Slang on various stops along the way. Check out the U.S. tour dates below.

The Cribs US Tour Dates:

Jan 31, 2022 – Anaheim, CA – Chain Reaction **
Feb 1, 2022 – Los Angeles, CA – The Lodge Room **
Feb 2, 2022 – San Francisco, CA – The Independent **
Feb 4, 2022 – Portland, OR – Doug Fir **
Feb 5, 2022 – Seattle, WA – Chop Suey (Early) **
Feb 6, 2022 – Vancouver, BC – Rickshaw Theatre **
Feb 9, 2022 – St. Paul, MI – Turf Club
Feb 10, 2022 –  Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall
Feb 11, 2022 – Ferndale, MI – Loving Touch
Feb 12, 2022 – Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace
Feb 15, 2022 – Washington DC – Union Stage **
Feb 17, 2022 –  Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s **
Feb 18, 2022 – Cambridge, MA – The Sinclair **
Feb 19, 2022 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg **
Feb 20, 2022 – New York City, NY – Gramercy Theater **

**Supported by: Slang