7/10

Despite forming their legacy during the indie explosion of the early noughties, The Cribs have become one of the only names from that era that have not only continued their journey, but seem to be maintaining their quality as well. Over their last seven studio albums, the band have rarely faltered in any dramatic way and have shown many of their contemporaries that pursuing your chosen direction always pays off more than adapting to whatever temporary trend is happening at any given time. So now onto their eighth full-length 'Night Network', the trio are back once again to show them all how it's done.

While it is fair to say that the band haven't had a runaway hit in quite a while, their pursuit of the big and engaging songs has never diminished. From the start, 'Night Network' looks to offer up more of those huge and anthemic riffs that get lodged firmly in your head, long after you've finished listening, creating a memorable and enjoyable release throughout. It feels as if there is still this strong desire within themselves to relive the energy of their youth, but in a way that doesn't come off as cheap or shameless, giving us all a firm hit of nostalgia that has something fresh and different about it.

They will probably never reach the glittering heights of their heyday, but 'Night Network' is far from a duff in their catalogue to date. In fact it shows us that the creative spark they have always had still burns brightly, and we are probably far from seeing the last of The Cribs in the years to come.