The Cribs, Southampton Guildhall

THE Cribs are angry tonight. Which is a good thing.

Any fears that agitator-in-chief Ryan Jarman may have had his ire cooled by new beau Kate Nash, watching in the crowd in Southampton, are thankfully blown away in seconds.

Because when Ryan and his two brothers, Gary and Ross, do angry, they're a frightening proposition.

The fury with which they attack bulldozing opener Our Bovine Public, with its attack on our homogenised society, is thrilling to behold.

And I can't really see I'm Alright Me's mantra of "Take drugs, don't sleep, have contempt for those you meet" popping up in a David Cameron manifesto any time soon.

Their strength can also be a weakness, however.

For all Ryan's ranting, he and joint vocalist Gary are actually pretty fine singers.

On record, there is a subtlety to both the vocals and the melodies that sadly seems to go awry when Ryan's fire overwhelms him.

It's left to Gary's more studied cool to provide the tact, which is beautifully showcased on a stirring Moving Pictures. The balancing act does work in the main, though, and produces a glittering Mirror Kissers.

And frankly, in a world in which Mika exists, the angrier the Jarmans get the better.

James Morton