IDLES built CRAWLER around a single question: what happens when rage stops being the point and becomes the cost of doing business. The Bristol band’s third album, released in 2021, trades the raw aggression of Joy As An Act Of Resistance for a looser, more atmospheric sound — but the anger underneath is no less present. This is a record about survival, about holding onto humanity in a world that wants you to lose it, and about the ways we cope with pain by turning it outward.
The title track sets the tone early. CRAWLER is not a sprint; it is a crawl, slow and deliberate, and the music matches that pace. The album runs 46 minutes across 14 tracks, and it moves through grief, addiction, memory, and the everyday cruelty of living with a body that hurts. It is a record about being alive, and about the work that takes.
Opening With MTT 420 RR
The album opens with MTT 420 RR, a track named after the drug test used in prisons. It is a statement of intent. The song is built on a simple riff, repeated until it becomes a wall, and the lyrics address the hypocrisy of a system that punishes people for using drugs while ignoring the structural violence that pushes them toward them. It is a sharp, pointed opener that immediately establishes the record’s political edge.
The Wheel follows, and it is a more immediate burst of energy. The song is about the cycle of addiction, the way it keeps spinning regardless of who is caught in it. The guitar work is urgent, the rhythm section locks in, and the vocal delivery is full of the kind of snarling conviction that made IDLES one of the most compelling live acts of their generation. It is a strong second track that shows the band can still hit hard when they want to.
When The Lights Come On And Car Crash
When The Lights Come On is a quieter moment, a song about the small moments of clarity that arrive when the noise finally stops. It is one of the more melodic tracks on the record, and it benefits from the contrast. The chorus is a genuine hook, and the sentiment lands with weight because the band has spent the rest of the album building toward it.
Car Crash is a return to the heavier sound, and it is a track about the wreckage of relationships. The title is literal — the song describes a car accident — but it also functions as a metaphor for the destruction that comes when people stop communicating and start lashing out. The production is dense, with layers of distorted guitars and a bassline that feels like it is pushing against the speakers. It is a strong track, but it does not quite reach the heights of the songs around it.
The New Sensation And Stockholm Syndrome
The New Sensation is a song about the seductive power of trauma, about how pain can become a kind of comfort. The lyrics describe a relationship that is toxic and exhilarating in equal measure, and the music matches that tension. It is a mid-tempo track with a driving rhythm and a melody that sticks, and it stands as one of the more memorable numbers on the record.
Stockholm Syndrome is a shorter, more fragmented piece. It deals with the psychological phenomenon of bonding with an abuser, and the song captures that dissonance in its structure — it is disjointed, with abrupt shifts in tempo and mood. It is a challenging listen, but it is also a bold one, and it shows the band willing to let a song feel uncomfortable rather than smoothing it over.
The Beachland Ballroom And Crawl!
The Beachland Ballroom is a song about a specific place, the Cleveland venue where the band has played many times. It is a love letter to a room that has hosted some of their most memorable performances, and the track carries a sense of warmth and nostalgia. It is a slower, more reflective piece, and it gives the record a moment to breathe before the intensity picks back up.
Crawl! is the title track, and it is a brutal, punishing song about the grind of daily life. The lyrics describe the act of crawling through routine, of surviving rather than thriving, and the music matches that grim determination. It is a heavy, relentless track that builds to a climax, and it earns its place as the centerpiece of the record.
Meds, Kelechi, Progress And Wizz
Meds is a song about medication, about the chemical balance that keeps people functioning. It is a more straightforward rock track, with a solid riff and a singalong chorus, but it does not quite reach the emotional depth of the songs around it. It is a competent entry in the tracklist, but it is not essential.
Kelechi and Wizz are the shortest tracks on the album, both under a minute long. They function as interludes, brief moments of reflection between the larger pieces. Kelechi is a tribute to a friend, and Wizz is a reference to a drug, and neither overstays its welcome. They are the kind of tracks that would be filler elsewhere but here serve to break up the density of the record.
King Snake And The End
King Snake is a song about betrayal, about the people who use you and leave you behind. The title is a biblical reference to the serpent in the Garden of Eden, and the lyrics draw on that mythology to explore themes of deceit and corruption. It is a darker track, with a brooding atmosphere and a sense of dread, and it sets up the final stretch of the album.
The End closes the record, and it is a fitting conclusion. The song is about mortality, about the inevitability of death and the way it shapes how we live. It is a quiet, reflective track that contrasts sharply with the fury of the earlier songs, and it ends the album on a note of acceptance rather than defiance. It is a strong closer, and it leaves the listener with a sense of resolution.
The Verdict
CRAWLER is a brave record. It is not afraid to slow down, to sit with discomfort, and to let the anger breathe. The best tracks — Crawl!, The New Sensation, The Wheel — are among the strongest songs IDLES have ever recorded, and the album as a whole holds together as a cohesive statement about the human condition. The weaker tracks — Meds, Kelechi, Wizz — are minor irritations rather than major flaws, and they do not drag the record down.
| Track | Length |
|---|---|
| MTT 420 RR | 5:30 |
| The Wheel | 3:25 |
| When The Lights Come On | 3:11 |
| Car Crash | 3:53 |
| The New Sensation | 4:13 |
| Stockholm Syndrome | 3:02 |
| The Beachland Ballroom | 4:01 |
| Crawl! | 4:20 |
| Meds | 3:56 |
| Kelechi | 0:29 |
| Progress | 3:46 |
| Wizz | 0:30 |
| King Snake | 2:54 |
| The End | 3:18 |
The record is not perfect. Some tracks feel like they are working harder than they need to, and the brevity of Kelechi and Wizz is a concession to pacing rather than a creative choice. But those are minor complaints against a record that is otherwise consistently strong.
- MTT 420 RR sets the tone with a sharp political statement
- The Wheel delivers the immediacy of the band’s live shows
- When The Lights Come On offers a moment of clarity amid the chaos
- Car Crash returns to the heavier sound with mixed results
- The New Sensation stands out as a memorable melodic highlight
- Stockholm Syndrome is a bold, fragmented challenge
- Crawl! earns its place as the title track
CRAWLER is a record about endurance, and it endures. It is a flawed masterpiece, a collection of strong songs held together by a vision of what it means to keep going when everything around you is falling apart. It is not the easiest listen IDLES have put out, but it is the most rewarding.
- MTT 420 RR5:30
- The Wheel3:25
- When The Lights Come On3:11
- Car Crash3:53
- The New Sensation4:13
- Stockholm Syndrome3:02
- The Beachland Ballroom4:01
- Crawl!4:20
- Meds3:56
- Kelechi0:29
- Progress3:46
- Wizz0:30
- King Snake2:54
- The End3:18
