In the Belly of the Brazen Bull

After the departure of guitarist Johnny Marr from the group was announced on 11 April 2011, the Cribs started working on writing the follow up to Ignore the Ignorant as a three-piece. They played several headlining slots at UK festivals in summer 2011, as well as a show at Le Zenith, Paris with The Strokes, and a trip to Brazil for two shows in São Paulo. In December, the band headlined the Clockenflap festival in Hong Kong, debuting material from the new album for the first time.[8]

Recording for the album began in summer 2011 with Queen producer David Richards, at Mountain Studios, Montreux. However, the sessions were later shelved, due to unspecified circumstances. Instead, the band recorded the majority of the LP at Tarbox Road Studios, Cassadaga with producer and engineer David Fridmann in autumn and winter 2011 and early 2012. Sessions at Electrical Audio studio, Chicago with engineer Steve Albini-produced "Chi-Town", and then a self-produced session at Abbey Road, London, yielded the final four-song suite that closes the record. Sam Okell and Pete Hutchings engineered the latter sessions, and all songs received mastering treatment at Sterling Sound, New York City from Greg Calbi.[9]

As per previous Cribs releases, Nick Scott provided the cover and inlay artwork. The band returned to a three-piece line-up, with Gary on vocals, bass and extra guitar, Ross on drums and percussion and Ryan on vocals and lead guitar. Dave Fridmann played some mellotron and omnichord throughout the LP, whereas Rodrigo Ezquerro provided violin with Tristan Back on cello for the 'Stalagmites' section of the four-song suite that closes the album.

During the writing of the album; Ryan Jarman was going through what he called a 'mental breakdown' after he broke up with his long-term girlfriend Kate Nash in 2011, which inspired some of the tracks on the album.[10]

Four singles were released to promote the album. The first official single, "Come on, be a No-One" found release on 23 April, while 22 July brought "Glitters Like Gold". Both singles have continued a tradition of coming backed with original b-sides. Bookending these singles, the band gave away the song "Chi-Town" as a free digital download and as an extra release to those who purchased the deluxe edition of the LP on 14 February 2012, whereas a collaboration with artist Martin Creed produced Work #1431, a video for "Anna".

All tracks are written by Gary Jarman, Ross Jarman and Ryan Jarman.