The Cribs and Johnny Marr's new songs – first listen

Franz Ferdinand's Alex Kapranos has heard five new songs destined for the forthcoming album by The Cribs and Johnny Marr, and has given the lowdown on them.

NME.COM had previously heard demos of the songs, which showcased a fast pace and hugely prominent guitar riffs, sounding like The Cribs at their most frenetic, but with bulkier guitar lines.

Kapranos, who produced The Cribs' last album, 2007's 'Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever', has since heard newer versions of the songs, which he has described as "amazing".

"Ross [Jarman, The Cribs' drummer] played me a few songs that they'd recorded with Johnny and they sound amazing," Karpanos told BBC 6music.

"He had them on his iPod. It was funny, because the guitars were panned hard right and left and it's amazing - in one ear you've got this very distinctive Johnny Marr style, and in the left ear you've got this very distinctive Ryan Jarman style. It's cool, it really works."

Keep checking NME.COM for the latest on the forthcoming album from The Cribs and Johnny Marr.