THE FAR CRIES are based around the intriguing pairing of tall, dark'n'handsome ex-Prague hotel pianist Martin Bjorck and attractive, blonde, Sharin Foo-style foil Liz Holdforth and the tracks on this introductory salvo suggest they will enjoy dodging the pigeonholes in the future.
"Stepping" features a bewildering array of possibilities. I can hear skronky, riff-driven rock (a la Breeders), programmed drums and keyboards (did somebody say Jesus Jones?), a soupcon of John Barry-style spy theme intrigue and the sort of weird, compressed vocal from Bjorck ("Tthey keep steppin' on my flat shoes!" appears to be the catchline) that Mark. E. Smith patented years ago. It's spiky and malignant, but by no means entirely removed from great pop.
Second track "The Edge" again comes proffering cool question marks. It's a heady affair which initially sidles up to electro-pop before chugging bass and sawn-off guitars enter the picture and the oblique, surreal lyrics ("I can't take the edge off something with no edge") begin to get a foothold in your psyche.
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Sneaky hacks like myself also get to sample a third tune called "Cold Love", which is cranked'n'spiked (handclaps! whoopee!) with live drums, short-circuiting guitars and Liz and Martin indulging in the briefest of duets based around the one lyric ("Cold love! Warm bed!") which says so much by saying so little. It's disposable, but pointed nonetheless, and suggests The Far Cries understand the importance of brevity.
And that's always enough to mark a band out for consideration in my book.
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