The Cribs Draft In Sonic Youth Legend

Sonic Youth guitarist Lee Ranaldo is set to appear on The Cribs’ forthcoming new album.

Franz Ferdinand’s Alex Kapranos is producing the follow-up to 2005’s ‘The New Fellas’ with the band in New York and revealed they have a surprise guest.

Ranaldo provides spoken word vocals on a track called ‘Be Safe’ and Kapranos says he was a joy to work with.

Speaking to BBC6music, he said: "He went through a few different takes and there was a little bit of juxtaposing different sets of texts together which worked really well. He was a real joy to work with."

Explaining his decision to produce The Cribs’ new record, the Scot continued: "I knew it was something I wanted to do at some point, production like this, but I didn't know it would happen so soon. The timing was perfect!

"Franz had just finished touring and we weren't going to get together to write for a while and I couldn't think of a band I'd want to go into a studio with more than these guys. I like their company and I love their music."

The album is touted for release later this year.