Pop/Alt - She may not be the safe and predictable girl that you bring home to meet the parents, but we love Russky-Brooklynite Regina Spektor for many reasons: the odd time signatures, the slightly warped melodies, the unpredictably squirrelly twists and turns that repel and ingratiate simultaneously. Spektor's delightfully off-center 2006 album Begin To Hope was just the kind of oddball pop remedy that we needed desperately at the time (and still do): highly theatrical, daring music that combined Tori Amos-styled-piano blood-letting with completely beguiling and original songs that warbled and crowed their ways into our hearts. Tracks like "Better" and "Fidelity" and "Samson" proved that indie-pop could compete with mainstream fare -- and still sleep soundly at night.

So we're delighted to report that Spektor's long-awaited followup Far is done. Of course, this being Regina, there's an interesting story or two. For now, let's suffice to say that there are four producers involved, three of whom make perfect indie-world sense: David Kahne who harnessed Spektor's Hope, Mike Elizondo (Fiona Apple) and Jacknife" Lee (U2, R.E.M.). The odd kicker here is Jeff Lynne, the ELO mainstay and Traveling Wilbury whose densely layered signature production flourishes have been praised and maligned for years -- "Free Fallin'" anyone?

Pitchfork reports that new on Far may include previewed tracks such as "Genius Next Door" ("dark narrative"), "Folding Chair" ("characteristic goofiness") and "The Calculation" ("sure to be hits"). We're just glad that Regina is back -- and we may just bring her home to mom and dad after all.

We're kind of assuming that "The Call", a track written for "Narnia: Prince Caspian" (commerce ho!) won't make the Far cut, but here it is anyway. And it's still better that 99% of what's out there in competition:

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