The year of Arab Strap

The year 2005 has turned out a very productive year for the Glasgowian duo Aidan Moffat and Malcolm Middleton. This summer and autumn each of them released their own solo albums, Aidan in the form of his alter ego Lucky Pierre - with the experimental electronica album Touchpool - while Malcolm released another great melancholica album with his Into the woods (see a previous review in this blog).

Now, near the end of the year, they're back together as Arab Strab with their sixth proper studio album, The Last Romance. My initial reaction was that they've made another very typical Arab Strap album, a bit lighter than their previous albums perhaps but still with that melancholic piano and guitar carrying the melodies and with Aidan uncovering his feelings about women, relationships and sex. This is indicated already on the opening song, Stink, which is a very typical Arab Strap song. Here are the first few lines:

Burn these sheets that we've just fucked in
My weekend, weekend, I've been sucked in
Just one more time and then you'll get tucked in
I think you may still be my best

Come with me cause I need a thrill now
It's okay cause I'm on the pill now

Stink is followed by one of the album's highlights, [If there's] no hope for us. Musically it has a feeling of The Cure but the mixture of Aidans rusty voice and the nice female vocal also brings back the memories of the Fairytale of New York on which the lovely voice of the late Kirsty MacColl was balanced by the drunkard voice of Shane MacGowan. Unfortunately the CD inlet doesn't identify the female singer.

There are many other good songs on the album but my personal favorite so far is the lead single, Dream sequence, which is being driven by a dominant piano and nice low-key guitars in the background. It certainly has a hit potential!

Though it's too early to rate this album - it's a grower - I'm sure it will bring the band new fans and keep the old ones happy. It's a great work of art and another interesting look into contemporary life in urban Scotland!