 | |
Monday at the Hug & Pint
[Chemikal Underground]
We had to wait for two years before the release Arab Strap's follow-up to the magnificent "The Red Thread", a long wait made easier by the release of their respective solo projects. "Monday at the Hug & Pint" marks the great return of Arab Strap and its dark real life songs, its melancholic and disillusioned chronicles of everyday life. Sex, jealousy, infidelity, treason, alcohol and other substances are the main themes crudely approached by the band, to the point of having the "Parental advisory" sticker put on their record. With the participation of fellow musicians from other bands (Bright Eyes, Bill Wells Trio, Mogwai) and brilliantly accompanied by violins and cellos, Aidan Moffat (vocal) and Malcolm Middleton (guitar) deliver thirteen tracks scanning once again the biases and deviances found in relationships, and in which we find this contrast between an always crude and heavy songwriting and a subtle alternation (even richer than in "The Red Thread") of haunting pop, folk ballads and more dub rhythmed tracks. We can only advise you to dip or even drown yourself in this "Monday at the Hug & Pint", probably the most achieved album of a band with a unique writing style.
Renaud Martin |
| | |  | | |
| | | |
| | | | |
