I came to Arab Strap via the solo work of Malcolm Middleton. I came to Malcolm Middleton via the band Sophia. Many years ago, Robin Proper-Sheppard of The Sophia Collective, left a link on the band’s website to one of Malcolm’s tracks and it was the beginning of an obsession. I devoured Malcolm’s solo work and adored the dark humour contained therein.
My route to Arab Strap is therefore a bit of a rare one. I don’t have any memory of Aidan and Malcolm back in the day, when they were originally setting out. I have access to the music without any of the dangers of nostalgia. This is a definite advantage. The music can stand up for itself.
Their latest album, As Days Get Dark, is a beautifully complex piece of work and I dare say their best. The descriptive quality of the lyrics is aesthetically on a power with a J.G Ballard novel. Consider the second track, Another Clockwork Day. On a surface level, the song describes a person with a ‘specialist collection’ of images in a matter of fact way. These pornographic images are categorised by number, much like Ballard would deal with human body parts. The song is apparently devoid of emotion until one realises the pornography is a countermeasure to a meaningless life of routine. This descriptive approach, which does not provide any hint of judgement, works like hermeneutics in song.
This is what makes As Days Get Dark and Arab Strap so interesting and challenging. Their music does not operate in the same way other music does. Yes, you can still dance to the music sometimes but you are all wrapped up with keen insight when doing so.
Don’t come to this album looking for escape and a good time. Instead, prepare for an unflinching measure of the hard stuff.
Review by Glenn Robinson
