Arab Strap – I’m totally fine with it don’t give a fuck anymore   – Album Review
by Killian Laher

Album Release Date – May 10, 2024

The second album in this phase of Arab Strap, and their eighth overall.  It starts with the big, stomping Allatonceness, Aidan Moffat spewing out bile over one of the dirtiest guitar riffs Malcolm Middleton has ever unleashed.  It’s the heaviest thing they have put out since Fucking Little Bastards.  After that opening, Moffat growls his way through Bliss, Hide Your Fires and Summer Season which despite their considerable groove still have a fair dollop of standard Strap misery.  Some of the tracks are quite ‘busy’ – Sociometer Blues with keyboards, guitars and skittering percussion can feel a bit like an onslaught.

The tracks that stand out are the slower ones such as Molehills.  It opens with guitar picking, you can hear every fret and a doomy drumbeat before ending with a pulsing keyboard that threatens to ignite but never quite does. Safe and Well is a rare quieter moment on what is quite a visceral-sounding album.

The brooding Strawberry Moon has grinding guitars over 1980s style beats.  They can do heartfelt with You’re Not There promising “I’d sleep on the right side for you”, while Haven’t You Heard is fairly upbeat and accessible.

No matter how bright the beats are, the melodies remain downcast with Arab Strap.  With the various references to email, FOMO and clicking on links it feels like they are as relevant now as they were 25 years ago.  Sure why wouldn’t fifty something year olds be interested in drugs, drinking and sex?

Allatonceness