Philophobia

Hearing 'Packs of Three' begin Arab Strap's second full album with a gentle electric guitar strum and crisp drum beat is one thing, hearing Moffatt softly sing 'It was the biggest cock you'd ever seen, but no-one knows where that cock has been' is quite another. Put the two together and that's Arab Strap in a disturbing nutshell, once again. With a number of guest performers on keyboards, strings, and other instruments, Moffatt and Middleton once again create a series of tense, melancholy, and emotionally eviscerating numbers. Given the album title, meaning 'fear of love,' it's no surprise that happy-go-lucky tunes aren't anywhere to be found, but then again, that was never the Arab Strap M.O. in the first place. Lyrics as naked, realistic, and ugly as the cover paintings abound, their acid impact again, carefully shaped by the moody arrangements and steady pace throughout. The Albini-tinged production familiar from 'Week' recurs here, but the songs themselves feel perversely gentler.