By Stan Cierlitsky
Damn! Arab Strap have been at it for 30 years. Half-Told Tales is their third album since reforming in 2016 and it's out this week. Of the record, Aidan Moffat (the voice) has said, "This time we put everything on it." It's 14 songs, and the record has songs for fans of every era of Arab Strap. Malcolm Middleton (the music) has opined that the push-pull dynamic between him and Aidan led to an album of total compromise. It's not the album that either wanted to make, but it's an album they're both satisfied with, apparently.
I couldn't be happier with where they've landed. Half-Told Tales is definitely one of my favorites. The first half of the album contains their singles, and it really feels like they were trying to reach new audiences with some of these more radio-friendly songs. First single "You You You" could be their most radio-friendly song ever. It feels like a love song for the middle-aged, and contains optimism that we haven't found in recent Arab Strap releases. Even Aidan has gone on record that there is "genuine joy" in Half-Told Tales. "Glamour Magick" is just hilarious. Aidan sings about all the products and procedures offered to the middle-aged to improve themselves, and Malcolm's music is so well produced and epic. "Be a Man", the last single, falls back into a slower vibe, making it a more comfortable Arab Strap song. It's a touching song about fatherhood and the notions of growing up.
I think Aidan is so funny on this record and is really embracing his inner Larry David. Album opener "I Get Noise" is Aidan belting out about how annoying and loud everything is. Of course, this is one of the noisiest songs they've ever done. And don't get me started on how many times he references his big hard belly or his scrotum on the record! To me, Half-Told Tales might be Malcolm's masterpiece. I have listened to Malcolm evolve over the years from his solo albums (especially 2018's Bananas), to his experimental project Human Don't Be Angry, to his amazing 2023 project Lichen Slow. There are so many different sounds captured here that he's obviously been picking up. The drums stand out on almost every song, while the guitar and piano are always amazing. Even the strings and horns here are nice touches. Kudos also to producer Paul Savage (The Delgados) for shaping the sound of Half-Told Tales.
The second half of the album really jumps around. Longtime Arab Strap fans are likely going to try to place these songs into older eras. For example, "Gape" and "Mr. Splitfoot" sound like they are from their earliest efforts, while "Dollar Park" sounds like it could have been on one of the last two long-players from Moffat and Middleton. We even get "Under Offer", which really reminded me of the Aidan Moffat and Bill Wells song "The Copper Top" from 2011's excellent Everything's Getting Older. On this record's second half, we also find my three favorite songs here: "Basic Physics", "Sunsong", and "Ampersand", all three of which could probably fit best into the duo's sound from the early years of this century and before they took their decade-long hiatus.
I am so happy they decided to not try and strip down the album to fewer songs. I really love the variety we get on Half-Told Tales. I have given up on the idea of them doing a proper tour of the States, but my fingers stay crossed. Until then, we can still enjoy records like this fine new one.
Half-Told Tales by Arab Strap is out today on Rock Action Records.
[Photo: Arab Strap Bandcamp, uncredited]