Arab Strap

Arab Strap formed in Falkirk in 1995, Aidan Moffat and Malcolm Middleton developing a sound that was unlike anything else in British music. Moffat's spoken-word vocals — delivered in a thick Scots accent, dealing with sex, alcohol, loneliness, and the mundane details of Scottish working-class life — were simultaneously funny and devastating. Middleton's sparse, melancholy music was the perfect complement.

'The Week Never Starts Round Here' (1996) was the debut — a rough, intimate record that established the template. 'Philophobia' (1998) was the breakthrough — 'The First Big Weekend', 'Here We Go', and 'New Birds' were all extraordinary. The album showed a band capable of real emotional depth and genuine originality.

Arab Strap split in 2006 but reformed in 2016 and released 'As Days Get Dark' (2021) — one of the most acclaimed Scottish albums of recent years. Moffat's voice had only deepened with age, and the music had developed new textures and complexity. The reunion confirmed that Arab Strap were one of the most important Scottish bands of their generation.