April 5–12, 2001

six pick

Arab Strap

You’re forgiven if your initial reaction to an Arab Strap album was something along the lines of, "God this guy sounds drunk!" The Scottish duo’s soft, sparse beats and low-key instrumentation on previous works left little to the ears other than vocalist Aidan Moffat, who — singing in a thick, slurring brogue — often seemed nicely inebriated. But the real difficulty behind albums like last year’s Elephant Shoe was the clashing of Moffat’s passionately lovelorn lyrics with music conveying stagnation and apathy. With The Red Thread (Matador), the band has reached a new emotional depth. Prominent instrumentation and vibrant beats create a fuller sound, setting moods to match the lyrics. Accordions wail, guitars cry, and looped samples shiver. Moffat’s vocals are thankfully less sprawling, and even the quiet numbers maintain a stirring sense of emptiness. Before, Arab Strap seemed to be wallowing in an alcoholic funk; now they’re letting you feel their pain. How well that pain translates to stage remains to be seen, but it’s probably safe to guess that the taps at the Khyber will be flowing.

—John Vettese

Tue., April 10, 9 p.m., at The Khyber, 56 South Second St., 215-238-5888, $10.