Malcolm Middleton

While Arab Strap fans might still be mourning the loss of their beloved band, it has opened the door to two already promising solo careers by Malcolm Middleton and Aidan Moffat. Middleton has hinted that he might be the one to watch out of the pair and his third album simply reaffirms that assessment. Like its predecessors, A Brighter Beat is a more upbeat, varied album than Arab Strap were able to produce, although lyrically it covers a lot of the same ground. That means that "Fuck It, I Love You” is actually a tender love song guaranteed to get next to no airplay thanks to a liberal spattering of swearing. His lyrical honesty, complete with wit and humour, is the album’s greatest strength, but what might come as a shock to some listeners is how accomplished Middleton is when it comes to writing a good tune. Those two things together make A Brighter Beat a remarkably optimistic album despite spending a good amount of time wallowing in the mire, and the best solo record by an Arab Strap member so far.