Another Form of Relief

I’ve been listening to some new material by Malcolm Middleton this evening, which made me remember just how awesome he is. Dare I say that I actually enjoy a lot of his solo work more than Arab Strap? I really like Arab Strap and all, but some of the songs there are a little too dirge like for my tastes. Middleton on the other hand manages to bring a catchy melody to his vicious self-loathing.

I recently found this acoustic set from French radio station Planet Claire. Those guys couldn’t build a website to save their lives, but they know how to get some fantastic guests in their studio it would seem. This set was recorded in June 2005, so there’s no new material here, with all five songs being taken from ‘Into The Woods’, the album he’d just released at the time.

I really like just how stripped down these songs sound, as it helps them quite a bit. I love ‘Into The Woods’, but it does feel a little overproduced at times. Reducing these songs to just Middleton and his guitar returns the songs to the more appropriate feel of a miserable man singing his heart out in private. And no one does misery like Middleton.

MP3 Malcolm Middleton - Break My Heart (acoustic) (expired)
MP3 Malcolm Middleton - Devastation (acoustic) (expired)
MP3 Malcolm Middleton - Autumn (acoustic) (expired)
MP3 Malcolm Middleton - Monday Night Nothing (acoustic) (expired)
MP3 Malcolm Middleton - A New Heart (acoustic) (expired)

Malcolm Middleton’s new album, ‘A Brighter Beat’, will be released on February 27 by Full Time Hobby. You can currently listen to two songs from it on his Myspace page.

Malcolm Middleton: Myspace