Arab Strap: The Last Romance - Legendary Scottish miserablists Arab Strap return for their sixth studio album in fine style. It’s the first since 2003’s career defining ‘Monday At The Hug And Pint’, and just as John Peel said of The Fall, Arab Strap are always different, always the same. Aidan Moffat is back on form and Malcolm Middleton, fresh from his stunning solo album ‘Into The Woods’ seems never to run out of great melodies.

This new record is a lot more accessible and melodic than previous albums, and rather than pursuing a path of sullen introspection, this time Aidan and Malcolm seem almost positive, demonstrating an optimism lacking in their previous recordings. The single ‘Dream Sequence’ and the stunning ‘Come Round And Love Me’ feature the bands most traditional musical settings to date, and it’s mostly a great success. Album closer ‘There Is No Ending’, is even uplifting, complete with horns and a guitar solo!

Album opener ‘Stink’ and ‘Speed-Date’ are amongst the most mainstream-rock sounding songs the band have ever recorded, but there’s no need to worry about whether they’re making a cheap grab for success; when the latter song contains lyrics like "If I saw another man touch you I’d break his f***ing wrists", it’s clear to see the Strap won’t be facing Mcfly style fame any time soon.

The only really negative thing I could say about this album is that it is only 35 minutes long, and does not really contain a lot of expansion on the complexity of their last record. Quibbles aside, this is still a great album and a succinct introduction for anyone unfamiliar with Arab Strap. 7/10  Jamie Summers

The Crimea: Tragedy Rocks - Formed from the ashes of The Crockets and championed by the late great John Peel, ‘Tragedy Rocks’ sees Londoners The Crimea make their full-length debut. A labour of love, the album was written and recorded largely by front man Davey Macmanus himself, describing the recording process as ‘six months of killing myself every day’ and likening the writing process to answering mathematical equations.

The result however is somewhat of a subtle masterpiece. ‘Tragedy Rocks’ is packed full of beautifully melodic, surprisingly complex and undeniably catchy songs. From romantic up-tempo pop gems such as ‘Lottery Winners on Acid’ and ‘White Russian Galaxy’, to the darker more sinister tones of ‘Opposite Ends’ and ‘Someone’s Crying’, The Crimea have created an album that is both powerful and engrossing from start to finish.

Macmanus creates sweeping, almost symphonic indie rock’n’roll. Huge harmonic choruses combined with crashing guitars and cleverly woven piano gives the album surprising depth. You really do notice something new every time you listen to it. While Macmanus’s melodic and creative awareness is second to none, the highlight of the album is his off-beat lyrical ability. ‘Miserablist Tango’ is both poetic and tender, reminiscent of Conor O’berst’s Bright Eyes, while new single ‘Baby Boom’ is a triumph of modern lyrical styling, "I guess I was a little pre-historic pumpkin, at your place this afternoon"

Standout tracks here have to be ‘Baby Boom’ and ‘Bad Vibrations’, the latter a magnificent answer to the beach boy’s classic, and an uplifting melodic and lyrical masterpiece.

The Crimea have raised the bar and set a new benchmark for bands of 2006, with potentially one of the indie albums of 2005. If you’re a fan of indie, or just good music, you can’t go wrong with this. The Crimea: probably the best band you’ve never heard of. Go buy it. 8/10  Jack Marshall

Gemma Hayes: The Roads Don’t Love You - In a recent interview, Gemma Hayes confessed that she did not really listen to anyone else’s songs for a long period following her 2002 Mercury-nominated debut album ‘Night On My Side’. On the evidence of this belated follow-up, it is clear that switching back on to life in music has not been flawless for the Tipperary-based singer-songwriter – but that is not to say ‘The Roads Don’t Love You’ is without its fine moments.

Despite this long-term detachment, clear reference points are evident in places here. In the rare rockier elements, Hayes’ voice now bears a passing resemblance to that of Alanis Morrisette, such as at the end of album opener ‘Two Step’, and even ex-Cranberries singer Dolores O’Riordan in ‘Something In My Way’.

In particular, though, the chorus and subsequent vocal harmonies to ‘Another For The Darkness’ strongly evoke The Sundays, while the purely acoustic ‘Easy On The Eye’ and in particular the almost funereal piano and violin of ‘Helen’ are reminiscent of Damien Rice’s more pared-back moments.

However, while the fringes of the album provide occasional material of excellence, such as the pleasant, laid-back chorus to ‘Horses’, it is its middle triumvirate that offers the most delights.

‘Keep Me Here’, with the little drum fill-in of its chorus, and the synth-flecked ‘Undercover’ rival the best parts of her previous collection, but are then trumped by the album’s standout track, ‘Nothing Can’, led by a compelling staccato rhythm.

Overall, Hayes does not quite manage to top the prowess and additional variety of ‘Night On My Side’, which mixed prime single material in ‘Back Of My Hand’ and ‘Hanging Around’ with lengthier, more experimental pieces such as ‘Tear In My Side’ and ‘Lucky One’. Nonetheless, she has demonstrated here that on the whole her knack for songwriting has not dissipated. 7/10  Ian Johncock

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