Monday At The Hug & Pint is curious mix. It has smooth strings, dance beats, bagpipes, and lyrics that are brash urban poetry. The lyrics stand out because they are honest, plainly said and sung in a gravely Scottish drawl that draws you in and won’t let you go. Loosely set around the characters you might find in (the apparently real from the sleave notes) Hug & Pint pub in Glasgow, somewhere you should try to find as Arab Strap appear to be frequent visitors, there are tales of misfits, drunkards and floosies.

As a come down album, or even for those times you are not chemically imbalanced, this is a superbly sculpted piece. Building intensity and inducing calm at will, Aidan and Malcolm set out to take you on a journey. Featuring, amongst others, the sickeningly talented Conor and Mike from Bright Eyes may give you an idea as to the sheer quality that runs in rich veins through this album.

Label :Chemikal Underground
Release date: 21st April 2003