Malcolm Middleton
Into the Woods

THE REVIEW

When you see pictures of Malcolm Middleton you can't be mistaken: he is Scottish. Seeing him together with his former partner Aidan Moffat, during the Arab Strap times, wearing a kilt, well, it really makes you think that besides being Scottish, he must be really proud of it. After all, it is well known that few nations are as chauvinistic as those in the United Kingdom.

I never loved Arab Strap to madness, authors of slow, rhythmic, and smoky tracks, so enveloping and confidential that in extreme cases, they might even cause sudden nod-offs. Fortunately, that's not my case, but in the long run, Aidan Moffat's timbre, more leaning towards spoken-word - about sex and alcohol, naturally - rather than singing, becomes a bit monotonous with the concrete risk of immersing the listener in a kind of auditory limbo not alleviated by musical wallpaper very often reduced to its bare minimum. Having said that, there is a track on "Philophobia," a 1998 album, that hypnotizes me every time. So, if there is a song I would never want to end, it is the circularity of "Here We Go": listen to believe. Adventure ended in 2006 with about ten albums behind them, including collections, outtakes, b-sides, and live.

Malcolm Middleton's solo career began, with the group still functioning, in 2002 and to date includes 4 albums, the latest of which was published a few months ago: "Into The Woods" is the second and dates back to 2005.

Having left behind the paroxysmal elongated suffused atmospheres that characterized Arab Strap, Our Guy has shifted towards a more canonical song form with increasingly disparate influences. Accompanied by a well-assorted instrumentation, there's a voice filtered through, with a limited range, yes, but that finally frees a song with all the rules of the game, unlike his former business partner, Moffat.

We range from more markedly rock episodes like "Loneliness Shines," to the subtle dance weaves of "Beart With Me" and "No Modest Bear," passing through two poignant, classic piano ballads halfway between Nick Cave and Paul Weller, such as "Devastation" and "Autumn." In "Burst Noel," it seems like crossing the misty Scottish landscapes aboard a puffing steam locomotive immersed among the moors of the Highlands, the legendary lakes, and the vast green valleys. Even memories of an unusually sober Shane McGowan emerge in the sweet nursery rhyme "Monday Night Nothing." up to raising the rhythm, just as the former, toothless, leader of the Pogues raised the elbow, in the concluding lively and festive "A New Heart."

The participation of his compatriot Stuart Braithwaite of Mogwai enriches the work, reminding us once more of the origin and pride of the land of Scotland to which, I am sure, Malcolm Middleton is proud to belong.