Arab Strap sound like the most miserable men in Scotland. Their music is a celebration of melancholia, all slow beats, mournful guitar and lyrics about bad sex, drunkenness and failure. In the past this formula has actually produced some fine records but on this, their fourth album, it's beginning to wear a bit thin. Aidan Moffatt's rumbling, whispering vocals still sound distinctive and compelling but his songs have become far too repetitious and have lost much of their charm. The Red Thread does have its moments, and you have to admire its bravery for standing out from the pop crowd, but ultimately wilful awkwardness can only take you so far.

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