The pain principle

"Two little boys had two little toys

Neither had a wooden horse

One had a guitar

And one had a tongue that was coarse."

Fancy a long, dark rock 'n' roll night of the soul? Then try spending an evening in the company of Aidan Moffat and Malcolm Middleton, two of pop music's most accomplished miserablists. Arab Strap are named after a sex toy, but there's not much fun to be found in their bitter, vindictive songs, which delve into the darker, seedier side of love and relationships. You can be sure that Westlife won't be covering any Arab Strap songs - the grubby realism might soil their Persil whites.

"No one really writes honest, spiteful love songs," claims Moffat, "The kids never hear it like they should hear it. They should know of the farting, the fighting and the fucking. The pain and the pleasure." Formed in Falkirk, Scotland in 1995, Arab Strap signed to Chemikal Underground, and their debut single, The First Big Weekend, chronicled a drunken weekend during which Scotland were knocked out of Euro '96. An auspicious start indeed.

Their debut album, The Week Never Starts Around Here, stretched the misery to almost interminable levels, offering brooding music and despair-drenched lyrics for our delight and delectation. The follow-up, Philophobia, offered little respite from the sweet pain, combining stark, soul-baring vocals with some of the loveliest, loneliest guitar pop this side of Smog. Signs are, however, that Moffat's world view is mellowing, moving from abject anger to a lighter, more accepting shade of blue.

Not everybody can handle Arab Strap's unsavoury home truths. When they supported Mogwai at London's Garage in 1997, their downbeat delivery and shambolic stagecraft prompted the peasants to revolt and rush the stage. Undaunted, Moffat and Middleton sharpened their live skills, accentuating the negative and refusing to compromise their uniquely jaundiced vision.

So, lock up your boy-bands and send your girl groups home to bed. Arab Strap are pissed off as hell, and they want you to share the experience. After all, misery loves company.

Arab Strap play the Temple Bar Music Centre on Sunday 30th.