Pitchfork

2007 just isn't the same without Arab Strap. We miss the dour duo. We miss listening to their bawdy ramblings and drinking ourselves into oblivion. We miss getting smacked upside the face every time we try to explain their name to some girl at the bar. Lucky for us U.S.-dwelling mopes, Arab Strap have announced plans to deliver their previously reported swan song to our freedom-loving doorsteps.

The Arab Strap farewell compilation Ten Years of Tears-- which received a respectable 8.2 from Pitchfork's Joe Tangari just yesterday-- collects a whole mess of Strap favorites, some B-sides and rarities, and a new tune or two, and arrives Stateside via Chemikal Underground on February 20. The U.S. version features the same tracklist as its UK brother (which came out this past October), reprinted below for your perusal.

While the Strap has split, members Aidan Moffat and Malcolm Middleton remain quite active with solo pursuits.

Middleton follows up 2005's Into the Woods with A Brighter Beat, out February 26 on London's Full Time Hobby. Title track single "A Brighter Beat" hits shoppes January 22 in digital and 7" formats. In support of the new disc, Malcolm's touring up a storm around Europe in the coming months, opening shows for both Robin Proper-Sheppard's Sophia and Badly Drawn Boy, as well as headlining a spate of gigs with a full band in March.

Moffat's electronic project L. Pierre (aka Lucky Pierre), meanwhile, follows up 2004's Touchpool with his Melodic Records-stamped third full-length, Dip, on January 15 in the UK and February 6 in the U.S.

Ten Years of Tears:

01 Preface: Set the Scene
02 Islands (Original 1995 Demo)
03 The First Big Weekend
04 Gilded (Live)
05 I Saw You (Peel Session)
06 The Clearing (Single Version)
07 Packs of Three (Live Acoustic)
08 (Afternoon) Soaps
09 Rocket, Take Your Turn
10 To All a Good Night
11 Turbulence (Bis Remix Radio Edit)
12 The Shy Retirer
13 Blood (Live)
14 If There's No Hope for Us (Rogue Version)
15 Where We've Left Our Love
16 The Girl I Loved Before I Fucked (Full Band Version)
17 Oxytocin
18 There Is No Ending (7" Edit)

A Brighter Beat:

01 We're All Going to Die
02 Fight Like the Night
03 A Brighter Beat
04 Death Love Depression Love Death
05 Fuck It, I Love You
06 Stay Close Sit Tight
07 Four Cigarettes
08 Somebody Loves You Up Late At Night Again
09 Superhero Songwriters

Dip:

01 Gullsong
02 Weir's Way
03 Gust
04 Ache
05 Hike
06 Drift

Malcolm Middleton:

01-24 Cologne, Germany - Stereo Wonderland *
01-25 Hamburg, Germany - Gruener Jäger *
01-26 Berlin, Germany - Fritzclub Im Postbahnof #
01-27 Hanover, Germany - Cafe Glocksee #
01-29 Hamburg, Germany - Uebel & Gefahrlich #
01-30 Bremen, Germany - Kulturzentrum #
01-31 Bielefeld, Germany - Forum #
02-01 Dortmund, Germany - FZW #
02-02 Cologne, Germany - Kulturkirche #
02-04 Munster, Germany - Gleis 22 #
02-05 Frankfurt, Germany - Mousonturm #
02-06 Saarbrücken, Germany - Roxy #
02-11 Dublin, Ireland - Olympia ^
02-12 Belfast, Northern Ireland - Mandela Hall ^
02-13 Edinburgh, Scotland - Queens Theatre ^
02-16 London, England - Empire ^
02-17 Bristol, England - St George's Hall ^
02-19 Leeds, England - City Varietes ^
02-20 Gateshead, England - Sage Theatre ^
02-23 Stockport, England - Plaza ^
03-17 Bristol, England - Thekla
03-18 Birmingham, England - Glee Club
03-19 Norwich, England - Arts Centre
03-20 London, England - KCLSU
03-21 Nottingham, England - Social
03-22 Manchester, England - Life Cafe
03-23 Newcastle, England - Cluny
03-24 Glasgow, Scotland - Classic Grand
03-25 Inverness, Scotland - The Works

* with Iain Archer
# with Sophia
^ with Badly Drawn Boy