"Philophobia", in many respects, is an album that dwells on awkwardness. It's purposefully misshapen, bluntly written, clumsily sung, melodies are timid and the instrumentation could define subtlety, it goes on forever and the mood of it could put you to sleep. But Arab Strap have always had a way of circumnavigating their knack for the off-kilter and awkward, turning it into something that paradoxically makes sense. "Philophobia" is their most straightforward release, surprising in how unsurprising it is, never really challenging itself or its listeners.
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