Aidan Moffat + The Best-Ofs - How To Get To Heaven From Scotland (Album)

Chemikal Underground Records

March 25, 2009, 07:43 PM

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Now there's this misconception that the entire nation of Scotland is full of whinging moaner's and though I can see why this label has been placed upon us it is simply an unfair stigma to attach to us as despite what the surface may show of Aidan Moffat - dulcet tones, hobo-chic look, and seemingly miserable outlook on life - if you scratch a little deeper there's a warm, cuddly little fella aching to get out and on 'How To Get To Heaven From Scotland' that hidden persona come to the fore as the former Arab Strap frontman stares lust in the eyes and melts into love, just listen to opener 'Lover's Song' and all becomes clear and gloriously so as the track ebbs into beat-boxing, yes I typed that correctly beat-boxing!

It has been proffered that Moffat won't get any happier than he is on this album but you have to imagine the possibilities if he did, 'How To Get...' is full of quirks and melody that only a happy soul could conjure up and whilst it's laced with Moffat's almost monotonous vocals in order to try and drive home a wanton of miserability it's just not possible as tracks such as 'Oh Men!' rattle along with sea-saltiness, 'A Scenic Route To The Isle Of Ewe' bubbles with celtic-tribalness as if some sort of paean to the wicker man. 'That's Just Love' takes on a rowdy pub sing-song vibe that is almost a snapshot of late night lock ins across little Scottish village pubs.

'Ballad Of The Unsent Letter' tries to shuffle in a melancholy and succeeds with it's drivelled vocals as Moffat almost seems to defiantly want you to turn away from listening but Mr. Moffat you can't get rid of us quite so easily and of course he's just testing as the best is still to come in the form of 'Lullaby For Unborn Child' that drives Spector-esque vocal delivery to haunting organ and again tribal drums as Moffat sings tales of his fears and anxieties about fatherhood "Sometimes I wish I was there with with you/but as you know there's not much room/so in the meantime if you need me/just knock on the wall of your womb" it's a beautifully crafted love-song to his child and really strikes a chord that only a heartless bastard wouldn't feel.

So what better way to follow up than with a tale of the hardest working relationship in 'Living With You Now' that shows no matter how much of a pain in the arse relationships can be if you love each other all is forgotten for
even if there has been furniture damage "You punched me in the ear/so I threw you on the bed/You slammed and smashed a glass on the front door/I kicked a table into bits and threw a grapefruit at you head/and I have never loved you more".

Aidan Moffat is a treasure to behold and deserves more recognition than he gets but then it'd probably only make him more miserable and we don't want all you folk getting the wrong idea of our fine Scottish artists though to be honest we can't all be as happy as The Proclaimers now can we.

Why not try out the 'How To Get To Heaven From Scotland' digital boardgame it's almost as much fun as pop-up pirate but almost certainly less fun than naked-lady twister (or naked-man twister depending on your preference) anyway it's here .

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