U.K. edition The follow-up to 2003's well-received MONDAY AT THE HUG & PINT, THE LAST ROMANCE continues Arab Strap's successful run of songs about losers and malcontents. This time around, the Scottish duo of vocalist Aidan Moffat and multi-instrumentalist Malcolm Middleton expand and amp up their often sedate indie-rock sound, while sticking to themes of bleak working-class realism. "Stink" is a spare, melancholy tune that descends into dark, distorted guitar riffs (a la Mogwai), while "Speed Date" is a surprisingly propulsive rocker, which is then followed by the appropriately atmospheric "Dream Sequence." The two songs reinforce the notion that Arab Strap, though possessing a distinct, fully formed aesthetic, is still a restlessly inventive band intent on charting a range of musical terrain.