Former Arab Strap man Malcolm Middleton has talked about trying to interpret the grand themes in David Shrigley’s lyrics, only to discover that there were no grand themes intended, and the lyrics were simply about penises and animals defecating on each other. Not to worry, for the engaging, eclectic backdrops Middleton provided – from throbbing electro-punk to delicate acoustic folk – seem like a perfect fit regardless. Turner prize-nominee Shrigley’s misanthropic worldview – murderous cavemen, sadistic houseguests and monkeys eating their offspring are among the topics covered – is present and correct, although not everything here benefits from the surreal linguistic twists of his solo work. When he does catch you off guard, it’s splendid stuff, and most people will surely agree that Story Time is the prettiest song they’ll hear this year about badger plague.
• Malcom Middleton and David Shrigley – Story Time: premiere.
