Camera Obscura
Country of origin:
Scotland
Type of music generally:
Indie pop
Status:
Most recent release, Desire Lines (2013)
See also:
Camera Obscura's site
Comparisons:
She & Him, Belle and Sebastian, Stars, Au Revoir Simone
Covers/own material:
Own
General comments:
Their slower songs are sadcore. Their upbeat songs are jangly indie pop, with 60s sounds and surf rock influences. (JoAnn Whetsell)
Recommended first album:
Let's Get Out of This Country or My Maudlin Career
Recordings:
- Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi (2001, re-released in 2002 and 2004)
- Underachievers Please Try Harder (2003)
- Let's Get Out of This Country (2006)
- My Maudlin Career (2009)
- Desire Lines (2013)
Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi
Release info:
2001
Availability:
Wide
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended
Comments:
A strong debut full of jangly pop, sometimes shiny and happy, sometimes a little sadder. I really enjoy the interplay of the male and female voices, how they trade leads. And I love the final, instrumental track. (JoAnn Whetsell)
Underachievers Please Try Harder
Release info:
2003—Elefant Records/Merge Records—MRG239
Availability:
Wide
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended
Group members:
Lee Thomson—drums
Gavin Dunbar—bass
Carey Lander—piano, organ, singing
Kenny McKeeve—guitar, mandolin, harmonica, singing
John Henderson—singing, percussion
Tracyanne Campbell—guitar, singing
Nigel Baillie—trumpet
Produced by:
Camera Obscura and Geoff Allan
Comments:
A sunnier album than Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi. I find the 60s influences stronger here. "Let Me Go Home" even has a little bit straight from the Supremes' "Baby Love". (JoAnn Whetsell)One of the best albums of the decade. (christina_skov@hotmail.com)
Let's Get Out of This Country
Release info:
2006—Elefant—ER-1123/Merge Records—MRG276
Availability:
Wide
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended
Group members:
Nigel Baillie
Tracyanne Campbell
Gavin Dunbar
Carey Lander
Kenny McKeeve
Lee Thomson
Guest artists:
Bjorn Yttling—string arrangements
Tomas Hallonsten—accordion
Britta Persson—backing vocals
Jari Haapalainen—percussion
Andreas Forsman—violin
Erik Holm—violin
Erik Arvinder—violin
Lena Bergström—cello
Sibille Attar, Victoria Bergsman, Isak Klasson, Markus Krunegard, Britta Persson, Marcella Svensson—open choir on "If Looks Could Kill" and "I Need All the Friends I Can Get"
Produced by:
Jari Haapalainen
Comments:
More orchestrated than Underachievers Please Try Harder, with a stronger, but different, 60s sound. (JoAnn Whetsell)One of the best albums of the year. (lasherboy@gmail.com, christina_skov@hotmail.com)
My Maudlin Career
Release info:
2009—4AD—CAD2907CD
Availability:
Wide
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended
Group members:
Tracyanne Campbell—lead vocals, guitar
Gavin Dunbar—bass guitar
Carey Lander—piano, organ
Kenny McKeeve—guitar, backing vocals
Lee Thomson—drums
Guest artists:
Jari Haapalainen—percussion
Per Johansson—horn
Christopher Ohman—viola
Anna Dager—cello
Stefan Persson—trumpet
Erik Arvinder—violin
Andreas Forsman—violin
Jessica Hugosson—violin
Santiago Jimenez—violin (4, 10)
Britta Persson—backing vocals
Nicolai Dunger—backing vocals (2)
Bjorn Yttling—string & horn arrangements
Produced by:
Jari Haapalainen
Comments:
Here's another artist who sets sad songs to wonderfully upbeat music. The band continues to develop their signature sound on this sublime album—lots of strings and lilting, swooning vocals. A great addition to the band's impressive catalogue. (lasherboy@gmail.com)My favorite of their albums. (JoAnn Whetsell)
One of the best albums of the year. (christina_skov@hotmail.com)
Desire Lines
Release info:
2013—4AD—CAD3314CD
Availability:
Wide
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended
Group members:
Tracyanne Campbell—vocals, guitar
Kenny McKeeve—guitar
Carey Lander—keyboards
Gav Dunbar—bass guitar
Lee Thomson—drums
Guest artists:
Neko Case—backing vocals
Jim James—backing vocals
Paul Brainard—pedal steel guitar
Gilbert Elorreaga—trumpet
Mark V. Gonzales—trombone
Dan Bechdolt—tenor and baritone saxophone
Nathaniel Smith—cello
Jeremy Kittel—strings
Produced by:
Tucker Martine
Comments:
Yet another fantastic album of melancholy pop. (lasherboy@gmail.com)Another great album. As usual the music is deceptively bright compared to the lyrics. (JoAnn Whetsell)
Thanks to JoAnn Whetsell for work on this entry.
