HEY Y’ALL. Buckle up, because today we’re off to what is arguably the best country in the world–that’s right, Scotland! Camera Obscura, named for a fantastic tourist destination in Edinburgh, is here to knock your bobby sox off.
First things first: Welcome to all the new commenters who streamed in here over the weekend, we’re thrilled to have you. Also, I almost forgot about this post because I am puppy sitting and you would not believe how cute this dog is. Seriously. If I had a picture it would be the rest of the column. Just a picture of Gracie the puppy. It would be PMag’s most popular post, like, EVER.

But! Back to the music. Like lots of indie-pop bands from Scotland, Camera Obscura has a reputation for melancholia. Think of them as the shyer, Supremes-listening cousin of Belle and Sebastian. All three of their records, to date, sound like they’re products of the Wall of Sound ’60s era, and the first two are lo-fi, slightly sobering albums. Exquisite, but sobering. Here’s a taste of “A Sister’s Social Agony”, from their debut album Underachievers Please Try Harder:
Now contrast that with “French Navy,” the opening track of the disarmingly titled My Maudlin Career:
Someone got invited to prom!*
My Maudlin Career keeps that doo-wop girl-group groove and ratchets it up to 11. The horn section alone on this album must be about fifteen people, and I think there’s a tambourine line in nearly every song. Yes! A tambourine, the world’s most irritating instrument, is actually used well for the first time in history. Mixed with the retro sounds is a chiming, shining electric guitar, masterfully wielded by Kenny McKeeve, which doesn’t play a melody line as much as a succession of perfect notes. Lead singer Tracyanne Campbell writes all the band’s songs and plays rhythm guitar, in addition to wearing a succession of the greatest fifties-type dresses ever seen on a rock stage.

Her lyrics are dreamy and weird, a sort of math-class notebook doodle mixed with a daydream during fourth period. In “Honey In The Sun,” her heart is, “warm as saxophones and honey in the sun for you,” and to her French Navy sailor, “You with your dietary retrictions, said you loved me with a lot of conviction….” The arrangements are futher complimented by string sections, arranged by Bjorn from Peter, Bjorn and John, who also worked with Camera Obscura on their last album. The resulting sound is brassy, brash, and completely infectious. “Honey In The Sun” is the last song on the album, and it’s a great closer for a record that begins just as strongly as it ends.
The joyfulness of the album is made even more suprising by the contrast of some dark lyrics which may tell a sad story. “Away With Murder” seems to reference a suicide, and “James” is a long, lovely song to a departed friend.
The album itself is dedicated to a James Simpson Dunbar. Whether or not Campbell or the band as a whole lost James to distance, illness or death, there’s really no more moving tribute than this glowing, gorgeous slice of Glasgow indie pop. Some have said that they find the album repetitive, either within itself or when compared to previous releases by the band; and Camera Obscura certainly have their own style that they rarely deviate from. However, I find My Maudlin Career to be the most optimistic of the band’s three albums, and of those three, definitely my favourite. Mr. Brum and I have been known to start foxtrotting in a Zara’s when “French Navy” came over the sound system. I dare you not to do the same.
*I know, this is such a heteronormative cliche, but it’s exactly what I thought upon hearing this for the first time
12 replies on “As-Yet-Unnamed Music Column: Camera Obscura”
I didn’t know that they were from Scotland. Nice. I have “French Navy” on a playlist I got from some SFbay area blog, titled “A Day in the Life of the Modern San Franciscan.”
I got to see them at the South Street Seaport like four years ago! I just wish that I had known who they were/been into their music at the time. I did not appreciate back then. :(
I almost let out an audible squee at that dog. I would get not one shred of anything done if I were around that  much cute.
Also yay Camera Obscura! I do find that their albums can get a bit same-y, so I mostly listen to singles instead. They also work well in almost any sort of playlist that I make. Which probably says something  about how much twee, sad bastard music I own.
As long as you don’t own anything by Architecture In Helsinki, which is the twee-est band ever, you’ll probably be okay. I can recommend a twelve-step programme if you need.
Oh so guilty as charged. I blame reading a lot of Bust magazine music reviews and hanging out with Idahoan baby hipsters my senior year of college.
Twelve step program, you say?
Did I say twelve steps? Beer. Twelve beers. PBR to Coors LIght.
This reminded me to listen to Camera Obscura again. I thought My Maudlin Career was OK, but my most favorite song from them is “Lloyd, I’m Ready to be Heartbroken.” I might be getting the title wrong but it is just so good.
Also, yay music columns!
‘Cause I can’t see further than my own nose at this moment!
I just wanted to pop in and say, YAY, a music column! I am super excited! Can’t wait to read more.
Yay! We’re on every week.
so sweet!
Lovely! I’d never heard that.