REVIEW—Artist: Camera Obscura Album: “Let’s Get Out Of This Country” Label: Merge
First thing’s first. Yes, I do know that I’m a year late with this review and that it came out a year ago last Tuesday, however, I just discovered it, (I can’t hear everything, as much as I try!) and this is worthy of attention.
Camera Obscura are a Scottish band mining similar soft, delicate ground as their friends Belle and Sebastian, only their sound is much less cloying and self conscious. With horns, an organ, the occasional accordian, and a string section (arranged by none other than Bjorn Yttling of Peter Bjorn and John fame) the band works like a well-honed little orchestra. Often, they don’t sound current. They sound more like AM radio pop from the late sixties and early seventies. Lead singer Tracyanne Campbell sounds like a cross between the Concretes’ Victoria Bergsman and the Sundays’ Harriet Wheeler. A sweet combo, indeed!
Campbell wrote all ten of the songs on here. Ten odes to heartbreak, which provide an honest, sadly moving soundtrack, perfect for crying into one’s pillow. This is music for the emotionally worn in need of a record to keep them company to tell them everything is going to be OK. At it’s most poignant, it can be quite wrenching. The mood is set off by “Lloyd, I’m Ready To Be Heartbroken,” (which is a response to Lloyd Cole’s “Are You Ready To Be Heartbroken?”) It’s a surprisingly bouncy song considering it’s sentiment, but that seems to be Camera Obscura’s forte. Their sad songs are rarely downtempo. In fact, in the midst of all this heartbreak sit both “If Looks Could Kill” and “I Need All The Friends I Can Get,” two of the finest classic Motown impressions that six pasty Scotsmen can produce! (Berry Gordy should be proud!)
There are exceptions of course. The most moving track here is the slow “Country Mile” which could quite easily drive you to tears if you can relate to it’s sentiment of long-distance, long-lost love. Campbell sings, “I wish you could be here with me, I would show you off like a trophy….I won’t be seeing you for a long while, I hope it’s not as long as a country mile, I feel lost.” It’s beautiful and tragic. If you listen to it and feel nothing, I hate to tell you, but you must be dead.
Elsewhere, there is also a nice ode to the sadness of Andre Previn’s former wife “Dory Previn,” whom he left for a young, pregnant Mia Farrow. A lesser band would write just songs about sadness, but Campbell is a real scribe, loving to stick in little historical nuggets! If you know what she’s talking about, and understand her references, it’s that much more a rewarding listening experience.
“The False Contender” is a nice waltz, and the title track is a shimmering example of what Camera Obscura can do when all their pop cylinders are aligned.
Not only is “Let’s Get Out Of This Country” the best of Camera Obscura’s steller three-album discography, it’s also perhaps provides proof that being sad isn’t necessarily all that bad. Being raw and torn apart is rough, but albums like this provide a nice solace. Plus, it’s just so damn beautiful. Yes, Lloyd, I guess we’re all ready to be heartbroken! As long as we have Camera Obscura to help us through it.
Favorite Tracks
“Country Mile”
“Let’s Get Out Of This Country”
“Lloyd, I’m Ready To Be Heartbroken”
“If Looks Could Kill”
“I Need All The Friends I Can Get”
“Tears For Affairs”
"Come Back Margaret"
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posted by Allan Raible @ 5:30 PM
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