Willfully Obscura

Last updated: 12/10/2006 - 12:48

With celebrity fans like Mike Myers and Conor Oberst and Stuart Murdoch - and two cracking albums into a quietly ace career, Glasgow's Camera Obscura are back for more.

Let's Get Out Of This Country by Camera Obscura

Courted by celebs like Mike Myers and Conor Oberst, associates of Belle & Sebastian (frontman Stuart Murdoch produced and arranged the band's 80's Fan 7" single and continues to produce the photographs for the album sleeves) and two cracking albums into a quietly ace career, Glasgow's Camera Obscura are back with a third gentle, tuneful long-player.

In Autumn 2005, Camera Obscura travelled from Glasgow to Stockholm to begin work on a new album with acclaimed producer Jari Haapalainen (who's previously worked with The Concretes, Ed Harcourt and the International (Noise) Conspiracy).

Influenced by a wide variety of heroes - from Jimmy Webb to Lloyd Cole, from Connie Francis to Skeeter Davis, from the Supremes to David Lynch - lead singer/songwriter Traceyanne Campell and crew have assembled a remarkable batch of new songs. Decidedly upbeat and catchy (If Looks Could Kill, Lloyd I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken), while also beautifully romantic, quiet and reflective (Country Mile, Dory Previn), the new album - Let's Get Out Of This Country - is the sound of a wonderful young band just hitting their stride.

The full tracklisting for the new long-player Let's Get Out Of This Country looks like this:

1. Lloyd I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken
2. Tears For Affairs
3. Come Back Margaret
4. Dory Previn
5. The False Contender
6. Let's Get Out Of This Country
7. Country Mile
8. If Looks Could Kill
9. I Need All the Friends I Can Get
10. Razzle Dazzle Rose

Here's what some of the critics have been saying about the band:

"One of Camera Obscura's finest attributes is consistency. There's hardly a dud to be found in their catalog, and their similarly styled songs distinguish themselves the old-fashioned way - with memorable melodies and unique lyrics. Pleasantly, that ethos remains mostly unchanged......Though they haven't changed much in the span of three terrific albums, Camera Obscura no longer recall Belle & Sebastian; they only sound like themselves" - Brian Howe, Pitchfork review

"Campbell's voice is gorgeously mellifluous" - The Guardian.

"Brilliant" - Huw Stephens, Radio 1.

"The best thing I've heard all year" Richard Hawley - Mojo magazine (January 2007).

"Record of the Week" - Lauren Laverne, Xfm.

"She may be describing the collapse of a relationship, but when Traceyanne Campbell sings "I can't see further than my own nose at this moment", she makes jealousy and solipsism sound like huge fun" - Maddy Costa, Guardian Unlimited Arts.

"Insanely catchy single" - Dermot O'Leary, Radio 2.

"Splendid new album" - Gideon Coe, 6 Music.

"Yes, Let's Get Out Of This Country is a ludicrously fey, coy, twee and light record that could very feasibly be knocked out by an injured butterfly, it's that gentle. But it's also a gorgeously produced, beautifully romantic and ultimately uplifting record, which simultaneously manages to tug on your heartstrings while also causing a giant stupid grin to break out all over your face. Quite, quite wonderful." - Richard Smirke, PlayLouder review

Collectively Camera Obscura is: Tracyanne Campbell/guitar & vocals, Carey Lander/piano, organ & vocals, Kenny McKeeve/guitar, mandolin, harmonica & vocals, Gavin Dunbar/bass, Lee Thomson/drums, Nigel Baillie/trumpet & percussion.

Lloyd I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken - a stand out live track for the band and the first single to be taken from the new album and is a master-class in intelligent, melodic, pop music. A highlight of recent sold-out shows in New York and SXSW, witnessed by high profile fans such as Mike Myers and Conor Oberst. The US beckons again in July following a recent successful twelve-date British tour.

For more information on all things Camera Obscura-like, visist the band's official website at: www.camera-obscura.net and listen to some musical treats over at: on www.myspace.com/cameraobscuraband (and there's been 300,000+ listens to their songs on this page since it was posted, so you may not be the only one pointing your browser there...)

Camera Obscura - a selected discography:

Let's Get Out Of This Country (CD, vinyl LP and MP3 download) 2006.
Lloyd I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken single 2006.
Underachievers Please Try Harder (CD and gatefold sleeve vinyl LP) 2004.
I Love My Jean (7" single) 2005, Elefant.
Teenager (7" single) 2003, Elefant.
Keep It Clean (7" single) 2004, Elefant.
Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi (CD and viny LP) 2001, Andmoresound.
Eighties Fan (vinyl 7" only - also features the tracks Shine Like A New Pin and Let's Go Bowling) 2001.
Park and Ride (7" single) 1998, Andmoresound.
Your Sound (7" single) 1998, Andmoresound.

For more information visit the official website: www.camera-obscura.net and the band's label: Elefant Records.

Let's Get Out Of This Country is in the shops now as a CD, vinyl LP and MP3 download, through Elefant Records. Former single Lloyd I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken is also still available.

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