Independent Music CD Review

Camera Obscura
Let’s Get Out of This Country
Genre: Alternative/Punk
Styles: Indie Rock, Indie Pop
Label: Merge Records

Listening to just the first bars of “Lloyd, I’m Ready to Be Heartbroken,” the first track on this amazingly fun album, let me know I was in good hands with Camera Obscura. My first exposure to this UK band was not a disappointment. I’m definitely going to have to check out their previous two CDs.

The overall sound is retro 1960’s pop, with modern production values. It’s unabashedly light, and fun. The sound is clean, the vocals enchanting, and it avoids the “overproduction” all too common from some indie bands these days. Camera Obscura has delivered a wonderful indie pop album.

The first track refers to the song "Are You Ready to Be Heartbroken?" off Lloyd Cole and The Commotions’ first album, Rattlesnakes. The sound and lyrics and indicitive of the rest of the album: whimsical, witty, and just plain fun. In some cases, while they seem like they should be love songs, they're more “anti-love” songs. “The False Contender” sounds like a euro-pop ballad, mourning a lost love. If you listen closely though, you’ll find that Tracyanne Cambell, the lead singer, is really praying that “you’ll leave [her] someday.” She isn’t mourning a lost lover, she’s hoping he’ll get lost!

That’s not to say that all of the songs have a silly bend. Some, like “Country Mile” are quite touching. “Razzle Dazzle Rose” has one of the sweetest trumpet parts, played by bandmeber Nigel Baillie, that I’ve heard in some time. (So, I’m biased. I’m a trumpet player. Get over it.)

With Let’s Get Out of This Country, Camera Obscura has delivered a wonderful indie pop album. Every track is a gem. This is one of those albums that will become a classic in your collection. You’ll keep pulling it off your shelf to listen over and over. I know I am.

You can get “Let’s Get Out of This Country” and other Camera Obscura albums at eMusic