Camera Obscura My Maudlin Career Rating: 7.8 Label: 4AD Release: April 21, 2009

Coming across Camera Obscura a few years back was initially an accident, when my attempt to obtain songs from the California noise/experimental band, also named Camera Obscura, was short-lived due to their lack of exposure on the Interweb and P2P programs (Kazaa, anyone?). The few songs from Underachievers Please Try Harder, that were presumed to be from the former band, were just not cutting it, and said attempt was scrapped altogether. Even as that interest in noise rock (Melt-Banana, Arab on Radar, et al.) had started to wane, and the sounds of jangly indie-pop became ever-increasingly tolerable to my ears, there was never really a time when listening to a Camera Obscura album in one sitting even seemed possible. Perhaps a song here and there, but nothing more.

However, all of that has changed. 4AD had the privilege of releasing the Scottish band’s most recent endeavor, My Maudlin Career, a sparkling record which merits heavy rotation. From the instant the first track “French Navy,” kicks off, the two firm drum beats reel you in; the sweet vocals of Tracyanne Campbell, the solid drumming supporting the undeniably catchy stringed bits, and a hint of guitar produces a simple yet clever pop song, which most of MMC more or less showcases. The second track, “The Sweetest Thing,” is fairly somber in comparison to “French Navy,” at least in how Campbell’s voice plays off of the instrumentation–not necessarily in the lyrics themselves. The steady beat and harmonizing “Oohs” à la Beach Boys romanticizes the song, generating an overall more pleasant tone. With something like “Away With Murder,” on the other hand, the heavy and repetitive use of the organ and the subtle drumming on the toms (as opposed to high-hats or cymbals) definitely puts a damper on the track. Then again, it is pretty clear within the context of the words what kind of mood is meant to be set, unlike a certain band (or bands) from the United Kingdom who enjoy the irony of gloomy lyrics in conjunction with a more upbeat tempo.*

Unfortunately songs like “James,” “Forest and Sands,” and “Other Towns and Cities” have left a bit to be desired, while others like “Careless Love” and the title track, “My Maudlin Career,” add a kind of dynamic that lacks in the former tracks mentioned. As the instrumental bridge in “Careless Love” builds up, a sense of euphoria washes over me; the beautiful arrangement of violins is unexpected yet completely appropriate for the atmosphere of the song — a tad fanciful and over-the-top, but adds a nice contrast to Tracyanne Campbell’s more demure style of singing. As for “My Maudlin Career,” it may possibly have the most layers at any given second on the entire album. While it is mainly limited to drums, piano, guitar, and vocals, every moment is occupied with sound. Even without the aid of a violin/mandolin, it has a delicate sensibility, most likely due to the dainty fluttering of the piano, lightly infused against the slightly heavier guitar. Despite having more electric components, it creates a cohesive sound that easily ties in with the rest of the record.

While previously finding Camera Obscura to kind of be considered a “secondary band,” despite their decade-plus career, My Maudlin Career will surely establish a identity for them in music, rather than being seen as a “poor man’s Belle and Sebastian,” as some may say. Their dreamy yet reserved approach is appealing and a nice change of pace, in comparison to a lot of modern acts whom seem to force experimentation. Not that I would want to hear the same thing on their next record, but it would certainly be something to hopefully look forward to in the not-too-distant future. And while we are at it, perhaps going back to their first couple of albums would be a good idea.

* Belle & Sebastian and The Smiths, amongst others, but that was probably a given.

Written by: Sara Greene on April 21st, 2009 | Filed under Music Reviews