Camera Obscura : Shephards Bush Empire, London
Camera Obscura have being pottering around the indie scene for ages now, and with four long players under their belt could their show at the Shepard's Bush Empire mark the start of a mainstream "Maudlin Career"? The short answer is no. And that, is fine by me.
My mum likes Camera Obscura. Thats the kind of band they are. Looking for crack-fuelled debaucherous rock and roll? You shan't find it here. Camera Obscura follow in the agreeable mould of Scottish indie-folk stalwarts Belle And Sebastian, Orange Juice and Malcolm Middleton. Their mid-tempo melody driven folk-pop is genuinely sumptuous - and sumptuous isn't a word this journo-dork uses lightly or often.
The cough"O2"cough Shepards Bush Empire seem like the type of place CO were born to play. The 30-something crowd are affable and excited and under the warm lighting things are starting to feel distinctly romantic.
Gavin Dunbar, who simultaneously plays bass while managing to look like half the men in audience once said, "[Camera Obscura] are about Traceyanne Campbell's songs and Traceyanne Campbell's voice and we're just there to make sure it's dead brilliant." And that assertion seems palpable as the band sidle on-stage.
They open with 'French Navy', the first track on their new record My Maudlin Career (get the reference now?). It's the type of song to read and eat an apple to, in the sun on the doorstep of your twee house, but as I live in flat in Shadwell and am thoroughly scared of my neighbours I listen to it on my headphones whilst doing the ironing. It's the type of song that makes everything easier. Just beautiful.
They don't seem to play songs, as much as let them trickle out. Jari Haapalainen's (known principally for his work with Ed Harcourt and Swedish sveltes The Concretes) production transfers beautifully to the stage.
'Swans', also from the new LP, provides the second highlight of the night and coupled with moodier interjections from earlier LPs like 'Razzle Dazzle Rose' and 'Lets Get Out of This Country' the set list seems to mirror the peaks and troughs of love and life that Campbell sings about.
Finishing with 'James'; "You broke me, I thought I knew you well, can't you see you belong with me." They leave the stage and an audience in raptures - no really, actual raptures.
In a world where pretence seems to like half the battle bands like this are rare. Join me. Love them.
6/5
Words: Oliver Jones
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Reply #1 on : Fri May 15, 2009, 00:46:42