| · Love songs for indie kids whose thoughts are as deep as their bookshelves are wide.
If Belle and Sebastian’s sound had been created in a vacuum, it might be reasonable to accuse fellow Glaswegians Camera Obscura of being shameless copyists. But this charming septet simply happens to be in mutual thrall to the bygone sounds (Donovan, ’60s girl groups, Orange Juice) that so captivated Stuart Murdoch when he was a friendless anorak who spent his days scrawling poetry at bus stops.
Camera Obscura’s true selling point, however, is that Underachievers – their second album and North American debut – is arguably closer to the artful enthusiasm of Belle and Sebastian’s initial intent than the original article has mustered in more than half a decade. Although the band revel in pastiche ("Your Picture" gleefully appropriates Leonard Cohen; "Let Me Go Home" does likewise for northern soul), they do so with the wit and engagement of honour-roll students. The album’s titular advice need not be directed inward.
|
Copyright ©2004 FFWD. All rights reserved.