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Avg: 4.0 (206 ratings)
- Date Released: October 12, 2004
- Genre: Rock/Pop
- Style: Indie Pop, Indie Rock
- Label: Merge Records
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They Say...
You really can't discuss Camera Obscura without mentioning Belle & Sebastian. That group's Stuart Murdoch produces Camera Obscura's debut, Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi; both groups hail from the part of Scotland where Felt, Donovan, the Pastels, and Heavenly are gods; and they both write smart, sweet indie pop songs with hearts on sleeve and tears on eyelash. Stop right there if you are thinking that Camera Obscura is a copyist, though. Stop and listen, because there is much to love about the band. First off are Tracyanne Campbell's remarkably sweet and rich vocals; she sings most of the leads (though John Henderson chimes in on leads and harmonies time to time) and has the kind of voice that will melt anyone who had a thing for Tracey Thorn. The songs are hooky and simple, based on classic indie pop chord changes and lovingly spiced with all sorts of sonic candy like chirping horns, gentle organ fills, handclaps, twangy-guitar solos, and swooning strings. The girl group-inspired "Eighties Fan" is undoubtedly the highlight, but almost any other tune would fit in swimmingly on an indie pop highlights mixtape. In fact, Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi makes a strong case for Camera Obscura as one of the best indie pop bands to come down the pike since, well, Belle & Sebastian. [The Merge release of the record includes two bonus tracks taken from the Eighties Fan CD single ("Double Feature" and "Arrangements of Shape and Space") and the visually arresting video for "Eighties Fan."]
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| 01. |  |
Happy New Year |
4:03 |
|
| 02. | |
Eighties Fan |
4:22 |
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| 03. | |
Houseboat |
3:24 |
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| 04. | |
Shine Like A New Pin |
3:35 |
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| 05. | |
Pen And Notebook |
3:28 |
|
| 06. | |
Swimming Pool |
3:58 |
|
| 07. | |
Anti-Western |
3:10 |
|
| 08. | |
Let's Go Bowling |
2:49 |
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| 09. | |
I Don't Do Crowds |
3:57 |
|
| 10. | |
The Sun On His Back |
2:51 |
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| 11. | |
Double Feature |
5:52 |
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| 12. | |
Arrangements Of Shapes And Space |
3:49 |
|
12 Total Tracks, 45:18 Total Length
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Credits
- John Henderson - Band // Greg Lawson - Strings // Lisa Webb - Strings // Elizabeth Edwards - Strings // Frank Arkwright - Mastering // Ariane Maclean - Layout Design // Ariane Maclean - Cover Design // Geoff Allan - Engineer // Geoff Allan - Sleigh Bells // Stuart Murdoch - Guitar // Stuart Murdoch - Producer // Stuart Murdoch - String Arrangements // Camera Obscura - String Arrangements // Cheryl Crockett - Strings // Murray Ferguson - Strings // Lorna Leitch - Strings // Nigel Baillie - Trumpet // Lindsey Boyd - Band // Tracyanne Campbell - Band // Gavin Dunbar - Band // Kenny McKeeve - Band // Allan McCallum - Guitar // Lee Thomson - Band
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