My Maudlin Career

Camera Obscura continues its traditions

The Scottish band Camera Obscura needs no presentation for quite some time now. During the past several years it has released a number of successful albums all of which were very alike including the 2006’s Let’s Get Out Of This Country, the first to be completely performed by the vocalist Tracyanne Campbell. It can be hardly possible to say that no changes happened at that moment in the collective’s style but on the whole the band has remained faithful to itself. As for Camera Obscura’s music it presents an example of a great indie rock combining the memorable pop tunes with orchestra arrangements and the folk’s lightness. Campbell’s vocals are as soulful as the are gentle and heartfelt lyrics of the songs she performs always devoting them to love which is mainly unhappy. These are the traditions that the Scottish band preserves on its new creation My Maudlin Career. This album will definitely not change the idea about Camera Obscura among those who are well acquainted with its creative work and yet demonstrate the band in its best light if this is your first meeting with it.

Space for happiness on My Maudlin Career

Produced once again by Jari Haapalainen My Maudlin Career is a perfect continuation of Let’s Get Out Of This Country offering the same naïve and beautiful love compositions. Yet some difference does take place here – there is finally space for happiness on this work. The opener and the first single French Navy is a song of a happy love that lasts for some times and then, naturally, ends. Nevertheless this is one of the most joyful songs from Camera Obscura and it is simply not to be ignored. The songs about new relationships which are sure to bring happiness The Sweetest Thing and You Told A Lie suit perfectly the listeners’ mood on the summer’s threshold whereas Away With Murder once again throws us back to the past reminding that melancholy has always been and will always be one of the main components of the Scottish band’s music. The song James should be definitely referred to the album’s highlights: its most beautiful and peaceful tune and no less beautiful lyrics will be appreciated by all who has experienced a notable love story. Another significant momemt is the title track My Maudlin Career. The record’s prevailing mood is expressed on it: melancholic, depressed, full of grief and heartbreaking memories – at the same time Campbell has never been that kind-hearted, sincere and loyal to love as here. The song Forests And Sands is memorable due to the interesting images and Other Towns And Cities is remarkable for a simple arrangement making the vocals sound especially expressive. This flow of romantic, naïve and always emotional confessions ends with the song Honey In The Sun, once again joyful and happy, confirming that everything is not always that dark and hopeless.

Some happy notes appear in Tracyanne’s sad vocals

It is no secret that the theme of love and relationships is one of the most often used by poets, musicians and artists as it can eternally provide them with inspiration. Probably for Camera Obscura this topic is principally the only possible one to sing about as each time the band manages to find new ways to tell about the same events and feelings. Yet this time the events have gone in a bit different direction: among the constant disappointments, breakups and broken heats a lucky sequence of circumstances is found due to which there appear some happy notes in Tracyanne’s sad vocals. This makes the album My Maudlin Career one of the most optimistic in Camera Obscura’s creative work though on the whole it still remains its classic album. Due to faultless arrangements, beautiful vocals and smart lyrics there are no failures on this record and you are sure to get a lot of positive emotions from all of them. On the whole, My Maudlin Career is the music for all those who are in love, those who broke up, suffer and still remember only the best.