Carey Lander RIP

Over the years I posted several blogs related to Camera Obscura. Oddly enough, this post was directly linked to both the band and grief: http://popcultureddd.blogspot.co.uk/2007/11/camera-obscura.html

Nearly 8 years on I could have never have thought was the post would be so resonant (regardless of my grieving misanthropy). I posted that song in my time of loss, and it seems now the perfect tribute to share this particular track again.

The loss of Carey Lander will be felt by all fans of the band.

I Hate You Just Kidding

This sounds terrible, but I find it really quite a challenge to enjoy music like this nowadays. My housemate/dead-weight-round-my-neck/best friend/surrogate-incapable-teenage-son is actually fuelled by this sort of thing and, therefore, all car journeys will be accompanied by a very narrow spectrum of music. He has ruined it for me. Moron.

Coupled with the fact that all fucking mobile network adverts seems to be plundering every ounce of cute-twee-idyllic music to peddle and promote more rampant consumerism.

"I have such a beautiful, summery existence and spend most of my time frolicking in meadows. But I still need a brand new phone with the latest and most irrelevant technology every year! Now, now, now! I want a new fucking phone now! Otherwise the guy in the independent bookstore might not fancy me. Or I'll lose the ability to frost perfect cupcakes. Or I might start liking X Factor. A NEW PHONE NOW!"

Hello hipster, you probably don't have that many friends because your self-absorbed existence renders you unfit for human interaction. And you can't see past the irony of your alternative-seeking life actually further playing into the hands of the niche capitalists who have your every wish planned, mapped out and controlled remotely.

Or something.

But it must be the vocals of My Little Dove with breaks in the voice as Jessi Fulghum sings that remind me of Tracyanne Campbell from the glorious Camera Obscura which have won me over.

I Hate You Just Kidding - My Little Dove [via YouSendIt for 7 days]

And the deep tones of the other half of this duo, Jeremy Brock really add in Speakeasy, as does the pace.

I Hate You Just Kidding - Speakeasy [via YouSendIt for 7 days]

You are all probably going to like them. A lot.

Camera Obscura @ O2 Academy, Newcastle

The return of a much loved band in our apartment-hold. Brimming with nostalgia; personal, musical, cultural and historical. Camera Obscura are so endearing, smile-enducing and humble. A band that have never shook that ever so slightly awkward feeling. You can see they love what they do musically but still worry as to how it will be received. It is not something that you see often -- if ever -- in this cock-sure industry.

So to see the Scottish band return to the live circuit again is delightful. It was a joy to see them play their new material last week, Tuesday 21st April, at the Academy. A venue I feel is perfect for the band. Dark, warm; enclosed in the palm of great big firm, yet reassuring hands. An audience that waiting verging on impatiently, but only due to the great sense of anticipation at sharing the air with a well-loved band of such likable people. My posse and I were actually impatient. We usually are. (But especially after the support act, not amusing.)

And not without reason. With teasers of new material surfacing it certainly gave the feeling that the wait would be worth it all. Their new album is certain to accompany the summer with no difficulty whatsoever. A genuine perfect match. Jangly, glorious and divinely orchestrated. To hear the a Camera Obscura track is to almost embark on an adventure that will surely deliver nothing but twee perfection.

With a couple of fluffs for good measure there is no way not to fall in love with Camera Obscura a little bit more for each one.



A cathartic appearance from a song that I did not expect to hear, and was quite choked to having to stand through publicly.

Extremely close to the bone. I'm not even sure why I'm sharing.

Camera Obscura - Razzle Dazzle Rose [via YouSendIt for 7 days]

Lo-Fi-FNK

Last year in what seemed to be an eternally long, dark, depressing winter there was a great big gay, Swedish, electro beacon that carried me through.

The wonderous Lo-Fi-FNK.

And yesterday feeling at an utter loss (one that not even listening to Camera Oscura could be a cathartic release) I decided to flick through my MP3 player on my journey home from York to Teesside. Boylife not only managed to bring a smile to my face, a giggle to my demeanour but some much needed courage to spur me on.

Technology is working against me today, I'm afraid, but here's the video for Steppin' Out. Not prizes for guessing its meaning.

Camera Obscura

A great chasm in my chest. A hole. It has always been a joke I have a heart of stone and that my blood runs black, not scarlet red. I've never had the best opinion on humanity. Great heaving, categories, swarms of people. The faceless mass. But I very definately build great friendships and relationships with individuals regardless of anything to do with them and their value systems. Some people find this weird, others find it weird and wonderful. And once I found someone who understood this, innately, never discussed, just known.

Camera Obscura have written the sounds, not lyrics, that parallel some of my feelings of regret, guilt, loss and mania in a tiny part. Lots of wide ranging music does this to me.

God knows why.

This is divine.

Camera Obscura - Razzle Dazzle Rose [via YouSendIt for 7 days]

A ghostly white pale, dark flowing haired girl, spinning delicately watching the hem of her floral-print dress pucker and lift.

Camera Obscura

I am currently suffering actual shock after having witnessed
Camera Obscura's Country Mile on an advert...

An advert for Tesco!

I fundamentally hate Tesco and I always try my hardest to avoid shopping from a company hell-bent on possessing all the souls in the world to restrict consumer choice, fuck farmers and the producers of goods and generally monopolise everything they endeavour into.***

So why does not already having all the mediocre celebrities in Britian doing the voice overs and making appearences in their adverts not annoy me enough? I mean, I was going to maybe reach-out and email some of the celebrities to tell them that as role models to the citizens of Britian they had certain repsonibilities, but now.. well.. now Camera Obscura have gone and done this and it makes no sense to me.

Please go and read the information here, Tescopoly, and make an informed decision.

Arm yourself with knowledge.

Avoid Tesco.

I fucking loved that song too. On a monthly compilation CD and everything!

*** - Edit: This is solely my opinion. Based on very little. Tesco may well be very nice. And I'd quite not like to be sued for voicing my opinion. Eep.