From the welcoming Wall of Sound wail of “French Navy,” the opening track of Camera Obscura’s excellent My Maudlin Career, I’m quickly reminded how free and lasting Phil Spector’s influence is, even as he faces a life of incarceration. “French Navy” has the band going back to the 1960s, but also reaching into “Let’s Get Out of This Country”, its breakthrough 2006 release. The mixture of new and old holds the comfort of a fond memory, but as the song ends, the transition to “The Sweetest Thing” has Camera Obscura moving on. Goodbye Phil, have fun in your cell, we have more to achieve.
What opens up is an ardent album of springy strings and playful melodies as the Glasgow outfit is atop their game, borrowing from the past while rocketing fast-forward with a certain freshness.
The engine is propelled by Tracyanne Campbell, whose sweet voice belies the cheery songs with sour lyrics of heartbreak and cynicism. “You challenged me to write a love song/ Here it is, I think I got it wrong…/The pain was too much to write and sing” she croons on “Sweetest Thing.” The listener is feted with country ballads (“You Told A Lie,” “Away With Murder”) and Beach Boy homages (“My Maudlin Career”). “Honey In The Sun” closes the session with a frolic of horns amid Campbell’s plea of “training to become as cold as ice.”
Poor Tracyanne.
Phil’s not the only one in solitary, but we’re all the better for it.
