Merge US レコード& CD

Review: Glasgow indie pop sonic-photographers Camera Obscura have always been masters of subtlety and this sense of finesse only hears a bolstering on the new record Look To The East, Look To The West. After the sad loss of their former founding member and keyboardist Carey Lander in 2015, the group took the time out for a much-needed hiatus before reuniting for the recording of this personally redemptive full-length. Led by the soft, tambouring jangles of 'Big Love', the album's lead single, we're met with an elegiac but ultimately hopeful recollection, via its lovingly prodding lyrics ("it was a big love, she said, the kind of big love that made you easily led") and sonic resemblance of Waylon Jennings.

Review: Scottish indie-pop survivors Camera Obscura have been operative since the mid 1990s, though they've effectively been on hiatus for the last decade. Look To The East, Look To The West, then, is a comeback of sorts - though no doubt the Tracyanne Campbell-fronted outfit would no doubt play down this aspect of the story. They think it is their most well-crafted and 'sophisticated' set to date - a kind of distillation of the jangly, cheery and tuneful indie-pop sound they've always done well, with a wider palette of influences (note the lilting pedal steel on the superb title track, the twinkling piano lament of 'Sugar Almond' and the saucer-eyed dream pop of 'Denon'). We tend to agree; whether a comeback or not, it's a hugely enjoyable album that should appeal to dedicated fans and newcomers alike.

Review: Camera Obscura has emerged with their compelling album Look to the East, Look to the West, showcasing their evolution and confidence. This album unveils the band's core emotions, evoking both sadness and exhilaration. The album follows the loss of keyboardist Carey Lander and a hiatus, yet the band regrouped to craft a poignant work. With Donna Maciocia joining, they created tracks that explore themes of love, loss, and longing, leaving listeners emotionally stirred. This Scottish group's first new album in over a decade, it masterfully blends sadness and exhilaration, leaving listeners emotionally rearranged.