General Article name: Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi
Genre: Pop/Rock Product type: CD Label: Merge Number of tracks: 13 Duration: 47:50 Tracklist CD - 1 1. Camera Obscura - Happy New Year 4:03 2. Camera Obscura - Eighties Fan 4:22 3. Camera Obscura - Houseboat 3:24 4. Camera Obscura - Shine Like a New Pin 3:35 5. Camera Obscura - Pen and Notebook 3:28 6. Camera Obscura - Swimming Pool 3:58 7. Camera Obscura - Anti-Western 3:10 8. Camera Obscura - Let's Go Bowling 2:49 9. Camera Obscura - I Don't Do Crowds 3:57 10. Camera Obscura - Sun on His Back 2:51 11. Camera Obscura - Double Feature 5:52 12. Camera Obscura - Arrangements of Shapes and Space 6:21 13. Camera Obscura - Eighties Fan   Description Description

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."] ~ Tim Sendra

Tim Sendra

Contributors String Arrangements: Camera Obscura Guitar: Allan McCallum Strings: Cheryl Crockett Guitar: Stuart Murdoch Band: Kenny McKeeve Strings: Elizabeth Edwards Engineer: Geoff Allan Layout Design: Ariane Maclean Producer: Stuart Murdoch String Arrangements: Stuart Murdoch Band: John Henderson Band: Lee Thomson Strings: Greg Lawson Trumpet: Nigel Baillie Band: Gavin Dunbar Cover Design: Ariane Maclean Band: Lindsay Boyd Strings: Lisa Webb Strings: Lorna Leitch Mastering: Frank Arkwright Sleigh Bells: Geoff Allan Strings: Murray Ferguson Band: Tracyanne Campbell Record Label: Merge Member of Attributed Artist: Lindsay Boyd Audio Production: Stuart Murdoch Additional Personnel: Geoff Allan Member of Attributed Artist: Tracyanne Campbell Additional Personnel: Nigel Baillie Member of Attributed Artist: Gavin Dunbar Additional Personnel: Allan McCallum Member of Attributed Artist: John Henderson Additional Personnel: Stuart Murdoch Member of Attributed Artist: Kenny McKeeve Member of Attributed Artist: Lee Thompson