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Camera Obscura

Camera Obscura

Camera Obscura formed in 1996 in Scotland, fronted by Tracyanne Campbell. The indie pop band released 5 LPs between 2001 and 2013, but went on hiatus in 2015 after the passing of keyboardist Carey Lander from a form of bone cancer.

After the hiatus began, Tracyanne Campbell released a solo LP with Daniel Coughlan, Tracyanne & Danny.

While the band came back together in 2018, as of mid 2023 they have not released new music. Camera Obscura has teased new music, as well as a possible reissue of their long out-of-print and highly sought-after debut LP Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi.

In 2022, the band released Making Money (4AD B-Sides & Rarities).

Below, you’ll find a complete collection of album reviews, song reviews, features, music videos, lists, and more covered on FensePost that include Camera Obscura.

Top 20 Albums Turning 20 in 2023 Part 2

The Top 20 Albums Turning 20 in 2023 | Part 2

Today, I’m continuing on my path of counting down the top 20 albums turning 20 in 2023. For the first ten on the list, visit Part 1 where I cover 20 to 11. Today, I’ll be focusing on the top 10. As always, this list is a roundup of my personal selections, so there’s a definite subjective nature to it, but I also tried to inject at least some objectivity into it. Compiling this list has been filled with nostalgic memories of my college days.

Read More »The Top 20 Albums Turning 20 in 2023 | Part 2
Camera Obscura Underachievers Please Try Harder Vinyl

Camera Obscura | Underachievers Please Try Harder | 20th Anniversary

Underachievers Please Try Harder is the second studio album by the Scottish indie pop band Camera Obscura. It was originally released on November 11, 2003 on Elefant Records out of Spain. Since the original CD and vinyl pressings, it’s received worldwide release including Japan on Imperial Records, Merge in the US, among a few others. 

Read More »Camera Obscura | Underachievers Please Try Harder | 20th Anniversary
Arrested Development

Fense’s Radio Show: May 17, 2013

The past week saw several notable artists — many ranking among my favorites — release new tracks. Camera Obscura distributed a new track off their forthcoming album Desire Lines, Typhoon gave us a stellar digital single, and we heard a new track off the upcoming album from The Moondoggies. On top of that, I continued the show with recent tracks off new or just released records including those by Scout Niblett, The Mantles, Phosphorescent and Club 8.

Read More »Fense’s Radio Show: May 17, 2013
Spring in the Skagit Valley

On Air at KSVR: March 8, 2013 Playlist

I received a message from Stuarto requesting I cover his show in the late afternoon hours of Friday, March 8. After a minute or two to think about it, I agreed. In all the times I’ve covered for his show over the past year and a half, I have never done a show that gives a nod to his show, which often features more mainstream music including a handful of tunes from the 60s and 70s. For March 8, I decided this needed to change.

Read More »On Air at KSVR: March 8, 2013 Playlist
Kishi Bashi Christmas Flexi Disc

Fense’s Radio Show: It’s An Indie Christmas

Each year I shun Christmas music like it’s the plague. It begins too early, is far too repetitive, and, quite frankly, is a bit boring. That is, until this year. It began with “The Week Between”, a new track off One Christmas at a Time, an LP that finds Jonathan Coulton and John Roderick (The Long Winters) collaborating for a full album of original Christmas music.

Read More »Fense’s Radio Show: It’s An Indie Christmas
The Liminanas Single

Fense’s Radio Show: November 9, 2012

Last week I returned to the present with only a few throwbacks to the 90s toward the end of the show. The split digital/vinyl show featured new tracks from Sleeping Bag, The Babies, Sweater Girls, Gospel Claws, Suturee and Thunder Power. We also featured a few favorites since the year 2000 with tracks by The Anniversary, Tvärvägen and The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir.

Read More »Fense’s Radio Show: November 9, 2012
"Teen Creeps" by No Age playing on KSVR

Fense’s Radio Show: October 26, 2012

I don’t know when the last time vinyl was played on KSVR, but by the state of the record players it may have been quite a while. I dropped by the studio mid day on Friday to make sure the turntables worked properly, then came home and put together a split show. The first half, Halloween-ish songs (even if only in name, some only by their haunting sound) followed by half a show of more dance-y, electronic and remix tracks.

Read More »Fense’s Radio Show: October 26, 2012
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