During a week when the Big Day Out circus took precedence on Melbourne’s summer music calendar, a band that produced one of the finest albums of 2009 quietly slipped into town.
Little-known Scottish quintet Camera Obscura have been producing melancholy indie-pop tunes for ten years, but it took 2009’s confident My Maudilin Career to put them on the radar. Surprisingly it is the first album they have recorded with a major label, 4AD, which is also home to The Breeders, TV On The Radio and Bon Iver.
My Maudlin Career is a charming album, bursting with beautifully arranged, wistful pop songs and they backed it up with a near-flawless performance at Richmond’s Corner Hotel. The Glaswegians, aided by a sixth member on percussion and brass, thrilled a mesmerised, sold-out crowd with songs from their two most recent releases, My Maudlin Career and 2006’s Let’s Get Out Of This Country.
Before the headline act took to the stage, the near-capacity crowd was entertained by the vibrant and charismatic Sheffield folk-pop duo, Slow Club. Their brief set included a mixture of acoustic ballads (including one rather oddly performed completely acoustic, sans amplification) and hyperactive early 60s rock.
Slow Club had a lot of fun on stage and charmed the audience with their amusing, brother/sister-like banter, as well as their catchy tunes. They finished off their set with the boisterous Giving Up On Love, with drummer and vocalist Rebecca Taylor frenetically thumping away and bandmate Charles Watson nimbly plucking at his guitar.
This was Camera Obscura’s first show in Melbourne since the 2007 Laneway Festival and the crowd at the Corner rejoiced at every note. They even laughed off lead singer Tracyanne Campbell greeting the room with “Hello Sydney”, a careless remark that may have caused a riot on another night! She was apparently very nervous after spilling her pre-show cup of tea. How very rock and roll.
Camera Obscura don’t exactly fit the stereotype of your average rock ‘n’ roll band. They drink tea, they opt for smart and comfortable vintage clothing over skin-tight black t-shirts and jeans, and they are modest and don’t bother with on-stage histrionics. A friend even remarked certain burly members of the band looked as though they could be out the front protecting the venue rather than performing in it.
But they do have one fundamental ingredient: great songs. Their graceful and nostalgic tunes have been so intently crafted and were meticulously performed on the night. Camera Obscura have two types of songs: slow, mournful ballads and groovy, summery and irresistibly catchy toe-tappers, and each style was played with aplomb on the night.
They began with the pensive title track from their most recent album, _ My Maudlin Career_, which was closely followed by the only tune they played off their 2003 album, Underachievers Please Try Harder, Teenager. Unlike most of their other songs, which are orchestral and heavily textured, Teenager is sparsely arranged and allowed Campbell’s emotive voice to shine.
Their show was characterised by a delicate ebb and flow, and the pace changed with the upbeat, The Sweetest Thing and then French Navy, the first track on their most recent record. The latter would have to be one of the catchiest ever sung about a fling with a French sailor and the jaunty tune inspired most punters to bop around for the first time on the night.
But it was Honey In The Sun, a song that encapsulates everything that is good about Camera Obscura, that really swung the energy in the room. It featured aching vocals from Campbell, subtle, melodic licks from lead guitarist Kenny McKeeve, an efficient, gentle beat from drummer Lee Thomson and well-placed trumpet ringing throughout. Their songs have such a wonderful economy of sound with every note melting together in precisely the right place.
Another bare ballad, James, rounded off a run of six songs from My Maudlin Career. Its beautiful lyrics, shimmering guitars and painfully honest vocals made it a set highlight. But beware, like many of their songs, it is strictly not to be listened to in the midst of a break-up.
While her vocals were affecting and the music fantastic, Campbell’s delivery was initially dispassionate. The band’s sound doesn’t exactly call for extravagant stage antics, but Camera Obscura’s lead singer was going through the motions and looked almost bored. However, she did loosen up as the night wore on and her band broke the shackles with an energetic conclusion to their performance.The final string of songs were all from the lively, R&B-influenced third album, Let’s Get Out Of This Country.
A band-led handclap accompanied the opening drums and bass lines of the bouncy, Motown-esque If Looks Could Kill, and the final song of the set proper, the title track from their second album, was the pick of the night. Let’s Get Out Of This Country is a lovely tune, and perfectly illustrated Campbell’s downhearted lyrics. However, the sweeping and uplifting sound of the music belies the solemn subject matter.
It’s all very well for manufactured pop stars to sing of heartbreak and loss, but you can’t really believe it. But there is an authenticity when Campbell sings about it. The mature crowd clearly related to the heartbreak she sang of, which is one of the primary reasons the band’s performance was so compelling.
You can see and feel the hurt (and occasional joy) in their songs. No matter how somber the songs may be, their gorgeous arrangements give them a stirring quality.
The Scots returned to the stage for a two-song encore, capped with a sparkling rendition of their contemplative, trumpet-infused and largely instrumental Razzle Dazzle Rose.
It was a wonderful end to a stunning performance. By the end of their set I don’t think there was a face in the house that didn’t feature a smile from ear to ear.
to listen to their music now on 
