Camera Obscura are a Scottish indie pop band from Glasgow. The group formed in 1996, and have released six studio albums to date. Led by primary singer and songwriter Tracyanne Campbell, the band consists of guitarist/vocalist Kenny McKeeve, bassist Gavin Dunbar, and drummer Lee Thomson. Following the death of long-serving keyboardist Carey Lander, the band went on hiatus from 2015 to 2018. After reuniting in 2019 and adding Donna Maciocia as a permanent member, Camera Obscura released their first new album in 11 years, Look to the East, Look to the West, to critical acclaim.[1]
The band's music has been frequently described as "twee pop", and garnered comparisons to fellow Scottish band Belle and Sebastian.[2][3] The band have also been praised for their "honest, wide, and adult approach to heartbreak, romantic liaisons, and escapism".[4]
History
Camera Obscura were formed in 1996 by Tracyanne Campbell, John Henderson and Gavin Dunbar. Several other members performed with the band before David Skirving joined as a permanent guitarist. Their first releases were the singles "Park and Ride" and "Your Sound" in 1998.[5] The band's line-up changed in 2000 and 2001 when Lee Thomson joined as its permanent drummer, Lindsay Boyd joined as a keyboard player, and Skirving left and was replaced by Kenny McKeeve.[5][6]
Camera Obscura's first album, Biggest Bluest Hi Fi, was released in 2001. The tracks Eighties Fan and Anti-Western were produced by Stuart Murdoch of Belle & Sebastian and was supported by John Peel.[6] The first single from the album, "Eighties Fan", came in at number eight in the Festive Fifty in 2001,[7] and charted in several independent music charts. Nigel Baillie joined the band as a trumpeter and percussionist in 2002[6] and Carey Lander replaced Boyd. In the summer of 2002, Peel asked the band to do their first Peel session.[5]
The band's second album, Underachievers Please Try Harder, was released in 2003 and was followed by Camera Obscura's first full tour of Great Britain and Ireland and the band's first tour of the United States. Founding member John Henderson left Camera Obscura following this tour.[8] In early 2004 the band recorded the songs "I Love My Jean" and "Red, Red Rose" following their third Peel session, in which Peel had asked them to put these poems by Robert Burns to music.[6]
In February 2009 the band announced they had signed with 4AD.[13] The new album, My Maudlin Career, was released in April 2009, and preceded by the first single "French Navy". London-based jewellery brand Tatty Devine created brooches and necklaces to coincide with the launch. The album was the band's first UK Top 40 success, and it also reached the top 40 in Ireland and the US Billboard 200. Around this time, the band announced that "due to family commitments (including being a proud dad) Nigel will no longer be a full time member of Camera Obscura".[14]
On 18 April 2009, Camera Obscura released a special edition Record Store Day 7" called "French Navy"[15] for independent record stores. "French Navy" was also used by Echo Falls, who are the sponsors of Come Dine with Me, at the start of each episode and during commercial breaks. Their album Desire Lines was produced by Tucker Martine and released by 4AD on 3 June 2013.[16]
In 2015, the band cancelled planned gigs in North America due to the illness of Carey Lander.[17] She was first diagnosed with osteosarcoma in 2011. She announced in 2015 that it had returned.[18] Lander set up a JustGiving page for Sarcoma UK in order to raise awareness to the illness and lack of funding for research and treatment, and as of August 2024, the sum of donations is over £103,000.[19] Carey Lander died on 11 October 2015.[20]
In May 2018, while Campbell was promoting the self-titled debut album of Tracyanne & Danny, her new project with Danny Coughlan, she noted that she still kept in touch with the other members of Camera Obscura in the wake of Lander's passing, but the future of the band remained undiscussed.[21] The song "Alabama" from the Tracyanne & Danny album is Campbell's tribute to Lander.[22]
On 5 September 2018, Camera Obscura returned to live performance as part of the Boaty Weekender, a cruise festival curated by Belle & Sebastian sailing from Barcelona to Cagliari on 8–12 August 2019.[23]
Prior to participating in the Boaty Weekender, the band announced a warm-up show at Saint Luke's & The Winged Ox in Glasgow on 5 August with proceeds donated to the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice in memory of Carey Lander.[24] After tickets for the show were sold out, the band added a second date with proceeds also being donated.[25]
For these shows and the Boaty Weekender, the band brought in Donna Maciocia, formerly of Amplifico, to accompany the band on keyboards and backing vocals.[26][27]
The band confirmed in May 2020 that they were preparing a new album, but had been forced to delay recording it due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[28]
On 23 April 2022, the band released a new compilation album, Making Money, containing "hard-to-find B-sides", covers, a session recording and two remixes. The release was dedicated to the memory of previous band member Carey Lander[29][30]
On 15 November 2023, the band announced 2024 tour dates, adding there would be "some new music" in support of it.[31] In January 2024, the band announced their sixth studio album Look to the East, Look to the West. It was released on 3 May 2024. To coincide with the announcement, the album's lead single "Big Love" was released.[32]
Members
Current members
Tracyanne Campbell – lead vocals, guitar (1996–2015, 2018–present), percussion (1996–2004)
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Tracyanne Campbell is a Scottish singer and musician who is the lead vocalist of the Glasgow-based indie pop band Camera Obscura.
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