Camera Obscura's second album, released in 2003, is a finely arranged piece of Glasgow indie pop with a soft spot for sixties guitar pop and country duets. “Suspended From Class” opens with a tense, familiar chord shape before breaking into layered vocals and a full-band finish, while “Teenager” brings surf-tinged guitar to Tracyanne Campbell's clear, slightly wistful lead. “A Sister's Social Agony” leans on close vocal harmonies, and “Before You Cry” sets John Henderson's voice against Campbell's in a restrained country exchange. The songs are tuneful without sanding away their awkward edges, which is part of the appeal.
Geoff Allan's production keeps the band sounding light on its feet, adding flute, steel guitar, strings and carefully placed backing vocals without burying the melodies. “Your Picture” has a songwriter's intimacy, while “Let Me Go Home” heads towards a small girl-group dancefloor and “Knee Deep At The National Pop League” stretches out into one of the album's longer instrumental builds. Elefant Records helped bring the band to a wider audience, with Belle & Sebastian's Stuart Murdoch an early supporter who produced their single “Eighties Fan” and contributed to the first album. Fans of Belle & Sebastian, Camera Obscura's later work, and melodic indie pop should find plenty here, especially on the paid LP, CD and digital editions.
