#6- Camera Obscura- Let's Get Out of This Country

We put a premium on originality and ingenuity in music, and for good reason – we can only hear the same story so many times before it becomes boring and cliched. But every once in a while, an album comes along that pulls off the old tricks so well, we give it a pass. Let’s Get Out of This Country follows the same formula that Belle & Sebastian and The Softies have many times before – wistful, precious indie pop. This is not the kind of album I’m predisposed to liking. This brand of indie pop tends to go from quaint and pleasant to saccharine sweet very quickly.

But from the beginning, Let's Get Out of This Country is different. Maybe it’s the vintage production – from beginning to end, it sounds like some sort of recently-unearthed Motown or 1950’s pop gem, complete with majestic strings and horn sections, sing-a-long choruses and a certain swing you don’t hear very often anymore (“If Looks Could Kill,” in particular). Tracyanne Campbell’s earnest, heart-on-the-sleeve lyrics find the perfect balance between heartfelt and overwrought. There are tons of times this record could take a turn for the sickeningly fey, but it always maintains its subtle charm. It’s not flashy, it didn’t break any new artistic ground, but I’ll be damned if it doesn’t grow on you like cancer.

Camera Obscura- Let's Get Out of This Country from Let's Get Out of This Country