In House #1635: Camera Obscura's Let's Get Out of This Country; Live Music Galore Tonight in Salt Lake City

Scottish act Camera Obscura returns today with their third full-length for the Merge label, entitled Let's Get Out of This Country. Ever the twee ones, the band has nevertheless always been adept at creating music based on classic forms, borrowing from girl groups, the Beach Boys, and Motown, and running it through the scope of their ever-present Scottishness. The new release does not disappoint in that respect, as the band crafts another batch of nearly faultless pop tunes, even throwing a nod in to another long lost gem: Lloyd Cole's "Are You Ready to Be Heartbroken?" Tracyanne Campbell takes on a new starring role following the departure of John Henderson, with whom she formerly split lead vocal duties. From the sounds of things, she doesn't mind so much-- the rest of us certainly don't.

Camera Obscura


Meanwhile, it's live music galore tonight in Salt Lake City, as no fewer than three promising bills hit the town. Eels play The Depot in what appears to be a return to the more rock-based live sound of past tours following the release this year of Eels With Strings- Live at Town Hall. In any case, it's a rare Salt Lake City appearance for the enigmatic E. and company-- to make things even more interesting, Smoosh opens.

Eels' E.

Elsewhere, Michigan's His Name Is Alive hit Kilby Court in support of one of the coolest sounding releases of the year, Detrola. The small venue seems ideal for catching the recreation of the kinds of sounds found on songs like "Get Your Curse On," and "Mama, Don't You Think I Know." The band is about half-way through their first full U.S. tour in ten years.

His Name Is Alive

As if the prior two didn't present a tough enough choice, New York City's Walkmen play In the Venue, easily the worst of the three venues to catch a show. As you may recall, the band recently released their third full-length, entitled A Hundred Miles Off, and have been getting more than their fair share of attention as of late.


the Walkmen

Related content: here

In House #1635.
Airdate: 6/06/06
Focus: New release from Camera Obscura, Let's Get Out of This Country, plus Eels, His Name Is Alive, and the Walkmen in Salt Lake City tonight.


BONUS MP3s-
Camera Obscura, from Let's Get Out of This Country:
"If Looks Could Kill" (m3u stream)
and "Lloyd, I'm Ready to Be Heartbroken" (m3u stream)

The Walkmen: "Brandy Alexander" (MP3)


PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #115