Camera Obscura - Underachievers Please Try Harder

[eraserhead]

Anyone else a fan of this album? 13 tracks of silky smooth, female-vocal indie-pop goodness. I can't stop listening to it.

http://www.betterpropaganda.com/images/artwork/Underachievers_Please_Try_Harder-Camera_Obscura_480.jpg

any preesh?

[ThisIsNotDan]

my friend played a song of theirs in the car. it was called "Lloyd" or something. I liked it, how many albums do they have?

[eraserhead]

Three, I think: Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi, this one, and Let's Get Out of This Country, which is the one that has that Llloyd song on it...it's called "Lloyd, I'm Ready to Be Heartbroken"

[ThisIsNotDan]

hmm cool I'll have to listen

[Vexed...]

I havnt heard this release... But 'Lets Get Out Of The Country' is such a damn catchy album.

[eraserhead]

this is one is just as catchy

[WakingTheMisery]

I never know if its the grind CO or the indie one. lolol. I like them both though.

[ForeverDelayed]

So I've heard their name a lot, but I'm not familiar with their music. On a whim I just bought a 7" at a record sale... it's a picture disc, one side is Writing Kodak and the other is We Talked Midi... and I LOVE it. Is this single a good representation of their other stuff? What albums (well besides the one you're talking about here) are worth looking into?

[TheOtherAndrew]

Seems like pretty alright stuff.

[mattmatumbo]

camera obscura was in that uhh, video game called fatal frame. do you think they got the name of their band from that game?

[ForeverDelayed]

camera obscura was in that uhh, video game called fatal frame. do you think they got the name of their band from that game?
I don't know the game you're talking about, and I'm new to the band... but I'm willing to bet that their name comes from the centuries told art technique.

[Lueda Alia]

Really good band. I like them a lot.

[ForeverDelayed]

So I just did some hunting... and evidently there's two bands by the name of Camera Obscura. Everyone in this thread has been talking about one, I was talking about the other. Odd.....

Not to be confused with the Scottish twee pop outfit with the same name, this Camera Obscura hailed from San Diego and augmented their hardcore influences and propulsive rhythms with synthesizers and other electronics. The band formed in the late '90s and featured keyboardist Michelle Maskovich (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:wjfixq8sld6e), guitarist Duane Pitre (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:gjfixqy0ld0e), drummer William Lamb (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:hcfqxqrgldfe), and vocalist Russell White (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:fzfqxqygldse). They released their debut 7", Writing Kodak/We Talked MIDI (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:fpftxqldldse), in 1998 and followed it up with touring, recording, and their full-length debut, To Change the Shape of an Envelope (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:abfuxqlkldde), in 2000. The group disbanded, and White (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:fzfqxqygldse) and Maskovich (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:wjfixq8sld6e) went on to form Champagne Kiss (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:aifpxqy0ldae), who released their self-titled debut album on Troubleman Records later that year.

[mattmatumbo]

I don't know the game you're talking about, and I'm new to the band... but I'm willing to bet that their name comes from the centuries told art technique.

true true, i was unaware of the art technique but i bet thats what their name attributes to.