Camera Obscura have announced details of their first studio album in over ten years.Having released their fifth album Desire Lines in 2013,the band went into an extended hiatus following the 2015 passing of founding keyboardist and friend Carey Lander. They remained in contact, but the future of the band status was uncertain until they announced their return, having been invited to perform as part of Belle & Sebastian’s 2019 Boaty Weekender cruise festival, along with a pair of sold-out warm-up shows in Glasgow. Donna Maciocia (keys and vocals), formerly of Amplifico, joined founding members Kenny McKeeve (guitar and vocals), Gavin Dunbar (bass), and Lee Thomson (drums and percussion) for those shows and has since become a regular songwriting partner of Campbell’s.
Now the band will release their sixth studio album, Look To The East, Look To The West, which will be released by Merge Records on May 3. The album sees the band reunite with Jari Haapalainen, who produced the band’s 2006 album Let’s Get Out of This Country and 2009’s My Maudlin Career.
The first single to be released from the album is ‘Big Love,’ the video for which can be seen below. Speaking about the song, Traceyanne Campbell explains: “Big Love’ is our tribute to Waylon Jennings, with a nod to Sandy Denny and prog rock band Scope. It’s a song about not looking back, having faith in the present and future.”
1. Liberty Print
2. We’re Going to Make It in a Man’s World
3. Big Love
4. Only a Dream
5. The Light Nights
6. Sleepwalking
7. Baby Huey (Hard Times)
8. Denon
9. Pop Goes Pop
10. Sugar Almond
11. Look to the East, Look to the West
As previously announced on God Is In the TV, the band will be touring around the release of the album. Two dates, including a hometown show at Glasgow’s renowned Barrowland Ballroom, have already sold out.
Live Shows:
MAY
2 :The Trades Club, Hebden Bridge SOLD OUT
3 :Rough Trade East (Live Performance + Signing), London
4 :Stylus, Leeds
6 :Academy 2, Manchester
7:KOKO, London
9: Concorde 2, Brighton
10: O2 Academy2, Birmingham
11: Barrowland Ballroom, Glasgow SOLD OUT
