I had the pleasure of seeing Camera Obscura at SXSW in 2006, and their following has apparently grown considerably in the past few years. People spilled out of the tent onto the lawns of the French Legation Museum and abandoned the folding chairs around the edges to catch a look. A few people couldn’t restrain themselves from making unsolicited requests for songs from Underachievers Please Try Harder. (And while that practice is only slightly less reprehensible than requesting Freebird, I secretly agreed with the sentiment.) Regardless of any requests, the band obliged us with a set list that included favorites from both Underachievers and Let’s Get Out of This Country, with all the 60s pop and R&B sounds, and Tracyanne Campbell’s achingly beautiful voice.
But despite the excited and cheerful crowd and equally sunny setting, the performance seemed subdued---true to the songs, but lacking in any particular live energy. I know the songs have a twinge of melancholy, but I still expected to see at least the hint of a smile, or any emotion really, from the band. And I know this is not polite to say, but Cambell looked pretty jet lagged, or at least nonplussed. So like most people under the tent, I was already a fan of the songs and was happy to be there, but I couldn’t help but notice that maybe Camera Obscura was underachieving a bit in their performance.
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Ugh. Paste’s profile of Free Energy made me kind of hate them. So does your review. It’s this unctuous defense of good-time rock-and-roll ("we’re just here to party, and we’re awesome!") that seems more self-serving than fun-loving.
by beth on Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 09.41 pm from the entry: Foreign Born + Free Energy - The Knitting Factory (Brooklyn, NY; Mar. 12, 2010)
that inescapable feeling you are referring to, is that like when you hear something and you could have sworn you heard it before because of the nostalgic catchy quality? or is is like when you’ve heard a band exactly like said band?
great post by the way!
by paul on Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 03.15 pm from the entry: The Novel Ideas - "The Sky Is A Field" - Borrow It
Whoa! I had no idea she was enegaged. You would never know with the way she behaves! Wow!
by art on Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 09.48 am from the entry: Nikki Darlin and John McCauley: 1+1=1
This comment stream is so meta. Great review Kelly.
by chris on Tue Mar 16, 2010 at 07.50 pm from the entry: Flying Lotus - "Cosmogramma" - Buy It
no prob. The whole album is excellent, combining some of the harder sonics of Los Angeles with the meat of his debut and obviously difficult to summarize in only 50 words… 
I’d say it’s on par with the debut, but better than Los Angeles.
by kelly on Tue Mar 16, 2010 at 06.23 pm from the entry: Flying Lotus - "Cosmogramma" - Buy It
By the way, I really liked the mp3 posted. Thanks.
by Joshua H on Tue Mar 16, 2010 at 06.17 pm from the entry: Flying Lotus - "Cosmogramma" - Buy It
WHO WROTE THIS...PUKE ! “WHO WROTE THIS...PUKE ! “Picture yourself coasting your bike past space funk palm trees, homeless harpists, vintage video arcades, electronic drum circles, and 60s psychedelic singers who’re waiting for the bus. Cosmogramma is kinda like that if someone suddenly tripped you just as you’re starting to enjoy the ride. But in a good way.””
by Joshua H on Tue Mar 16, 2010 at 06.17 pm from the entry: Flying Lotus - "Cosmogramma" - Buy It
