Let’s Get Out of this Country is the 3rd studio album by Glasgow Scotland’s, Camera Obscura. I think it’s important to talk about this album in honor of the Sottish Pop phenomenon that has taken dominion over college campuses across the country. Bands like “Belle & Sebastian,” “Frightened Rabbit,” and “We were Promised Jetpacks” have made their way into the (relatively) mainstream. “Camera Obscura” is one of the lesser known pioneers of the sub-genre, and is deserving of some major props.

The band formed in 2001 has been releasing records every two or three years since. My favorite by far is Let’s Get out of this Country. If I had to describe the sound, I would say it sounded like a mixture of “Belle & Sebastian” and the “Generationals”. Like Belle & Sebastian, the band uses clean, pop oriented riffs with smooth melodic vocals. And of course, lots of strings. It also possesses a very pronounced retro vibe. The recording style is similar to the “Generationals,” and has a lot of chanting.

The lyrics are always very well written and are often love songs, but often with a twist. For instance, the song False Contender looks at love from a completely different stance. The refrain says:

“What will I do?
Will it always be you?
I hope and I pray you leave me one day.”

Another song I really liked was the title track. It is, in my opinion, one of the greatest pop songs ever written. Beautiful stringed crescendos and hauntingly distant vocals dominate the piece. The lyrics do a great job of conveying restlessness and uncertainty. It is surprisingly upbeat for such sentimental lyrics.

The first song I ever heard by this band was “If Looks Could Kill.” It is probably the most upbeat and catchy of all the songs on the album. It really made me fall in love with this band. I fail to see how anyone could fail to fall in love after hearing them. They are due for an album either this year or next year and I look with great anticipation to that day.