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Scottish singer/songwriter Isobel Campbell released a brand-new third album There Is No Other (Cooking Vinyl Records) to little fanfare. To be fair, the timing couldn’t be worst, as the world’s in a middle of a coronavirus pandemic, and there are more things to worry than trying to promote a record. With all concert touring coming to a halt, and record stores (no essential stores) asked to close temporarily… you probably didn’t know about Campbell’s latest release.
Like many of you, I first heard of Isobel Campbell through Belle & Sebastian. When she left B&S to create her project The Gentle Waves, I was on board! You see, Campbell had always had a wonderful sense of music arrangement and her sugarly-sweet vocals lends itself to such beautiful, calming songs. Unfortunately, despite Swansong For You being a great album, she retired the Gentle Waves name… and released her debut solo record Amorino.
It’s about this time, that she met Screaming Trees’ Mark Lanegan, and the two decided to collaborated on a few successful albums. The pairing is perfect, really. I named this type of dueling vocals, “Beauty & the Beast”, as Lanegan’s vocals sounds like an animal… while Campbell provide such a sweet, sweet soothing singing voice.
With Isobel Campbell’s latest, There Is No Other, we see a return to a music style, much like circa-2000 Belle & Sebastian and Amorino. There’s lovely guitar plucking, there’s sparse arrangements, there’s some very catchy melodies, and, best of all, some wonderful string arrangements (courtesy of Nina Violet).
I’m not going to break down the album for you, but let’s just say if you enjoy B&S’ The Boy With the Arab Strap and The Gentle Wave’s Swansong for You, you’ll love There Is No Other.
I believe Campbell chose “The National Bird of India” as her single, which I don’t fully love. Instead, I recommend, “Runnin' Down a Dream” or “Ant Life”.
P.S., if you buy There Is No Other on Amazon, it includes “Autorip” so you’ll have the MP3 in your locker (and can listen to it via Echo or other Amazon products). This is the only way I buy music nowadays, as I have the CD as backup… but able to access my personal music locker where it’s convenient.
Like many of you, I first heard of Isobel Campbell through Belle & Sebastian. When she left B&S to create her project The Gentle Waves, I was on board! You see, Campbell had always had a wonderful sense of music arrangement and her sugarly-sweet vocals lends itself to such beautiful, calming songs. Unfortunately, despite Swansong For You being a great album, she retired the Gentle Waves name… and released her debut solo record Amorino.
It’s about this time, that she met Screaming Trees’ Mark Lanegan, and the two decided to collaborated on a few successful albums. The pairing is perfect, really. I named this type of dueling vocals, “Beauty & the Beast”, as Lanegan’s vocals sounds like an animal… while Campbell provide such a sweet, sweet soothing singing voice.
With Isobel Campbell’s latest, There Is No Other, we see a return to a music style, much like circa-2000 Belle & Sebastian and Amorino. There’s lovely guitar plucking, there’s sparse arrangements, there’s some very catchy melodies, and, best of all, some wonderful string arrangements (courtesy of Nina Violet).
I’m not going to break down the album for you, but let’s just say if you enjoy B&S’ The Boy With the Arab Strap and The Gentle Wave’s Swansong for You, you’ll love There Is No Other.
I believe Campbell chose “The National Bird of India” as her single, which I don’t fully love. Instead, I recommend, “Runnin' Down a Dream” or “Ant Life”.
P.S., if you buy There Is No Other on Amazon, it includes “Autorip” so you’ll have the MP3 in your locker (and can listen to it via Echo or other Amazon products). This is the only way I buy music nowadays, as I have the CD as backup… but able to access my personal music locker where it’s convenient.