8

A mild welcome back from Camera Obscura.

Wistful melodic Scottish bands are hardly sparse on the ground but Camera Obscura have many years been beguiling and frustrating in equal measure and the band return with 'Lloyd I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken', the first release from their forthcoming album.

This time around the lead track throttles along and shimmers away in exactly the right frame of mind for the hopeful days of Spring. The vocals are light and upbeat and easily convey the thought of a girl who is preparing to feel the first flush of a new relationship.

As the new album was produced by an ex-associate of The Concretes, its no surprise that the song carries many similarities with that bands previous record. The instrumental break is a welcome well-played addition but there is the feeling that the chorus is repeated once to often and dilutes the effect. Overall though, it's a welcome, hopeful return from a band who have teetered on the edge of bigger things for many a year now.

The B-sides are softer and quieter affairs and offer a balance to the outright pop of the lead track.