Album Review: Underachievers Please Try Harder by Camera Obscura

Camera Obscura has no doubt worn out their copy of If You're Feeling Sinister by now. Yes, their fellow Glasgow residents Belle & Sebastian are a huge influence on the group as the two share a similar musical sound, a similarly literate lyrical slant, and a similar overall approach. Look at it as a homage or a coincidence or whatever you like, but be sure to look past the surface because what you will find is enough to charm your socks off.

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Underachievers Please Try Harder, the sophomore album from Scottish mopesters Camera Obscura, is not unlike an acquaintance whose personality you can only describe as "nice." Though that word has traversed a staggering number of connotations since, say, 1350 A.D. (including "wanton" and "sluggish"), its current usage has little to no meaning for all we use it: "nice" things and people are harmless and pleasant enough, but wholly bland and hence unworthy of a better adjective. This is, alas, exactly the manner in which Underachievers is nice.

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