Camber
Wake Up and Be Happy
Deep Elm
The last record I heard by Camber was a totally generic Mineral rip off, complete with drawn out last syllables and overly emo lyrics; thankfully, it seems as if Camber are coming into their own with Wake Up and Be Happy. Instead of being emo-copycats, Camber are now playing a more rock oriented style of emo pop, similar to early Joan Of Arc crossed with the garage rock sensibilities of Apples In Stereo; they still rock out every now and then, but it’s in more of a current Get Up Kids fashion, i.e. it’s supposed to rock, but it doesn’t much.
My favorite track, ironically enough, is “West Village Idiot,” which has a very Christie Front Drive feel to it: somber, subdued, with loud guitars and great dynamics. “Expat” is another rocker, featuring a very repetitious and propulsive drum beat, with huge guitars and approprately sung, Jimmy Eat World-ish vocals. The curious “Plissken” reminds me of Canadian Beatles Xeroxes Sloan.
Overall, the record is a very solid effort for Camber, a band that, three years ago, I would have scoffed at and made fun of without a second thought; they now demand more attention and merit. I can say that this would be good for fans of the emo genre, of course, and for fans of garage rock. I’d say this is about a 7.5 out of 10.
Deep Elm Records: http://www.deepelm.com
