Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi

Camera Obscura | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 12, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Merge Records
• ASIN: B0002ZYEGE
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,052 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #7 in Music > World Music > Europe > British Isles > Scotland
  • #67 in Music > Alternative Rock > Indie & Lo-Fi > General

Editorial Reviews

Originally released in the UK in 2001, this is the debut from Scotland's dream pop wunderkinds. Peppered with sensitive, acoustic pop and perfect tunes like "Eighties Fan". Produced by Stuart Murdoch from Belle And Sebastian. Available for the first time in the US, the Merge Records' version will include two bonus tracks from the "Eighties Fan" CD single as well as a Quicktime video of the song.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great album, July 5, 2005

By 

Sparrow (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi (Audio CD)

If you have "Underachievers Please Try Harder"--because it enjoyed a wider release, many people get this album first--then you'll find much to love on "Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi." Much of the same breathy, mellow melodies from "Underachievers" are here, but so are more intricate songs with inventive rhythms and textures. This is a solid album; I count it as one of my favorites.

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fine debut..., September 30, 2005

By 

Greekfreak (Pusan Korea (South)) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi (Audio CD)

As with most people, I bought this album after enjoying their sophomore release ("Underachievers Please Try Harder") tremendously, and found this to be at least as good, and in some ways, better.

This album is a lot less pretentious, a bit more tuneful, and lacks the filler of "Underachievers..." For all those who cry wolf at any similarites between this band and Belle & Sebastian, sit and spin. I think B&S would sell their souls to make anything this vital again.

"Eighties Fan" is a nice homage to The Jesus And Mary Chain, with it's "Just Like Honey" drum intro, while "Happy New Year" kicks the album off like no other pop song could (or has, in recent memory). My personal fave has to be "Pen And Notebook", with brilliantly simplistic lyrics, and a pristine, very spare production that can't be touched.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid Album, November 16, 2008

By 

Boy in the Bubble "Brian" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi (Audio CD)

Anyone who is a fan of Belle & Sebastian will love this band. This is Camera Obscura's first album, and they really put a lot of great songs on this record. Tracyanne Campbell, the lead singer on most of the band's songs, does a great job giving life to the lyrics. The music is pretty low-key, not many electric guitars and such, but it's a good album for a rainy day.