Beloved Scottish indie-poppers Camera Obscura have been living up to the latter part of their name for the past decade. Their most recent album, Desire Lines, came out in 2013, and they went on hiatus in 2015 following the death of keyboardist Carey Lander. There have been side projects like singer Tracyanne Campbell’s band Tracyanne & Danny, and the band returned to the stage in 2018, but plans for a new LP were delayed by the pandemic. Now, at long last, they’re ready to return with Look To The East, Look To The West.

The album was produced by Jari Haapalainen, who helmed Camera Obscura catalog highlights Let’s Get Out Of This Country (2006) and My Maudlin Career (2009). It’s preceded today by “Big Love,” a jaunty, jangly guitar-pop tune that takes on a country flavor thanks to pedal steel by Tim Davidson. Beyond the title, it doesn’t seem to have any connection to prestige polygamist dramas or Pixies songs about large penises. “‘Big Love’ is our tribute to Waylon Jennings, with a nod to Sandy Denny and prog rock band Scope,” Campbell says. “It’s a song about not looking back, having faith in the present and future.”

With that in mind, step into the future of Camera Obscura below.

TRACKLIST:
01 “Liberty Print”
02 “We’re Going To Make It In A Man’s World”
03 “Big Love”
04 “Only A Dream”
05 “The Light Nights”
06 “Sleepwalking”
07 “Baby Huey (Hard Times)”
08 “Denon”
09 “Pop Goes Pop”
10 “Sugar Almond”
11 “Look To The East, Look To The West”

Look To The East, Look To The West is out 5/3 on Merge.