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Elly Roberts reviews
Genepool/Universal
- Released: August 2006
- Rating: 10/10
- Label: My Kung Fu
- Digital audio distribution: State51
Endlessly honing their craft on the live circuit, camera.,formerly The Benjamins, finally release their debut album. Its been worth the wait.
The quartet of Steve and Matthew Nicholls, Ben Trow and Steffan Owens, havedelivered an album worthy of the status classic debut album. Since theirconception, the Wrexham-based band has made a monumental leap in thesongwriting department, to add to their undisputed technical skills.
Masterfully produced, mixed and engineered by Charlie Francis, Ashes AndDim Light could launch them into the major league. National exposurecame their way by opening the January 2005 Tsunami Relief concert at Cardiff’sMillennium Stadium. Now, these top quality 11 songs prove theyre on top oftheir game, and hopefully on the verge of greater things.
A sumptuous collection of highly accessible catchy indie pop-rockers – Hurt,Caught Me Unaware – and sublime ballads, they make a potent cocktail.Above all, its the clever melodies and harmonies that make this a specialalbum.
With its soaring guitar riffs and catchy chorus, Where You Are opensthis musical box of delights, quickly followed by the melodically majesticIm Not Ready. Previous singles Out On The Water and Hurtalso make the cut, beefing up the albums already expansive sonic experience.
All You, All Day, a gentle plodder, features the albums vocalhighlight (2.45 mins onwards) by Matthew Nicholls.
Brass touches on All The Time by Chris Brown, turn the floaty balladinto magnificent track. Caught Me Unaware takes the album to asparkling crescendo before leaving us with Tell Me What It Is, (agoose pimple love ballad Im familiar with for some time), is the CDs crowningglory: it could be key to their future success.
Camera has left its calling card, with credibility, style and sophistication.
Weblinks:Camera The Band.com /My-Kung-Fu.com
The full list of tracks included are :
1. Where You Are
2. Im Not Ready
3. Going Nowhere
4. Hurt
5. All You, All Day
6. Day By Day
7. Theres No Way
8. All The Time
9. Out On The Water
10. Caught Me Unaware
11. Tell Me What It Is
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.