Songwriter and vocalist Tracyanne Campbell has one of my favorite voices, and she’s one of the best storytellers and writers about love that we’ve got, in my opinion. Look to the East, Look to the West, their fantastic new record out on Merge, sits right up there with their finest work. Tinged with their regular blend of rich, soulful pop, Look to the East, Look to the West is Camera Obscura at their best, reinvigorated after some time away from the spotlight and full of all of the hauntingly beautiful hooks, melodies, and musings on life and love that fans have come to ardently adore.

“Libery Print” kicks things off, and wastes no time getting its hooks in you. It eases in overtop drums that sound like they’ve been programmed on a Roland before transitioning into a more rocking, undeniably Camera Obscura feel. It picks up the pace and becomes an anthemic banger. “We’re Gonna Make It In a Man’s World” is one of the catchiest earworms on the album, and perfectly showcases Campbell’s lyrical talent and penchant for crafting wonderfully rich pop vignettes, as she remarks upon the reality of navigating the music industry as a woman.

There’s a bit of a honky tonk, shuffling country feel to “The Light Nights,” and a twangy Nashville feel to a lot of the guitars. “Big Love” starts off as a stomper, with pedal steel guitar giving it an anthemic feel, before ending on a fun, jammy note. Gorgeous piano flurries punctuate “Only a Dream,” one of the more ballad-y songs on the record, alongside “Sleepwalking” and the emotional “Sugar Almond”. “Baby Huey,” “Denon,” and “Pop Goes Pop” all bring an upbeat energy, with “Pop Goes Pop” in particular being one of the highlights of the record.

Look to the East, Look to the West is just another confirmation that Campbell and Co. are true pop magicians still operating at the tip-top of their game. Camera Obscura have crafted a catalog of songs that their fans don’t just like; they love. Songs that soundtrack periods of your life, like they’ve done for me. They’ve been kind enough to give us 11 more, and for that, I’m thankful.

Photo by Robert Perry, courtesy of the artist

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For a festival in its infancy, this four-day event got a whole lot right: conveniently located stages, plenty of local food and drink options, prompt performances, multiple porta-potties and hand washing stations, blankets, and even an umbrella check-in. In fact, despite the major mud created by the rain, many concert-goers seemed nearly thrilled to squish their toes and smear dirt across their bodies.

Camera Obscura was second to kick things off, graced by a clear sky and eagerly waiting attendees. This darling, six-piece band is humbly appealing, and not only for their Scottish accents. They cast a charming calm across the crowd with a playful mixture of vocals, guitars, keyboard, bass, tambourine, drums, and mandolin. It’s lead vocalist Tracyanne Campbell’s, soft voice combined with upbeat melodies that brings to mind a ’50s style Friday night diner popping with the jitterbug.

Next to the stage were the Joel Plaskett Emergency, fronted by Canadian musical veteran, Joel Plaskett. Recently prevented from playing Calgary’s Sled Island Festival due to mass flooding, they put on an energetic and interactive show that demonstrated the lyrical genius Plaskett is known for. “Harbour Boys” was a favourite, given solo by Plaskett, and sung in unison by the crowd.

Los Angeles based indie soulsters, Fitz and the Tantrums came armed on Friday night with amped tunes and neon lights. A departure from the evening’s previous folk and country-heavy artists,  this group is serious about their synthesizers and created a soulful sound that combined an interesting mix of electronica, soul-pop, and roots. Fronters Michael Fitzpatrick and Noelle Scaggs are energy giants, and though this was not the easiest gig for these guys to play, they seemed to sell it to the crowd.

Hamilton’s Arkells blasted in to fill Friday’s last slot, opening with their hit “Whistleblower” (oddly relevant given Edward Snowden’s current situation). All fired up, they gave the crowd sing-along tunes and headlining prowess. Lead vocalist Max Kerman proved an animated performer, especially after pulling out Motown classics that included “I Want You Back” and “You Can’t Hurry Love.” Joined on stage by members of super cover band Dwayne Gretzky, the band provided a fitting night cap.

Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls started Saturday’s collection of performances. The punk-turned-folk artist was gracious and likely the most enthusiastic performer of the entire festival, not only expressing gratitude to the crowd, but shared excitement for other acts. Strumming foot-stompers like “Recovery” and “Photosynthesis”, Turner encouraged audience interaction with jumping jacks, and with an ear-to-ear grin, paid homage to Canada’s The Weakerthans. A thoughtful, passionate set.

Stepping on next were The Hold Steady, a Brooklyn based indie band with one of the happiest lead vocalists (Craig Finn) I’ve ever seen. Moving back and forth, arms flailing and mouthing excess lyrics, this band announced an upcoming album and strummed older tunes like “Chips Ahoy!” and “Constructive Summer.” Great to see these music veterans up there.

The third evening ended with Celtic punks, Flogging Molly, who feel as much like activists as they do performers. Proudly Irish, they filled their surroundings with fiddles, electric guitars, and marathon-style moves that rivalled Riverdance. Quick, raw, and unapologetic, this group presented a great atmosphere for pre-drinks before a night out.

Sunday evening was finally met with rain that softened the ground but not the spirits of concert-goers. Neko Case (of The New Pornographers) played the second last set, which turned into a storm halfway through. Gravelly and gracious, Case was thoroughly touched by the crowd’s loyalty, and fittingly offered “This Tornado Loves You” as well as some oldies that included “That Teenage Feeling.”

The final act to the stage were Glasgow’s own Belle & Sebastian, dreamy pop Glaswegians with adorable eccentricities. Lead man, Stuart Murdoch, is a true entertainer, whimsically arriving with an umbrella and twirling methodically around stage. The wonderful thing about this group is the orchestral atmosphere they create, not only due to their size, but encompassing harmonies. Highlights included audience interactions, which involved a live game of scrabble.

Even though TURF concluded under one of this year’s worst rainfalls the event was a success filling in the gap of chill music festivals and shedding light on local talent. We look forward to watching it grow.

See more photos from TURF on our Facebook page.

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The weather finally agreeing with the designated season, the sun was shining and music a blaring.  Catching the ever-so-indie Camera Obscura, many sang along in symphony style to the seductive sweetness. Later, another stage populated with hard-core skankers in rhythm, sort of, to the Irish punk sounds of Flogging Molly. Finally, adorable songstress Zooey Deschanel in the duo She & Him brought in the hippest crowd, practising one of her many talents in unison with the talented guitarist M.Ward. Friday was smooth yet dynamic, which happens to be the underlying theme of this eclectic festival. Blues, in this case, can be defined as good music rather than a specific sound or genre.

Saturday concert goers were well rested and ready for more. Many gathered for the big final act by Dixie Chicks, the wait didn’t take away from the breathtaking performance of the soulful songstress of Cold Specks or the international dance rhythm of Amadou & Mariam.

The stunning and perpetual voice of Neko Case was more than a preview to full-on country twang. Singing her heart out with poignant yet poetic lyrics, Neko played some new songs from her upcoming album The Worse Things Get, the Harder I Fight, the Harder I Fight, the More I Love You set to release in September. Balancing her performance with songs from previous albums, the crowd was in awe.

As many squatted over their prime seats with foldable chairs, blankets, and even quilts *spot saved*, Belle & Sebastien played a great set with songs recognised from radio-play and blockbuster hits if not from a constant replay of their catchy yet mellow album.

Dixie Chicks, having taken a somewhat of a hiatus from performances, brought in a fan base of all ages filling almost every square inch of the festival arena. Many geared up in cute sundresses and cowboy boots, singing along and re-living the message behind that epic documentary Shut Up and Sing. The country-pop music echoed through a large portion of Ottawa’s centrum.

Bringing in more acts comes Sunday all the way to July 14th, next Sunday it is a worthy experience. As most festivals tend to have strict rules crouching in on your comfort and wallet, the Blues Fest is highly equipped with refillable water stations, a pretty decent amount of bathrooms (less wasted wait time), decently priced food selection and, of course, the option to park your butt in a lawn chair. With the sun scorching hot, water stations were a lifesaver, and the festival wasn’t too packed till the end of both nights. The vibe of the crowds was pretty chill and more family-oriented during the day, but stayed friendly throughout the night.

So if you already missed Wu Tang Clan or Rush, make sure to at least catch Animal Collective, Weezer, the Tragically Hip, or the Great Big Sea. With many big names among these are other great acts guaranteed to fulfill some of that summer angst to get shit done!

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