ARTHUR & YU – In Camera

Hardly Art

ARTHUR & YU In Camera Hardly Art • What would Lou Reed and Brian Wilson sound like as a duet? Grant Olsen and Sonya Westcott are the driving force behind In Camera and they’ve constructed a nostalgic album of ’60s and ’70s pop music finding a common ground between Beach Boys melodies and Velvet Underground haziness. “There are Too Many Birds” is initially approachable an upbeat acoustic guitar-and-drums piece but Westcott’s vocals come in whispered from the corner of the room giving a mysterious air to an otherwise simple song. Olson takes over the singing duties for “1000 Words” a fitting counterpoint for “Birds.” Vocally much more straightforward the track is accompanied by a haunting plodding electric guitar. The first album released on Hardly Art the new label run by Jonathan Poneman founder of Sub Pop In Camera marks a very impressive debut for Arthur & Yu. In Camera is infused with a lot of artistry but not at the expense of the album’s accessibility. There was a time when you knew that everything Sub Pop released would be worth hearing — let’s hope the same will be true for Hardly Art.