Arthur & Yu is a calm group. They’re not gonna blow you away in any sense of the phrase, but they don’t intend to do so. Everything is peaceful in their own little world and their debut LP In Camera shows this.
The band consists of Grant Olsen and Sonya Westcott, both of whom provide lead vocals. I absolutely love Westcott’s voice. It’s so delicate, soft, and tender. Her voice is the epidome of comfort singing, it just feels like a warmth wrapped around you. On the other hand, Olsen’s vocal leave a bit to be desired. The interplay of tones between the two is really what the music is built around, but still Olsen’s vocals are just a bit to stark and sharp. They seem harsh and uninviting in comparison to Westcott’s gentle coo. This becomes more evident when the listener hears “There Are Too Many Birds,” where Westcott is the only singer. You don’t miss Olsen’s voice one iota while listening to the track, which is rather telling.
The instrumental landscape that backs the duo is tailored to match the vocal stylings. There is plenty of tambourine and other very “natural” sounding light percussion. The guitar sound is mostly strummed chords that don’t ring or resonate (as heard in “Flashing the Lobby Lights”), but it suits the mood. There is also a subtle mixing in of a multitude of very electronic sounds in the vein of The Flaming Lips.
The sound of In Camera evokes images of sweet innocence. To me it sounds like the kind of record you listen to at a national park. I can clearly picture someone driving through the redwoods Yosemite with In Camera playing through their car’s tiny speakers. The album also makes me thinks of young kids playing Indians in the woods behind their home. These very vivid images are a testament to just how well Arthur & Yu are able to give this album a distinct feel and identity.
The downside of In Camera also comes from it’s distinct sound. After a while the songs start to sound a lot like one another due to the similar tones, instruments, and recording styles that are evident across all the tracks. If the listener isn’t paying attention it might seem like the music is fading into the whites of the walls. To that point, In Camera is the type of album that you can easily fall asleep to while listening. While this can be nice if you’re trying to unwind, it speaks to the lack of anything monumentally gripping about the record.
It should also be mentioned that while there are albums that have a lot of reverb, In Camera is damn near drowning in it. It’s never distracting and doesn’t really seem out of place, but none the less it’s there. If you can’t stand a everything echoing quite a bit you might just want to stay away from this group.
Overall, In Camera is a nice little debut album for Arthur & Yu. So kick back, relax, and put it on.
Review Score: 7.4
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