California Snow Story - Close to the Ocean
by Tommy Gunnarsson
published: 8 / 5 / 2007
Label:
Letterbox
Format: CD
intro
Enjoyable, if somewhat predictable indiepop on long awaited debut album from California Snow Story, whose guitarist David Skirving was an early member of camera Obscura
I remember when I first heard California Snow Story’s first EP 'One Good Summer' (released on the brilliant Shelflife label back in 2002), and the first thought that came up in my head was “they must have listened a lot to Camera Obscura”. What I didn’t know at that point was that the songwriter for California Snow Story is David Skirving, once the guitarist for, surprise surprise, Camera Obscura. He left the band before they released their debut album, 'Biggest Bluest Hi Fi' even though he wrote some songs for it, and instead he joined forces with Anna Barrek and formed his own band. That was five years ago, and now David is back again, with a new vocalist, Sandra Belda Martínez from Spain (and of Superéte fame), and a long awaited debut album, 'Close to the Ocean'. So, has the sound changed during the five year break ? Well, not much, really. The first song, 'Begin Again', is a nice slice of pop, closely resembling the sound of early Camera Obscura. Actually, my girlfriend who didn't know what I had on CD player said “isn’t this that Camera Obscura song, 'Your Sound ?'” when I was listening to the album for the first time. And so it goes on for the rest of the album… Reading this, I see that I may sound negative, but I’m not. Honestly! This is a good album, and I wish I could avoid writing about David’s past, which would be lot easier if he was doing a totally different kind of music. He isn’t, but I like California Snow Story anyway.
Track Listing:-
1 Begin Again2 My Life Is Only A Daydream
3 Future Perfect
4 Suddenly Everything Happens
5 Consolation Song
6 Brook Lune
7 A New Light To Guide You
8 Wishing Well
9 You Set The Scene
10 Once An Ocean
interviews |
|
Interview (2007) |
|
| A songwriter and the one-time guitarist with Camera Obscura, David Skirvng's band California Snow Story have finally released their debut album 'Close to the Ocean' five years after their only EP. Tommy Gunnasrsson talks to him about the reasons behind the long delay and his musical career |
most viewed articles
current edition
Carl Ewens - David Bowie 1964 to 1982 On Track: Every Album, Every SongSimian Life - Interview
the black watch - Interview
John McKay - Interview
Editorial - July 2025
Billie Eilish - O2 Arena, London, 10/7/2025
Armory Show - Interview with Richard Jobson
Hothouse Flowers - Photoscapes
Bathers - Photoscapes 2
Cleo Laine - 1927-2025
most viewed reviews
current edition
Amy Macdonald - Is This What You've Been Waiting For?Sick Man of Europe - The Sick Man of Europe
Phew, Erika Kobayashi,, Dieter Moebius - Radium Girls
Alice Cooper - The Revenge of Alice Cooper
Lapsley - I'm a Hurricane, I'm a Woman In Love
Davey Woodward - Mumbo in the Jumbo
Philip Jeays - Victoria
Blueboy - 2
Lucy Spraggan - Other Sides of the Moon
Cynthia Erivo - I Forgive You
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart