One of the most exciting acts emerging in the UK indie scene, Camens return with their bouncy new single ‘On the Walk from the Picturehouse’.
Like previous releases ‘Jacket Weather’ and ‘Illustrator’, ‘On the Walk from the Picturehouse’ succeeds predominantly on how much fun the band seem to have had creating it. The central metaphor — that a first date is like a film trailer — is expressed in light, prosaic, and occasionally thought-provoking lyrics that beautifully toe the line between slightly cool and slightly dorky.
Personality holds the key in both thematic scenarios; here, it is what makes the record tick — a solid imitation of the late-noughties Kooky Alternative Boy shtick that proved so popular for pacemakers of the genre like The Wombats and Two Door Cinema Club.
“The song plays around with the idea that seeing someone you like and then taking them out can be similar in many ways to seeing a trailer before you watch a movie,” the band explains. “In both situations, it’s not until you take the plunge that you’ll know if you both “click’, or if the film is all you hoped it would be.”
Camens waste no time getting that idea across, with a lovely vocal melody that’ll stick in your head for days if you’re not careful. Still, there’s a nagging sense that the track is somewhat overcooked. The chorus vocal is way too saturated, and often finds itself competing with the distorted guitars in a somewhat crowded mix.
I’d be tempted to shave off the top layer of fuzz altogether: there’s a sweet, playful song in there somewhere, but it all comes across needlessly frantic. It’s in keeping with this trait that, despite Upping The Ante, the three (!) identifiable endings decrease rather than increase the record’s punch.
With its crowd-pleasing melody, tight performance and relatable theme, ‘On the Walk from the Picturehouse’ will undoubtedly be a hit, cementing Camens’ status as a frontrunner in the UK’s indie circuit. You might call it a compelling trailer — let’s see what their full movie has in store.