
Camera Obscura Share New Song “We’re Going to Make It in a Man’s World”
Look to the East, Look to the West Due Out May 3 via Merge
Mar 06, 2024 Photography by Robert Perry
Scottish indie-pop band Camera Obscura are releasing their first new album in 11 years, Look to the East, Look to the West, on May 3 via Merge. Now they have shared its second single, “We’re Going to Make It in a Man’s World.” Listen below, followed by the band’s upcoming tour dates.
“We’re Going to Make It in a Man’s World” was co-written by frontwoman Tracyanne Campbell with keyboardist Donna Maciocia, originally for filmmaker Margaret Salmon’s 2021 film Icarus (After Amelia).
“This is a co-write with Donna, one of the first of many songs we have since written together,” says Campbell in a press release. “It is a bit tongue-in-cheek with a serious message at its core. As middle-aged women in the music industry, are we relevant? Who is interested in us? Where’s our place in an industry where women are so underrepresented?”
Salmon shot the album cover for Look to the East, Look to the West. The cover features the return of Fiona Morrison, who was on the cover of Camera Obscura’s debut album, 2021’s Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi.
Previously Camera Obscura shared the album’s first single, “Big Love,” via a music video. “Big Love” was #1 on our Songs of the Week list.
Camera Obscura released their first three albums via Merge, before switching to 4AD for their last two albums. The band haven’t released a new album since 2013’s Desire Lines, in large part due to the tragic and untimely passing due to cancer of founding member and keyboardist Carey Lander in 2015. Last year the band announced their return to Merge and announced some UK tour dates.
Tracyanne Campbell had a side-project, Tracyanne & Danny, with Danny Coughlan, that released a self-titled album in 2018 via Merge.
The band features founding members Tracyanne Campbell (vocals and guitar, Kenny McKeeve (guitar and vocals), Gavin Dunbar (bass), and Lee Thomson (drums and percussion), alongside newer member Donna Maciocia (keys and vocals). Maciocia has also become a regular songwriting partner with Campbell.
Jari Haapalainen, who produced Camera Obscura’s 2006 album Let’s Get Out of This Country and 2009’s My Maudlin Career, returned to produce Look to the East, Look to the West, which was recorded in the same room where Queen wrote “Bohemian Rhapsody.” A press release says that the album sees the band somewhat go “back to basics,” with no string or brass arrangements.
Read our 2006 interview with Camera Obscura.
Read our 2010 interview with Camera Obscura.
Read our 2010 interview with Camera Obscura’s Tracyanne Campbell on Grease.
Read our 2013 interview with Camera Obscura.
Read our 2013 joint interview between Tracyanne Campbell and Lloyd Cole.
Read our 2014 Artist Survey interview with Carey Lander of Camera Obscura.
Read our 2018 interview with Tracyanne and Danny.
Read our 2020 My Favorite Album interview with Tracyanne Campbell.
Camera Obscura 2024 Tour Dates:
Thu. May 2 - Hebden Bridge, UK @ The Trades Club
Sat. May 4 - Leeds, UK @ Stylus
Mon. May 6 - Manchester, UK @ Academy 2
Tue. May 7 - London, UK @ Koko
Thu. May 9 - Brighton, UK @ Concorde 2
Fri. May 10 - Birmingham, UK @ O2 Academy 2
Sat. May 11 - Glasgow, UK @ Barrowland Ballroom
Wed. May 29 - Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
Thu. May 30 - Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
Fri. May 31 - Montreal, QC @ Theatre Fairmont
Sat. Jun. 1 - Toronto, ON @ The Concert Hall
Mon. Jun. 3 - Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
Tue. Jun. 4 - Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line
Fri. Jun. 7 - Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
Sat. Jun. 8 - Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall
Mon. Jun. 10 - San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
Tue. Jun. 11 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Regent Theater
Wed. Jun. 12 - Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom
Fri. Jun. 14 - Dallas, TX @ Studio at the Factory
Sat. Jun. 15 - Austin, TX @ Scoot Inn
Mon. Jun. 17 - Atlanta, GA @ Variety
Tue. Jun. 18 - Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
Wed. Jun. 19 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
Thu. Jun. 20 - New York, NY @ Webster Hall
Sat. Jun. 22-Mon. Jun 24 - Mexico City, MX @ Foro Indie Rocks!
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