KAMERA RESSURECTION

Growing up in the shadows of super-groups like The Cure, Pet Shop Boys, Erasure, Duran Duran, and Depeche Mode, one can become heavily influenced by a certain type of aesthetic. Fashion, intrigue, and romance become core virtues, and the music is wrapped tightly around a visual style that enhances the experience with a rush of sexual, sensual emotion. For most bands, these are nothing more than fleeting moments in time. KAMERA have captured something different. "If you listen to the radio here in Sweden, you'll hear maybe six or seven bands in the course of an hour that sound like Dexys Midnight Runners," jokes Carl DeLorean, drummer and chief lyricist for Kamera. "That's been trendy for a long time now. It's either about being very indie or very pop, but we're a bit in between." Kamera was formed back in 2000 by DeLorean, singer Joakim Hjelm, and bassist Kit Balance as a dynamic juxtaposition to the vapid Stockholm suburb they all inhabited. Railing against the conformities of local life and the bland motifs of other bands around them, Kamera pushed the envelope to create something that would transcend their surroundings, even if it didn't immediately resonate with the people around them. In a unique twist of fate, they immediately found themselves stereotyped by others. "If someone flashes out, or if someone says they enjoy nice clothes or love listening to pop music, they're considered fake," admits DeLorean. "Or people would say, 'Oh, you play in a band? What else do you do?' We didn't get a lot of respect initially." Kamera slowly but steadily built up a core fan base, tirelessly performing and promoting their sexy, uplifting blend of alternative pop in and around Stockholm, where they rocked a captivated audience of 35,000+ in support of Robbie Williams. Taking cues from greats like Roxy Music and Joy Division, they created a stylish aura of confidence and vulnerability that fused warm melodies and electro-synth harmonies with reliable rock 'n' roll riffing and drumming. In 2003, with the help of longtime friend and producer Björn Öqvist, Kamera recorded and released their self-titled debut album, featuring fan favorites like "Fragile" and "Suburban Boy." It was only a matter of time before the boys found a home at Sony Music. But less than a year after the ink dried—and during the middle of a long tour—Kamera fell victim to the major label merger. DeLorean and his mates, however, were determined to stay the course. After parting ways with two of the original band members, Kamera enlisted the help of Nico (a versatile synth player), and a guitarist named Lotus, who, at 23, is the youngest member of Kamera. The shake-up turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as the two new players have contributed greatly to the band's updated sound. The appropriately titled RESURRECTION (also produced by Öqvist), signals Kamera's return to the pop music proving ground, albeit with a darker more mature edge. "Lies," the album's first single, is an uptempo track backed by a restless tambourine, solid rock drums, and a jagged bass line that smacks of early U2. Spacey, squiggly synths creep into the foreground on "Borderline"—a crowd pleaser during their support tour with Pink last year—but soon give way to bright acoustic guitars and an enlivened chorus that paves the way for "Like A Drug." "Like A Drug" is pure Kamera style, fluid and focused with a bridge that shifts direction ever so slightly before pounding itself back into form. The album's first ballad, the Duran Duran inspired "Love Surrounds Us," is coaxed along with light programmed percussion that lets Hjelm's vocal soar above the mix, while "Disconnected" is a Sunday drive anthem that calls to mind the classic 80s vibes of bands like XTC and The Exponents. But Kamera never drift far from their love of delectable synth pop, and "I Was Made For You," "Talk About," and "I Lost Control" round out the second half of the album with a triumphant, big room feel. Resurrection's closing track, "Just Another Sign Of Love," closes out their opus with romantic flair, as Hjelm sings over an acoustic melody: "To say the right words is the hardest thing to do, it's too easy to rely on what you feel." Through thick and thin, DeLorean and the rest of Kamera have always followed their hearts, but this time out, things feel different. "The name Resurrection is very special to us," DeLorean explains. "We couldn't just lie down and die . We felt our new material was too good. The songs are a bit darker, both lyrically and instrumentally, but in a way it's how we always wanted Kamera to sound. This is us." Nettwerk signed Kamera for North America and the UK in 2007. Resurrection was released digitally on August 28, 2007, and will be out physically on February 8, 2008.