Underachievers, Please Try Harder

Scottish outfit Camera Obscura hit their apotheosis with 2006's Let's Get Out of This Country, but that album's predecessor, 2003's Underachievers, Please Try Harder, lays the groundwork for the band's greatness. With its guileless air, gorgeous arrangements, and solid songcraft, Underachievers, Please Try Harder proves the band worthy successors to the indie pop crown held by their countrymen Belle and Sebastian. Camera Obscura's albums are so well written and put together it is difficult to pick highlights or favourites. From the sparkling, delicate folk-pop of opener Suspended From Class to the nostalgia-tinged doo-wop of A Sister's Social Agony and the breezy charm of Teenager, the album is a nonstop stream of enchanting melodies and hooks.