Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
Some performers never make a bigger splash than with their first record, a situation that the Ramones and De La Soul know all too well. If that's the case, though, said musicians had better make sure that debut is a doozy. Aztec Camera, or more specifically, Roddy Frame, falls squarely into this scenario, because while he has doggedly plugged away ever since with a series of what are, at times, not bad releases, High Land, Hard Rain remains the lovely touchstone of Frame's career. Very much the contemporaries of such well-scrubbed Scottish guitar pop confectionaries as Orange Juice, but with the best gumption and star quality of them all, Aztec Camera led off the album with "Oblivious," a mini-masterpiece of acoustic guitar hooks, lightly funky rhythms, and swooning backing vocals. If nothing tops that on High Land, Hard Rain, most of the remaining songs come very close, while they also carefully avoid coming across like a series of general sound-alikes. Frame's wry way around words of love (as well as his slightly nasal singing) drew comparisons to Elvis Costello, but Frame sounds far less burdened by expectations and more freely fun. References from Keats to Joe Strummer crop up (not to mention an inspired steal from Iggy's "Lust for Life" on "Queen's Tattoos"), but never overwhelm Frame's ruminations on romance, which are both sweet and sour. Musically, his capable band backs him with gusto, from the solo-into-full-band showstopper "The Bugle Sounds Again" to the heart-stopping guitar work on "Lost Outside the Tunnel." Whether listeners want to investigate further from here is up to them, but High Land, Hard Rain itself is a flat-out must-have.
© Ned Raggett /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From €13,50/month
Roddy Frame, Composer - Aztec Camera, MainArtist - Bernie Clarke, Producer - John Brand, Producer
© 1983 Warner Music UK Ltd ℗ 1983 Warner Music UK Ltd.
Roddy Frame, Arranger, Writer - Aztec Camera, MainArtist - Bernie Clarke, Producer - John Brand, Producer
© 1983 Warner Music UK Ltd ℗ 1983 Warner Music UK Ltd
Roddy Frame, Composer - Aztec Camera, MainArtist - Mark Knopfler, Producer
© 1983 Warner Music UK Ltd ℗ 1983 Warner Music UK Ltd.
Roddy Frame, Arranger, Writer - Aztec Camera, MainArtist - Bernie Clarke, Producer - John Brand, Producer
© 1983 Warner Music UK Ltd ℗ 1983 Warner Music UK Ltd
Roddy Frame, Composer, Arranger, Writer - Aztec Camera, MainArtist - Produced By John Brand And Bernie Clarke, Producer
© 1983 Warner Music UK Ltd ℗ 1983 Warner Music UK Ltd.
Roddy Frame, Arranger, Writer - Aztec Camera, MainArtist - Bernie Clarke, Producer - John Brand, Producer
© 1983 Warner Music UK Ltd ℗ 1983 Warner Music UK Ltd.
Roddy Frame, Arranger, Writer - Aztec Camera, MainArtist - Bernie Clarke, Producer - John Brand, Producer
© 1983 Warner Music UK Ltd ℗ 1983 Warner Music UK Ltd
Roddy Frame, Arranger, Writer - Aztec Camera, MainArtist - Bernie Clarke, Producer - John Brand, Producer
© 1983 Warner Music UK Ltd ℗ 1983 Warner Music UK Ltd
Roddy Frame, Arranger, Writer - Aztec Camera, MainArtist - Bernie Clarke, Producer - John Brand, Producer
© 1983 Warner Music UK Ltd ℗ 1983 Warner Music UK Ltd
Roddy Frame, Arranger, Writer - Aztec Camera, MainArtist - Bernie Clarke, Producer - John Brand, Producer
© 1983 Warner Music UK Ltd ℗ 1983 Warner Music UK Ltd
Roddy Frame, Arranger, Writer - Aztec Camera, MainArtist - Bernie Clarke, Producer - John Brand, Producer
© 1983 Warner Music UK Ltd ℗ 1983 Warner Music UK Ltd
Roddy Frame, Arranger, Writer - Aztec Camera, MainArtist - Bernie Clarke, Producer - John Brand, Producer
© 1983 Warner Music UK Ltd ℗ 1983 Warner Music UK Ltd
Roddy Frame, Arranger, Writer - Aztec Camera, MainArtist - Bernie Clarke, Producer - John Brand, Producer
© 1983 Warner Music UK Ltd ℗ 1983 Warner Music UK Ltd
Roddy Frame, Composer - Aztec Camera, MainArtist - Bernie Clarke, Producer - John Brand, Producer
© 1983 Warner Music UK Ltd ℗ 1983 Warner Music UK Ltd
Roddy Frame, Composer - Aztec Camera, MainArtist - Bernie Clarke, Producer - John Brand, Producer
© 1983 Warner Music UK Ltd ℗ 1983 Warner Music UK Ltd
Roddy Frame, Composer, Vocals - Aztec Camera, MainArtist
© 1983 Warner Music UK Ltd ℗ 1983 Warner Music UK Ltd
Roddy Frame, Composer - Aztec Camera, MainArtist - Bernie Clarke, Producer - John Brand, Producer
© 1983 Warner Music UK Ltd ℗ 1983 Warner Music UK Ltd
Album review
Some performers never make a bigger splash than with their first record, a situation that the Ramones and De La Soul know all too well. If that's the case, though, said musicians had better make sure that debut is a doozy. Aztec Camera, or more specifically, Roddy Frame, falls squarely into this scenario, because while he has doggedly plugged away ever since with a series of what are, at times, not bad releases, High Land, Hard Rain remains the lovely touchstone of Frame's career. Very much the contemporaries of such well-scrubbed Scottish guitar pop confectionaries as Orange Juice, but with the best gumption and star quality of them all, Aztec Camera led off the album with "Oblivious," a mini-masterpiece of acoustic guitar hooks, lightly funky rhythms, and swooning backing vocals. If nothing tops that on High Land, Hard Rain, most of the remaining songs come very close, while they also carefully avoid coming across like a series of general sound-alikes. Frame's wry way around words of love (as well as his slightly nasal singing) drew comparisons to Elvis Costello, but Frame sounds far less burdened by expectations and more freely fun. References from Keats to Joe Strummer crop up (not to mention an inspired steal from Iggy's "Lust for Life" on "Queen's Tattoos"), but never overwhelm Frame's ruminations on romance, which are both sweet and sour. Musically, his capable band backs him with gusto, from the solo-into-full-band showstopper "The Bugle Sounds Again" to the heart-stopping guitar work on "Lost Outside the Tunnel." Whether listeners want to investigate further from here is up to them, but High Land, Hard Rain itself is a flat-out must-have.
© Ned Raggett /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 17 track(s)
- Total length: 01:05:58
- Main artists: Aztec Camera
- Composer: Roddy Frame
- Label: Rhino
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock Alternative & Indie
© 1983 Warner Music UK Ltd ℗ 2012 Warner Music UK Ltd
Improve album informationWhy buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.