How To Die In The North

Lost treasure needn't be found in the distant past; the 21st century hides many artists who disappeared into the great wide yonder. BC Camplight is one such example. The alter-ego of American songwriter Brian Christinzio released albums in 2005 and 2007, both gems of a certain Psych-Pop vintage, combining eloquent songwriting with a self-destructive bent. Christinzio certainly knew it - he's described himself as, "the guy who blew it." But this sublime talent with the keening vocal and fearless approach to lyrical introspection has another chance. His new album 'How To Die In The North', recorded in his newly adopted home of Manchester, England, is a fantastically rich, stylistically diverse trip. From dramatic, layered Pop to a haunted take on Sixties Sunshine-Pop, from Blue-eyed Soul to speedy Surf-Pop, from sparser piano balladry to psychedelic showstoppers and a grand finale that's part Nilsson and part Broadway showtune.