WHY CARE: On Tuesday Starbucks’ Hear Music label co-releases “Songs Around the World,” a charity album by Playing for Change that includes street musicians and Bono.
TRIVIA: For each track, producers recorded musicians from around the world: drums from American Indians, choral vocals from South Africa, cello from Russia. The parts were layered in a studio to make the final version of the songs.
STANDOUTS: A cover of “Stand By Me,” viewed more than 9 million times on YouTube, feels the most sincere.
FANS DIG: Jamaica
ANDY SAYS: The charm of this effort is mostly lost on the CD, as the colossal work done by the producers fails to come across. Thankfully, the album also includes a DVD that shows several of the best songs being assembled. There, the idea that music can unite the globe feels like a genuine possibility.
GRADE: C-plus
Camera Obscura, “My Maudlin Career”
WHY CARE: Camera Obscura jumped to the label 4AD to release the follow-up to its well-loved 2006 album “Let’s Get Out of This Country.”
TRIVIA: The indie pop group is based out of Glasgow, Scotland.
STANDOUT: You can’t go wrong with the first single, “French Navy,” an enchantingly produced rush of 1960s-styled pop.
FANS DIG: John Peel’s favorite bands
ANDY SAYS: Camera Obscura gets endlessly linked to another cute indie pop band from Glasgow, Belle and Sebastian. While the two have definite similarities — both sing sunny songs about being sad-hearted — Camera Obscura takes a more defined step toward a Phil Spector-styled production on this heavenly album.
GRADE: A-minus
Andy Rathbun: 425-339-3455, arathbun@heraldnet.com.
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