Spent a week in a dusty library

Camera Obscura will probably never top the genius that was “Lloyd, I’m Ready to be Heartbroken.” It’s a near-impossible precedent to live up to, but the group’s new single, “French Nevy,” isn’t far off. It’s everything that Glaswegian twee-pop should be, with dewey-eyed strings, shimmering guitars, and wistfully romantic lyrics (“You with your dietary restriction / Said you loved with me a load of conviction”). Like the best moments of 2006’s Let’s Get Out of This Country, the song is pounding and anthemic, but its grandeur is kept in check by Tracyanne Campell’s ever-restrained vocals.

What really cements the song’s brilliance is the music video, which hit the net today via Pitchfork. Interspersed with band performance clips, the video portrays a whirlwind holiday romance with quick-cut clips, coming off like a series of idyllic holiday snapshots. The video follows the couple from first kiss to last, and despite having only three minutes to show the full romantic arc, it’s surprisingly understated; there’s no big blow-out, just subtle body language to show the lovers’ emotions. In terms of sheer poignancy, “French Navy” takes the medium of the three-minute music video about as far as it can go.

Check out the video here courtesy of Pitchfork.

“French Navy” will be released on 7″ and CD single on April 13. The full-length, My Maudlin Career, will follow a week later (April 20/21) via 4AD.