Isobel Campbell (born on 27 April 1976 in Glasgow) is a Scottish singer, cellist and composer in the indie and rock genres.Contents [hide] 1 History 2 Musical career 2.1 Belle & Sebastian 2.2 Solo and side projects 2.3 Collaboration with Mark Lanegan 3 Selected discography 3.1 Studio albums 3.2 Studio Albums With Mark Lanegan 4 References 5 External links
[edit] History
Campbell was a member of Belle & Sebastian from their formation in Glasgow in 1996 until 2002, when she departed the band for personal reasons. She played cello and keyboards with the band, and sang backing vocals. She also took lead vocals on a few songs from the band, and co-wrote their top-20 UK single "Legal Man".
Her band The Gentle Waves released its first album on Jeepster Records, titled The Green Fields of Foreverland, in 1999. The second Gentle Waves record, Swansong For You came out one year later. In 2002, she collaborated with Scottish jazz musician Bill Wells on a collection of Billie Holiday songs, released by Creeping Bent.
In 2003, Campbell released Amorino, her first solo album under her own name, to very good reviews. Bill Wells was featured here again, along with other jazz musicians.
Her next LP, Ballad of the Broken Seas, a collaborative album with former Screaming Trees and Queens of the Stone Age singer Mark Lanegan, was released in March 2006. For this record she received a Mercury Music Prize nomination. She toured the UK, United States and Canada to promote the album. Her third solo album, Milkwhite Sheets, was released in November 2006 and continued the folk-based approach of Ballad of the Broken Seas.
A follow-up to Ballad of the Broken Seas with Mark Lanegan entitled Sunday at Devil Dirt was released on 13 May 2008. [edit] Musical career [edit] Belle & Sebastian
Belle & Sebastian was formed in 1996 by Stuart Murdoch and Stuart David. The band signed to Electric Honey in 1997. Tigermilk was their debut and was limited to 1,000 copies worldwide. Upon its release, the band's second album, If You're Feeling Sinister, is their best-selling album and received wide critical acclaim.
Their follow up was The Boy with the Arab Strap which contained the track "Is It Wicked Not to Care?" where for the first time Campbell sang lead vocals.
The band's next album was Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant. The album introduced many stylistic changes, such as a larger string section and more of the members singing lead vocals; Campbell sings on "Family Tree ", and performs a duet with Stevie Jackson on "Beyond the Sunrise".
Most of 2002 was spent on touring and recording a soundtrack album, Storytelling (for Storytelling by Todd Solondz), a movie which the New York Times has called one of the best 1,000 movies ever made. Campbell left the band in spring of 2002, in the middle of the band's North American tour, right after the Toronto show. [edit] Solo and side projects
In 1999, Campbell released her first solo album, The Green Fields of Foreverland, on the little known label Jeepster Records. Campbell released the album under the pseudonym of The Gentle Waves.
The follow up to The Green Fields of Foreverland would become Swansong for You released on 6 November 2000. This album would be the last release by Campbell under the pseudonym of The Gentle Waves. Her next album was Amorino which would be the third album in a row to not chart. Her next album was Ballad of the Broken Seas with former Screaming Trees vocalist Mark Lanegan and would become Campbell's major breakthrough.
Her fourth studio album was released on 23 October 2006 entitled Milkwhite Sheets. It brings traditional songs from United Kingdom and songs written by Campbell. Campbell has stated that album was inspired by the works of Jean Ritchie, Anne Briggs and Shirley Collins. [edit] Collaboration with Mark Lanegan
Isobel toured with Mark Lanegan in 2007 in support of their album Ballad of the Broken Seas.
In April 2004, Campell released an EP with former Screaming Trees vocalist Mark Lanegan, titled Time Is Just the Same. They would later release a single entitled "Ramblin' Man" for their collaboration album Ballad of the Broken Seas. Campbell wrote and recorded the majority of the album's tracks in Glasgow, with Lanegan adding vocals in Los Angeles. The album was nominated for the 2006 Mercury Prize.[1] Lanegan and Campbell played four UK concerts in January 2007, with the London date being moved to a larger venue as a result of high demand for tickets.
In 2007, the duo recorded a second album together, entitled Sunday at Devil Dirt, which was released on 5 May 2008. Three singles from the album have been released so far: "Who Built the Road"(7'), "Come On Over (Turn Me On)" (7') and "Keep me in mind sweetheart"(Cd, 12'). [edit] Selected discography Main article: Isobel Campbell discography [edit] Studio albums The Green Fields of Foreverland (1999) (as The Gentle Waves) Swansong For You (2000) (as The Gentle Waves) Amorino (2003) Milkwhite Sheets (2006) [edit] Studio Albums With Mark Lanegan Ballad of the Broken Seas (2006) (with Mark Lanegan) Sunday at Devil Dirt (2008) (with Mark Lanegan)
