Isobel Campbell
Isobel Campbell (born 27 April 1976) is a Scottish singer, songwriter and cellist. She rose to prominence at age nineteen as a member of the indie pop band Belle & Sebastian, but left the group to pursue a solo career, first as The Gentle Waves, and later under her own name. She later collaborated with singer Mark Lanegan on three albums. Her latest studio album, There Is No Other, was released in 2020.
Isobel Campbell
Campbell's music has been described as either indie pop, chamber pop or singer-songwriter. Regardless of genre, Campbell makes gentle and sombre music, often using classical instruments.
Biography[edit]
1996–2002: Belle & Sebastian[edit]
Belle & Sebastian was formed in 1996 by Stuart Murdoch and Stuart David; Campbell had met Murdoch at a New Year's Eve party at age nineteen, and then participated in a recording session with Murdoch and David sponsored by Stow College's Music Business Administration curriculum. They named themselves Belle & Sebastian after a children's book of the same name.[1] Murdoch was the lead singer on the first two albums, with Campbell playing cello, percussion and singing backing vocals. A classically trained cellist,[1] Campbell also played keyboards. She also took lead vocals on a few songs from the band, and co-wrote their top-20 UK single "Legal Man".
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). Campbell left the band in spring of 2002, in the middle of their North American tour.
1998: Collaboration with Snow Patrol[edit]
On Snow Patrol's 1998 debut album Songs for Polarbears, Campbell provides vocals on the song "NYC".[2]
2003–2006: Solo work[edit]
In 1999, Campbell released her first solo album, The Green Fields of Foreverland, on the same label as Belle & Sebastian, Jeepster Records, under the name 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 as The Gentle Waves. In 2002, she collaborated with Scottish jazz musician Bill Wells on Ghost of Yesterday, a collection of Billie Holiday songs released by Creeping Bent. In 2003 she released a new album Amorino under her own name. Bill Wells was featured here again, along with other jazz musicians.[3]
Her next album, 2006's Ballad of the Broken Seas, was a collaboration with former Screaming Trees vocalist Mark Lanegan and was well received by critics.
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.