Songs You May Have Missed #499

BC Camplight: “Thieves in Antiqua” (2013)

BC Camplight is the moniker of one of Philadelphia’s most beloved songsmiths, and ex-boxer, Brian Christinzio. BC Camplight has been a critics’ favourite since the release of his highly melodic, often lyrically deranged baroque-pop debut Hide, Run Away (One Little Indian) in 2005. The album’s addictive works – which combined summery melodies not too far removed from Harry Nilsson, The Beach Boys and Burt Bacharach with twisted classical arrangements and dark, sometimes frightening subject matter – helped land Hide, Run Away on many international publications’ year-end ‘Best of’ lists. TIME magazine called BC Camplight ‘a name to become synonymous with star quality ‘. Both Hide and his 2007 follow-up Blink of a Nihilist were five-star Albums of the Week in the Sunday Times..

BC Camplight gained fans all over the world while touring virtually non-stop between 2005 and 2008 with his high energy, highly musical live performances. The New York Post called his 2008 set in Brooklyn ‘a genuine musical achievement‘.

In 2008, on the eve of recording his third record for One Little Indian, Christinzio suffered a psychiatric event and immediately retired from writing. Uncomfortable leaving Philadelphia, Christinzio put together a live line-up consisting of himself and several members of his hometown brethren The War On Drugs, and spent the next few years performing exclusively in Philadelphia. Some of these shows have become part of Philly music folklore. He also reverted back to his days as a highly coveted session pianist and performed on dozens of records – most notably Sharon Van Etten’s 2011 release Epic.

Last year BC Camplight moved to Manchester, and has finally recorded what he hopes will become his signature work. The record, entitled Grim Cinema, will be released this year.

Every Moment Has A Song