The Best of Aztec Camera (1999)

Originally issued in Japan in 1999 (and later in the U.K. in 2001), The Best of Aztec Camera is an excellent overview of Roddy Frame's songwriting vehicle, collecting 16 tracks from throughout the group's history (up through 1993's Dreamland). The 1983 debut, High Land, Hard Rain, remains the best introduction to Aztec Camera's brand of witty, sophisticated, jazzy pop, but anyone wanting to dig deeper is easily advised to come here next.
For most intents and purposes, Aztec Camera is Roddy Frame, a Scottish guitarist/vocalist/songwriter. Several other musicians have passed through the band over the years — including founding members Campbell Owens (bass) and Dave Mulholland (drums) — but the one constant has been Frame. Throughout his career, he has created a sophisticated, lush, and nearly jazzy acoustic-oriented guitar pop, relying on gentle melodies and clever wordplay inspired by Elvis Costello.

Aztec Camera released their debut album, High Land, Hard Rain, in 1983. Before its release, Owens and Mulholland had left the group, leaving Frame to assemble the record himself. Upon its release, the album won significant amounts of critical praise for its well-crafted, multi-layered pop. After releasing a stop-gap EP, Oblivious, the group's second full-length record, Knife, appeared in 1984. Produced by Mark Knopfler, the album was more polished and immediate than the debut, featuring horn arrangements and a slight R&B influence. Three years later, Roddy Frame returned with Love, which featured musical support from several studio musicians. Love was a synthesized stab at pop-R&B, resulting in his greatest commercial success — the album launched four hit singles, including the Top Ten "Somewhere in My Heart."

Two years later, Aztec Camera returned to a more guitar-oriented sound with Stray. It wasn't as commercially successful as Love, yet it was a hit with fans who missed the chiming hooks of Frame's early work. Dreamland, released in 1993, followed the same pattern as Stray and achieved about the same amount of commercial and critical success.

The Best of Aztec Camera
1999
AZTEC CAMERA
Rody Frame(v),Campbell Owens(b),Dave Mulholland(d)

Track listing:

1. "Somewhere in My Heart" (4:02)
2. "Oblivious" (3:12)
3. "Good Morning Britain" (4:02)
4. "Working in a Goldmine" (5:42)
5. "How Men Are" (3:40)
6. "Birth of the True" (2:42)
7. "Pillar to Post" (4:01)
8. "Walk Out to Winter" (3:25)
9. "All I Need Is Everything" (5:50)
10. "Deep and Wide and Tall" (4:05)
11. "Jump" (2:50)
12. "Killermont Street" (3:18)
13. "The Crying Scene" (3:35)
14. "Spanish Horses" (4:36)
15. "Reason for Living" (3:17)
16. "We Could Send Letters" (5:45)

17. "Down The Dip"
18. "The Boy Wonders"
19. "Just Like The USA"
20. "Still On Fire"
21. "The Backdoor To Heaven
22. "One and One"
23. "Get Outta London"
24. "How It Is"
25. "The Gentle Kind"
26. "True Colors"
27. "Somewhere In My Heart (Extended)"

Aztec Camera - True Colors

True Colors
AZTEC CAMERA
Roddy Frame
Popup Lyrics

You with the sad eyes
Don't be discouraged
Oh I realize
And it's hard to take courage
In a world full of people
You can lose sight of it all
And the darkness deep inside you
Makes you feel so small

But I see your true colors
Shining through
Your true colors
That's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors
True colors are beautiful
Like a rainbow

You with a sad smile
Don't be unhappy, can't remember
When I last saw you laughing
If this world makes you crazy
And you've taken all you can bear
Just call me up
Because you know I'll be there

And I see your true colors
Shining through
Your true colors
That's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors
True colors are beautiful
Like a rainbow

Dig these:

Cyndi Lauper - True Colors (The Body Acoustic)
Aztec Camera - Jump
Aztec Camera - How Men Are

Aztec Camera

Aztec Camera were a Scottish New Wave band from Glasgow. They were a sensitive, tuneful pop band formed in 1980 and centered around the then teenage singer-songwriter, Roddy Frame. Their album Love was among the nominations for Best British Album at the 1989 BRIT Awards.

The band's line-up changed numerous times in its first few years. The constant member has been guitarist / vocalist / singer-songwriter Roddy Frame. Founding members included Campbell Owens (bass) and Dave Mulholland (drums). Craig Gannon was a member from 1983 to 1984. Guitarist Malcolm Ross (formerly of Josef K and Orange Juice) joined the band in 1984, and played on the Knife album. By the time of their third album, Love (1987), Frame was the only de facto member of the band: this and future albums credited to Aztec Camera were actually performed by Frame and studio musicians hired on a track-by-track basis.

The band's first UK 7" single was released by Glasgow based indie label Postcard Records in March 1981, and contained the songs "Just Like Gold" and "We Could Send Letters". An acoustic version of the latter song appeared on the influential C81 compilation cassette, released by NME in early 1981. A second single, "Mattress Of Wire", was also the last Postcard Records release before the group signed for fellow independent record label, Rough Trade. U.S. releases were on Sire Records.

Aztec Camera's debut album, High Land, Hard Rain, was released in April 1983. The album was successful, gathering significant critical acclaim for its well-crafted, multi-layered pop. The band went on to release a total of six albums, although most of these were essentially written and played by Frame. The albums included Knife (1984), Love (1987), Stray (1990), Dreamland (1993) and Frestonia (1995).

After the release of Aztec Camera's sixth album, Frestonia, Frame finally decided to record under his own name, and left the major record label, WEA.

Popular songs by Aztec Camera include "Oblivious", "Still On Fire", "Walk Out to Winter", "Somewhere in My Heart", and "Good Morning Britain" (a duet with former The Clash guitarist Mick Jones). "Somewhere in My Heart", the second single from Love, remains their biggest hit, reaching #3 on the UK Singles Chart. "Good Morning Britain" was considered to be a comeback for them, as previous single "The Crying Scene" had only reached #70 in the UK.

A 'Best of' collection was released in 1999.

Discography

The Best of Aztec Camera 2001 Including: Jump, The Crying Scene, Good Morning Britain, and more... Buy album: Overstock.com - Tower Records

	High Land, Hard Rain 1983 Including: Back on Board, Down the Dip, Oblivious, and more...

	Knife 1984 Including: Just Like the USA, The Back Door to Heaven, The Birth of the True, and more...

	Stray 1990 Including: Get Outta London, Over My Head, Stray, and more... Buy album: iTunes Music Store

	Frestonia 1995 Including: Method of Love, Beautiful Girl, On the Avenue, and more... Buy album: iTunes Music Store - Rhapsody - Tower Records

Somewhere in My Heart 1988 Including: Somewhere in My Heart, Somewhere in My Heart [Remix], Interview

	Dream Sweet Dreams 1993 Including: Dream Sweet Dreams, Let Your Love Decide [Live], Orchid Girl [Live], and more...

	Love 1987 Including: One and One, Deep and Wide and Tall, Killermont Street, and more...

Oblivious [EP] [RT] 1984 Including: Oblivious [Remix], Haywire, Orchid Girl

Covers & Rare 1993 Including: Good Morning Britain [With Mick Jones][Live], Consolation Prize [With Edwyn Collins], Bad Education, and more..