Isobel Campbell

Biography

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, Bow To Love×Bow to Love14 June 2024 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 26 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Everything Falls Apart3:102Do Or Die2:343Spider To The Fly2:224Second Guessing2:085Bow To Love3:27643163:207Dopamine5:188Keep Calm, Carry On3:019Saturday's Son3:0810Take This Poison3:2011Om Shanti Om4:3012You2:4013Why Worry4:10Disc 21Tout s'écroule et se meurt3:112Maintenant ou jamais2:353⁠Araignée du soir2:214⁠Je me demande juste2:085⁠Place à l'Amour3:276⁠43163:197Dopamine5:198⁠Reste calme, suis ta voie3:019⁠Le fils du laboureur3:0910⁠Prends ce poison3:2011⁠Om Shanti Om4:3012⁠Toi2:3713T'en fais pas4:09, was released in 2024.
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.

1996–2002: Belle & Sebastian

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. Murdoch was the lead singer on the first two albums, with Campbell playing cello, percussion and singing backing vocals. A classically trained cellist, 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

On Snow Patrol's 1998 debut album Songs for Polarbears, Campbell provides vocals on the song "NYC".

2003–2006: Solo work

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×Amorino7 October 2003 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Amorino3:452The Breeze Whispered Your Name4:453Monologue for an Old True Love3:424October’s Sky2:335The Cat’s Pyjamas2:246Why Does My Head Hurt So?2:157Johnny Come Home3:428Poor Butterfly3:019Love for Tomorrow2:4810There Is No Greater Gold4:0811This Land Flows With Milk4:2012Song for Baby3:4913Time Is Just the Same2:55 under her own name. Bill Wells was featured here again, along with other jazz musicians. 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×Milkwhite Sheets23 October 2006 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1O Love Is Teasin'1:562Willow's Song4:223Yearning4:184James3:555Hori Horo2:206Reynardine2:537Milkwhite Sheets1:208Cachel Wood2:379Beggar, Wiseman, or Thief3:1310Loving Hannah3:1811Are You Going to Leave Me?4:3112Over the Wheat and the Barley2:3413Thursday's Child8:04. 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.

2007–2013: Collaboration with Mark Lanegan

In April 2004, Campbell released an EP with former Screaming Trees and Queens of the Stone Age singer 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. 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 were released: "Who Built the Road"(7"), "Come On Over (Turn Me On)" (7") and "Keep me in mind sweetheart"(Cd, 12"). The five new tracks of the "Keep me in mind sweetheart" EP were later added as bonus tracks to Sunday at Devil Dirt.
A third collaborative album with Lanegan was released on 16 August 2010 entitled Hawk. The pair toured to promote the album, including a set at All Tomorrow's Parties, 10–12 December 2010 (Bowlie 2) curated by Belle & Sebastian. In July 2013, it was announced that Campbell and Lanegan had officially ended their musical partnership.

2020–Present: Reemergence

In February 2020, Campbell released There Is No Other, which was named Rough Trade's album of the week, via new label Cooking Vinyl.
In June 2022, Campbell sang in French on an EP called Son Parapluie with Jérôme Didelot, leader of the band Orwell. This EP included remixes by Jah Wobble (Public Image Ltd) and Martin Carr (The Boo Radleys).
In June 2024, she released her latest album, Bow To Love×Bow to Love14 June 2024 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 26 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Everything Falls Apart3:102Do Or Die2:343Spider To The Fly2:224Second Guessing2:085Bow To Love3:27643163:207Dopamine5:188Keep Calm, Carry On3:019Saturday's Son3:0810Take This Poison3:2011Om Shanti Om4:3012You2:4013Why Worry4:10Disc 21Tout s'écroule et se meurt3:112Maintenant ou jamais2:353⁠Araignée du soir2:214⁠Je me demande juste2:085⁠Place à l'Amour3:276⁠43163:197Dopamine5:198⁠Reste calme, suis ta voie3:019⁠Le fils du laboureur3:0910⁠Prends ce poison3:2011⁠Om Shanti Om4:3012⁠Toi2:3713T'en fais pas4:09, complemented by a full version of the album in french, translated as Place À l'Amour.

Studio albums

The Green Fields of Foreverland (1999) (as The Gentle Waves)
Swansong for You (2000) (as The Gentle Waves)
Amorino (2003)
Ballad of the Broken Seas (2006) (with Mark Lanegan)
Milkwhite Sheets (2006)
Sunday at Devil Dirt (2008) (with Mark Lanegan)
Hawk (2010) (with Mark Lanegan)
There Is No Other (2020)
Bow To Love (2024)