The substance known as camphor has historically been used in religious ceremonies, as a moth repellent, as an ingredient in fireworks, for the embalming of the dead, and for medicinal purposes such as the alleviation of heart symptoms and fatigue. It is also the name of a New York-based indie pop group built around the songwriting of Max Avery Lichtenstein. If Max's name rings a bell, you may recognize him from his unconventional instrumental music for critically-acclaimed independent movies including Tarnation, Jesus' Son and The King. As a film composer, Max has proven himself quite adept at pushing emotional buttons with his beguiling sense of melody and judicious use of creative production techniques.
In 2006 Max decided it was time to explore the possibilities of music un-tethered to film. He penned a collection of songs loosely exploring the Japanese concept of wabi sabi, the idea that greatness exists in the inconspicuous details of the world, and that heart-tugging beauty can be found in the imperfect and the broken.
With the outline of these songs in hand, Max pulled in friends and collaborators from the bands Mercury Rev, Beirut, Stars Like Fleas, Bright Eyes, Hopewell, The Silent League and Timesbold (of which he is also a member) to produce and perform the debut Camphor album Drawn to Dust, a delicately crafted and gracefully orchestrated chamber pop opus highlighted by Max's captivating voice and evocative lyrics.
Drawn to Dust is a synthesis of sound, style, atmosphere and philosophy that was built with a menagerie of character-rich instruments ranging from the organic (mariachi horns, strings, woodwinds and harp) to the manufactured (mellotrons, optigans, lo-fi electronics and more). The album offers up a dark but catchy listening experience reminiscent in flashes of artists like Nick Cave, Sufjan Stevens, Sparklehorse, Beck, Brian Wilson, Calexico, Broken Social Scene, Wilco and late-era Talk Talk.
Camphor's debut received great acclaim in the U.S., where the CD was released in April 2008 on Friendly Fire Records. To accompany the release, Max produced a unique music video for the record’s first single “Castaway”… a cinematic retelling of the classic siren myth as performed by a cast of PLAYMOBIL® characters. The video caught the eye of Pitchfork Media who premiered the clip on their Forkcast, and it has subsequently been featured on many of the most prominent music bogs and online magazines (including Spin, PopMatters, Detour and Better Propaganda). A follow-up video for the album’s second single is in the works.
The band is soon heading to Europe, where releases of Drawn to Dust are planned for late 2008.
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