Camden “Reel Time Canvas” 2000. Grand Theft Autumn Records. This past Friday was Camden singer William Seidel’s birthday – happy (belated) birthday, BJ! Reel Time Canvas was Milwaukee-based Camden’s first, and last, LP (though they do have a couple of EP’s) before its members went on to mostly become a who’s-who in the MKE scene: BJ was also in Promise Ring, Decibully and most recently Dramatic Lovers; Ryan Weber was also in The Promise Ring and Decibully, and along with Camden member Eric Osterman, Eric and Magill; and Brian “Biju” Zimmerman whose only band – I think – was Camden since became sound-man extraordinaire. The band’s name was inspired by BJ’s time living in the Camden neighborhood of London in the 90’s (I think maybe another member or two of the band was with him but I can’t recall that part of the story.)

Reel Time Canvas is lush, emo and shoe-gazey; on the forefront of the emo-scene that was somewhat centered in Milwaukee in the in early aughts. I missed out on that scene completely (I was listening to much harder stuff) but friends who were into it tell me it was particularly vibrant. I found a couple of  reviews of Reel Time Canvas on the Free Music Archive site which are wonderful but also hilarious especially if you know the band personally: “Camden’s first full-length album wins my (non-existant) award for the most gorgeous rock album ever, and I’m not talking album art. I raved about Camden’s previous EP for the most amazing emo-style rock it contained. But here, I have to feel Camden have gone beyond emo’s boundaries and into something that’s completely new and all their own. The first thing you’re going to notice about Camden is their singer. He must have been classically trained, and it’s almost opera-style, soaring to higher notes than you would have thought possible and always quite beautiful. The rest of the rock combines elements from the modern, post-hardcore rock with a sort of lofty, atmospheric rock reminiscent of 80′s Ride. It’s complex and changing throughout, slowing and speeding, changing up the times, at times soft and barely heard at others in your face and aggressive. But it’s never pretentious, and that’s what makes it so downright glorious.” And this from another reviewer: “…imagine you are stuck in an elevator with Morrissey, Braid’s Robert Nanna and Shudder To Think’s Craig Wedren. Say they had all showered and used deodorant and Morrissey was being a sissy for once in his life. And let’s say, for the sake of argument they decided to record a record capturing this experience of uncomfortable solitude. The result I am sure would be similar to Camden’s Reel Time Canvas.” My top two tracks are the opener “Mike, Who is Diary?” and the almost-grunge “Not Without Your Blessing.”

Here’s a photo of me and BJ from 2023 at his graduation from the yoga teacher training I co-direct.