By Mo Kelly

There was a whole lot of love going around at Paradise this Sunday; from each rosy-cheeked couple, to every smiling friend group, to each solo showgoer and their half-full glass of beer.  In the very grand scheme of things, everyone seemed to be pretty happy to be alive—which really, was just a reflection of the night’s music.

Laura Cantrell kicked off the night with a homey sort of folk, the kind of stuff your mom might tune into on NPR or some low-traffic hour at WERS. Cantrell sang and played harmonies alongside her two-piece backing band: a lead guitarist and mandolin player of slightly older age. While Cantrell’s set was certainly no difficult listen, it landed less like a sound for active concentration and more like the something you’d hear while shopping at Yankee Candle. Singing “oranges in the winter taste like sunshine” while plucking guitar string, Cantrell pushed for a more upbeat, yet slightly dated presentation.

But talent was certainly still there, mostly in Cantrell’s country-Baez voice and the skill of the musicians behind her. And who can refuse a mandolin? One of the set’s more significant moments came with Jimmy Ryan’s solo during “Do You Ever Think Of Me,” a song from the Cantrell’s 2000 release, Not the Tremblin’ Kind. While too tame for yours truly, Cantrell’s sound was clean, professional and delicate. And while the demand for Laura Cantrell may not be too strong in the land of rats and college kids, her classic Nashville femininity is something to applaud.

Camera Obscura followed as the night’s headliner. Starting with “Break It To You Gently,” a track from the band’s 2013 Desire Lines, the band set the night’s precedent with a sound and a subject: Love. A kind of sock-hop, synthy love that touched more on puppy-dog crush than full-blown romance, that tended more towards malt-shop heartbreak than the pain we know in reality. A kind of love to delight the audience, the bulk of whom had come with a significant other to sway alongside lightheartedly.

Despite tending toward fluffier subjects, the band could certainly play. Truly noteworthy was Camera Obscura’s symphonic quality, a structure formed through work with a variety of instruments across the seven-piece outfit. From electric guitar, bass and drums, to trumpet, pedal steel, organ and even a triangle, the band’s set was spent perfecting the complex soundscape they’ve come to be known for.

And while they do have a particular sound, the variation within their presentation was as diverse as their use of instruments. The breeziness of “New Year’s Resolution,” the Nashville comfort of “Forests & Sounds,” the tropical feel of frontwoman Tracyanne Campbell singing “Every Weekday,” all had showgoers smiling and turning their face to the spotlights. 

Though they may hail from Scotland, we’d guess the band to keep a piece of their hearts here in Boston. In her incredibly charming accent, Campbell was quick to tell the crowd of her fondness for the city. She also noted the importance of a few audience members, a group of people in the upstairs balcony whom were trumpet player, Tim Cronin’s, locally dwelling relatives. Another special moment of the night came when a crew-member brought a cake onstage in celebration of bassist Gavin Dunbar’s birthday. Campbell quickly ushered the crowd into singing a heartfelt “Happy Birthday” while Dunbar blushed behind his instrument. 

Camera Obscura played hits for the most part. “French Navy” from the band’s My Maudlin Career was certainly the biggest crowd pleaser, with “Lloyd, I’m Ready To Be Heartbroken” from the earlier Let’s Get Out of This Country following suit. They also played the bulk of their newest work, sticking to tracks from an album devoted to true, beautiful pop. 

The band finished their set with an encore of “Razzle Dazzle Rose,” a tune the band altered almost entirely to sweep the audience in a warm, hospitable goodbye. Like the bit of adoration Camera Obscura maintains for Boston, the audience’s reciprocation was clear this past Sunday, as the band left the stage and departed a still smiling, bright-eyed crowd.