Album Review: Victoryland – My Heart Is A Room With No Cameras In It

Fresh, flexible and furtive. 

My Heart Is A Room With No Cameras In It is bare faced in its expressive vulnerability. Victoryland puts their own spin on indie rock for a laid back but infectiously confident album.

With each listen, Victoryland champions an entirely new listening experience. Depending on the intent of the listener when they hit play, My Heart Is A Room With No Cameras In It shapeshifts into exactly what one needs. “Here I Stand” is there for moments of melancholy while “You Were Solved” is unashamedly brash and angry enough for the singer and the listener both. 

The same overall themes are laced throughout each song: heartbreak, desire, hopelessness. The interesting part is the way Victoryland navigates them, whether that’s yelling in frustration or sitting down at the piano, heart on their sleeve. There are no dull moments; focus is never lost.  

“Fits” shines as a standout single from the album, with over six minutes of unadulterated innovation. Captivating sonic texture is the name of the game as Victoryland mixes classic guitar with various noises that mimic a disconnected phone call. Coming in right after the desolate “Beach Death,” it’s a welcomed change of pace with a not-so-hidden matching emotional backdrop. Nearly two minutes of instrumentation open the song before Julian McCamman’s strained and earnest vocals interrupt and elevate the song even further. 

“I’ll Show You Mine” takes a similar approach, starting with what could be construed as bright instrumentation but, as soon as the lyrics start, one quickly realizes the entire song is laced with hopeless desperation. Painfully repeating “please, please, please,” as McCamman hides his miserable craving for another behind upbeat production breaks the hearts of anyone listening. 

My Heart Is A Room With No Cameras In It is an absolute triumph. It’s just vulnerable enough to walk the line between unique and relatable, all while remaining authentic to the artist himself. The production never falls short of fascinating, with Victoryland seemingly flipping a coin to choose between ethereal and exuberant at any given moment.