CAMEL

Camel's debut is a lightly-ambling, subtle and carefully-crafted album that hints towards the material that would show up on the group's next three albums after this, 'Mirage', 'The Snow Goose' and 'Moonmadness'. Those three albums, together with this eponymously-titled effort, would make up Camel's classic period before the usual internal wranglings, key line-up changes and, of course, the advent of punk-rock changed the musical landscape forever, forcing Camel, and many others like them, to eschew their complex arrangements in favour of a more commercial touch. However, despite this debut album's light touch and mellow feel, it is still worthy of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the previously-mentioned albums above. It may not feature the furious inventivity of 'Mirage' or the sumptuous instrumental arrangements of 'The Snow Goose', but it still marked Camel out as a band to be reckoned with, hence their long and successful career. Stand out tracks include the live favourite 'Mystic Queen' and the rocky, charging album opener 'Slow Yourself Down', which bursts into life after a quiet, quaint opening. STEFAN TURNER, LONDON, 2010