NUDE

The way CAMEL creates atmospheric soundscapes throughout this record is incredible. It's their first concept album since "The Snow Goose". Over two thirds of this album is instrumental. It really helps knowing the concept of this record. You can really get into each song better, even the instrumentals have new meaning as you follow along the man's story. Andy's partner Susan Hoover wrote the bulk of the lyrics here which is about a Japanese soldier who gets left behind by mistake on an island during WWII and is there for 29 years before being discovered and brought back home. He can't adapt though to his new surroundings and sails back to the island that for him is his home. This would be drummer Andy Ward's last record with CAMEL, leaving Latimer as the only original member left.

"City Life" is poppy but so well done. For the prog fan it gets better after this track, but I like it. Just hearing Andy sing "Wakeup, wakeup, wakeup" early in this song makes me smile. Mel Collins adds some nice sax later. I've said it before and i'll say it again Andy Latimer really knows how to touch my heart and he does it on the third song "Drafted" with his vocals and guitar, I love this tune, and the line "taking a life for a life to be free".

The next three instrumentals "Docks", "Beached" and "Landscapes" are pure beauty, these four songs in a row are CAMEL at their best ! I should mention that "Docks" is really a re-worked Kit Watkins(HAPPY THE MAN) tune.There are more gems to come, like "Reflections" beautifully tranquil. "Captured" featuring sax, "Lies" with Andy's melodic guitar and "Nude's Return" the uplifting ending to our story.

This is a great release no matter what year it was, but considering it was 1981, it makes it even more special.