RAJAZ

CAMEL is one of those bands that I really dig the classic period but kind of gave up after "Moonmadness" simply because there are so many more exciting progressive rock acts to be found. After spotting RAJAZ at my local used music store I was memorized like a desert chimera since the album cover is ever so appealing and it is after all the highest rated album from this band since their classic period. OK I hadda check em out. So I did.

What surprises me about this album is that it doesn't really sound anything like classic CAMEL. This is in no way a symphonic progressive album that has a continuous feel from beginning to end. These tracks are all independent from each other and despite the name of the album and imagery of the artwork there is not really a Saharan desert feel or anything even close to an Arab or Middle Eastern feel to this album.

In fact I would say that this Andrew Latimer guitar oriented album falls into the camp of influence worship. To me I hear an obvious Floydian guitar frenzy dominating the soundscape but also some of the tracks are more of a Moody Blues song structure especially of their classic album "Days Of Future Passed." There is also an air of a Roger Waters or David Gilmour solo album going on here. It also borders on the ever so relaxing genre of elevator music. There is just enough going on here to warrant a 3 star rating. I find certain parts of this album quite satisfying but overall it gets dragged down a bit by the incessant need to relax and copy rather than innovating. CAMEL has always been a chill prog band and this takes that to a new level and that is certainly not the problem here. It's just that there seems to be more influence than creativity. A decent listen nonetheless.