CAMEL

A good dose of ''oomph'' is what this album could've used; I may have upped the rating by a star if I felt that ''oomph'' was there. However, I feel this album and the following album (MIRAGE) are of the same calibre in terms of musical prowress and captivation. Personally, I think MIRAGE and CAMEL are just as good as each other, but objectively speaking, CAMEL loses on PA because the progginess isn't as there as MIRAGE.

This is more of a hard rock album than anything else, taking hints from the Cantebury scene and a tad of the Pink Floyd sound. Tracks like ''Slow Yourself Down'' and ''Separation'' veer more towards hard rock than prog, but have this captivating staying power that makes both of them good, particularly when Latimer gets to solo. Others like ''Arubaluba'' and ''Never Let Go'' gives clues to the prog direction Camel would partake on their next album.

It's really a matter of what you like. I couldn't get into Camel until the rockier songs hit me and made me appreciate Camel. Expect some long, jam-type instrumental passage that may not be of the most ''exciting'' of sorts, but those with a sense of melody or patience (or both) shouldn't have problems getting into Camel's debut.