FURTHER THAN YOU KNOW

Of Bardens' post Camel solo efforts, "Further than You Know" seems to hold the most references to faith, at times Christian, and at other times yuppie Buddhism, but usually the melodies are so catchy the they trump or render palatable any message within. This is a more vocal oriented work than its predecessor "Water Colours", so bear this in mind when making your choices. While I enjoy the oh-so mellow voices, others may find them off-putting.

My three favourites are all high on the cheese-o-meter. "Real Time" with its insistence that once you're behind the wheel, you know how good it feels, and its recommendation to step on the gas and let go of the past. I know, quite insufferable but it's also good fun. It is separated from the equally enjoyable title cut by the latin tinged instrumental "Coco Loco", which puts Bardens' legendary versatility to the test. "This Could be Like Heaven" is as close to new age gospel as you can find, a song that sounds like it is pretty much all chorus, one melodic high to another thanks to the male and female singers, but with plenty of Bardens' backing. "Bad Boy" (Redemption Song") is another highlight.

It's hard to give an album in this genre more than 3 stars because it is likely to rankle so many people here, and truly its only basis for inclusion on this site is Bardens' relationship with some of the biggest names in the progressive world. If any of his albums, taken at face value, could merit that honour, it would be this one, but I'll go further than you know to avoid over-recommending something, so 3.5 stars it is, rounded down.