RAIN DANCES

There were changes in the fold of my ever-favourite band back then. The original -and unsurpassable- quartet had to split due to differences between the drummer Andy Ward and the bassist Doug Ferguson. The latter - who had suggested that Andy Ward should join the band - wanted Camel to carry on being a prog rock act whereas the former wanted to move into jazzier territories, threatening no less that he would leave if Ferguson remained as the bassist. More than that, the bass lines that Latimer was coming up with were out of Ferguson's reach. As a result, Ferguson was asked to leave. His replacement was Richard Sinclair (ex Caravan) who was playing in Hatfield and the North at the time, but they had just disbanded and he was available. Aside his bass playing, he also contributed with vocals. Another addition was Mel Collins (ex-King Crimson but I got to know him from Dire Straits-personally speaking!) as a guest. Therefore a new musical direction was bound to take place. To my ears it is an album I truly enjoy. First Light that kicks things off is spectacular and full of melody with Bardens' leads up front. The rest of side A sounds more or less equally enjoyable to my ears. Side B begins with one of the best Camel tunes, ever. Unevensong is a m-a-s-t-e-r-p- i-e-c-e, full stop. It is perfect. It is timeless. It is Music at its best. After this, the vocals call it a day and four instrumental tracks close the album. I won't be surprised if I ever hear One of These Days... on a summer night bar (its concept was revisited one year later), Elke was the precursor of Nude, Skylines although it features some excelellent fretless bass playing by Latimer is not one of my favourites and Rain Dances is a reprise of First Light.

Camel widened the palette of their sound with the addition of two fine musicians and Andy Ward fulfilled his heart's desire and tried other things, too. I am too young to know what people could expect back then. I gather anyway that it is not considered by the fanbase as a Camel must-have album. Maybe it isn't, but I would have felt poorer if I hadn't listened to it.