BREATHLESS

Although I won't quibble with Camel being classified as Symphonic Prog, I have to agree with some recent reviewers, who point out that, due to Richard Sinclair's presence, Breathless leans more toward Canterbury. I also appreciate judahbenkenobi's remarks on the disco elements of the album. Only a couple of tracks have much of a disco flavor, and it's pretty restrained - - nothing like what Queen ("Another One Bites the Dust") would soon release. Nonetheless, this bears little resemblance to, say, Mirage, either in style or in quality.

It seems important to point out that I like a lot of disco music, and it wouldn't bother me in the least for Camel to have put out a disco album, or even an album with a handful of disco songs - - if they were good songs, or at least if they were interesting songs. While there are some high points on some of the instrumental sections ("Echoes" and "The Sleeper" come to mind), and while Sinclair can be amusing at times ("Down on the Farm"), Breathless sounds more like the product of a contractual obligation than the result of the kind of inspiration that spawned Mirage or In the Land of Grey and Pink.

Breathless is not a bad album. However, I can't say it's a good album either, so I rate it two stars on the Prog Archives scale. Maybe give it a listen if you're already paying for it on your streaming service. Otherwise, go for earlier Camel or Caravan.