PETER BARDENS

Peter Bardens was and still remains one of the better musicians prog music ever had in the 70, he made history with Camel, but aswell had a solo career with hit and miss albums, at least for me.

His forth album from 1988 named Speed of light is one of those forgotten albums from his career. This time around he has a new age symphonic pop prog album in his sleeve, fans of Camel are gone crazy, in a bad way, but time are changing late 80s has nothing to do with mid to late 70s.

Kind cool release for my taste, 2-3 pieces are more then ok, like opening track Westward Ho, an enjoyble new age prog tune, nothing ground breaking but ok, another good song is the title track, all pieces has that plastic feel of the late 80s, electronic drums and pop new age atmosphere.

Overall to me is ok in places, and because I like him as musician I will round the vote to 3 stars, forgotten album and for good reason.

Keyboardist PETER BARDENS (1944-2002) is best-known as one of the founder members of Camel, alongside guitarist Andy Latimer. In fact, they look so much alike, you could almost believe Peter Bardens and Andrew Latimer were brothers. Peter Bardens appeared on the first six Camel albums:- "Camel" (1973); "Mirage" (1974); "The Snow Goose" (1975); "Moonmadness" (1976); "Raindances" (1977); & "Breathless" (1978), as well as making a guest appearance on "The Single Factor" album in 1982. Peter Bardens launched his solo career with "The Answer" album in 1970, back when Camel was still a twinkle in Andy Latimer's eye. The album is known to have featured guitar legend Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac in an uncredited appearance under an assumed name. Pete Bardens released two more solo albums at the beginning and end of the 1970's:- "Peter Bardens" (1971); and "Heart to Heart" (1979). He also formed a supergroup in the mid-1990's called Mirage, consisting of ex-Camel and ex- Caravan members, although they only recorded one live album together and never quite got around to recording a studio album. Altogether, Peter Bardens' has recorded nine albums throughout his long solo career, with his most recent album "The Art of Levitation" (2002) released the same year as his tragic death from lung cancer at the age of 57. The 2010 CD re-master of "The Answer" added two bonus tracks to the original six songs on the album. So, what can we expect from Pete Bardens first solo outing. Will it be a Camelesque kaleidoscope of keyboard colours? "The Answer" lies within.

The album opens with the title track, and if you like laid-back Psychedelic Soul, then this song will be "The Answer" to your prayers. The cheerful and vibrant opening keyboard chords conjure up a tantalasing image of an English country garden on a warm summer's day, which seems fitting, as Peter Bardens is pictured on the cover sitting on a throne in a veritable Garden of Eden, surrounded by a bevy of beauties. This is a song to savour as you drink in the drops of sunlight, bathed in the golden glow emanating from the scintillating psychedelic guitar. It's mellow and groovy slice of sweetly seductive psychedelia coated in a honey-rich texture of sound, that's guaranteed to permeate the very Soul. If you're in the mood to embark on a wild and soulful psychedelic trip without the aid of any psychedelic substances, then this song is "The Answer". The intriguingly- titled "Don't Goof with the Spook" is up next. This song is no Mellow Yellow. This is a Purple Haze of acid-drenched guitar reverb. This psychedelic freak-out is very reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix with Peter Bardens vocals sounding so laid-back here that he's almost horizontal. This heavy dose of psychedelia is sure to delight fans of the late-1960's American west coast acid guitar sound. Even The Doors in their wildest moments never sounded quite as psychedelic as this. The musicians somehow manage to replicate the genuine sound of American Psychedelic Rock perfectly whilst still remaining firmly rooted in England. I can't remember the last time I heard an album of British psychedelia as good as this and "I Can't Remember" is the title of the next song. We're moving to the blue end of the psychedelic spectrum for this Blues Rock number, although it's positively aglow with some ultra-violet sparkling rays of sunshine, in the form of an extended psychedelic jam from the dynamic duo of Peter Bardens and Peter Green, battling it out in unison to see who's the greatest caped crusader of them all in the hallowed halls of Rock & Roll.

Side Two opens with "I Don't Want To Go Home", a light and airy song featuring a flirtatious flute and with some gorgeous soulful backing vocals from Linda Lewis (best-known for the song "Rock-a-Doodle-Doo). It's a playful and pleasurable melody carried along on a sea of flower-power love and peace that's best-listened to on a warm sunshiny day when all of the brightly-coloured flowers in the psychedelic garden are in full bloom. It's back to basics for "Let's Get It On", a straightforward Blues-Rock number with Linda Lewis providing some mellifluous and soulful harmonising on backing vocals. And now we come to the BIG number to close out the album, the 13- minute-long "Homage to the God of Light". This is an out-and-out rocker going full speed ahead and it's easily the proggiest of all the songs on the album, giving a hint of the dynamic keyboard virtuosity to come from Peter Bardens when he made his presence loudly felt with Camel's debut album in 1973. This storming, pounding and percussive powerhouse of a song is the thunderous highlight of the album, containing all of the sparkling power and dynamic energy of an electricity generating sub-station. This rousing and rollicking, keyboard-driven number pounds along at a relentless pace in a sonic high-decibel assault on the eardrums with all the unstoppable power of a runaway express train thundering down the tracks.

This outstanding album of British Psychedelic Rock has a liberal sprinkling of Soul in the form of soulful backing vocals from Linda Lewis and Steve Ellis (of Love Affair). It might not be very proggy - apart from the last track - but if you like your music "painted" in wild psychedelic rainbow colours, then this superb album might just be "The Answer" to your psychedelic flower-power dreams. This is an album that's as bright and vibrant as an aurora borealis (or an aurora australis if you come from a land down under).

Seen One Earth was the first solo album Peter Bardens released since 1979's Heart to Heart. In the late '80s Capitol Records launched the Cinema subsidiary, hoping it will be the new progressive rock label, like it was to be the next Harvest label (which was distributed by Capitol in the States). What you really got was basically New Age from prog rock musicians, basically New Age with a prog rock bent, so if you're not put off by the 1980s productions by these albums, they're not the worst thing, but nothing like the best prog of the 1970s. Cinema advertised that Seen One Earth was something like "Dark Side of the Moon Revisited by former Camel keyboardist". With "Seascape" they got that right, it has that Dark Side of the Moon vibe going on, '80s style. It's full of digital synths and drum machines, so we're not exactly talking "Lunar Sea" from Moonmadness here. "Man Alive" features lots of drum percussion, but what's really surprising, is amongst the digital synths, Bardens actually brings out his analog synths, the ARP Odyssey is used here (likely the same one heard on The Snow Goose). It's still pretty '80s sounding, but it's nice to hear some analog synths. Title track featuring a sample of an astronaut saying, "If you've seen one earth, you've seen them all", obvious inspiration for the album title. Again, pretty '80s and digital sounding, but here are some Mini Moog solos, which really amazes me given no one gave a care about using such synths in the late '80s. "Home Thoughts" is just a short piece on piano, nothing much else. "In Dreams" was the hit on the album, the only song with vocals. Neil Lockwood tries his hardest to sound just like David Gilmour, you could imagine this guy in a Pink Floyd tribute band. It's basically a pop/New Age hybrid, the video apparently received airplay on VH-1. On the video nowhere do you see Peter Bardens' face. "Many Happy Returns" is basically a variant of "Seascape", this time a fake sax solo (that fake sax solo coming from a Yamaha DX-7, it's so obvious a digital synth trying to sound like a sax). He released one more album on Cinema, Speed of Light, unfortunately I found that album rather weak, trying too hard to be pop/New Age version of Pink Floyd's A Momentary Lapse of Reason. Seen One Earth isn't bad, if you don't mind the 1980s sound and production, but don't expect Camel at their finest.

Unless you were an obsessive record collector back in the day, and you're like me, wasn't even alive back in the day, you first encounter with Peter Bardens would have been with Camel. That's what happened to me, after all I bought my first Camel album (used LP) The Snow Goose in 1994. So obviously I bought a bunch of other Camel albums, and did try his two late '80s solo albums, Seen One Earth and Speed of Light, the latter just not that good, the first isn't too bad, but the '80s production and synths do distract.

I also realized he released two albums prior to Camel, The Answer and self-entitled album (the self-entitled was known in the States as Write My Name in the Dust). I finally got me an early solo album, The Answer, that I found at a flea market in Eugene, Oregon. I couldn't believe I would find a copy there, but there you go! The American copy features a totally different cover from that of the British pressing. It had more of a '60s psychedelic look with Peter Bardens' face on the cover, while the UK version is just a photo of him with a bunch of ladies. What may throw off a lot of progheads with this album is they expect it to be just like Camel, but what they really get is a more eclectic selection of psychedelic, blues, and crossover prog. Listening to Camel, it's hard to believe he was part of the British blues boom, having been a member of Shotgun Express that also featured Peter Green and Mick Fleetwood. He was also in Them with Van Morrison (explaining his appearance on the latter's Wavelength album just as he was ready to leave Camel), so prior to Camel, he really didn't have prog credentials. Anyways, The Answer starts with the title track and probably the most proggy thing on the album. Not symphonic, but clearly crossover prog here, having a rather nice piano and organ theme, and some nice vocals to go with it. The next two songs tends more towards the blues, where "I Can't Remember". I knew "Homage to the God of Light" from a version done by Camel on a CD called On the Road 1972, which shows how Camel performed this one live in their early days (also demonstrates how material for Mirage had been with the band even before their debut ever appeared). This original features vocals and really goes off the wall with extended guitar and organ jams. It frequently goes into Santana mode, but Carlos Santana's guitar playing would be more restrained than Andy Gee's. Andy Gee, by the way, is a real guitarist, a German-born guitarist, and not Peter Green in disguise as sometimes believed (Green probably did appear on the album, but uncredited). To me, this album really blew me away, but I seriously doubt the prog purist would have lots to enjoy, but it to me, the music reviews are on the quality, not how much or not prog it is. Great stuff, as far as I'm concerned.

Peter Bardens is without hesitation one of the most influencial and respected musician from prog rock zone, specially remembered as the key(board) player in famous Camel from 1973 untill Breathless 1978 included. His first solo album outside Camel was out on the streets in 1979 named Heart to Heart. I think that this album is little known in prog circles and even less respected. The music offered is from progressive jazz fusion to pop prog, but always keeping the listner conected to the music, as I was. I like what I've heared here, even in some parts is easy lisning, but more then ok. For example Slipstream and title track are Camel-like instrumental songs with dominating keyboards and nice melodies in almost jazz fusion direction , it showing how great Bardens was and still is in manuvering the keyboards. Overall atmosphere smells of Camel's Breathless or I can see your house from here, but with less guitar magics coming from Andy Latimer. So, all in all , for me an ok release, nothing really excellent or on the level with Camel albums, but enjoyble most of the time. 3 stars

I will admit I didn't have high expectations for this final recorded output of the late great PETE BARDENS; I was expecting something along the lines of "Further Than You know" or "Big Sky", new age philosophizing combined with melodic easy listening music that is professionally produced and well arranged, or perhaps more ambient electronic music in the style of "Water Colours". Unfortunately, what I suspect is that the energy and funds just weren't available to craft the level of refinement of those modest works, and that a healthier Bardens would have improved the majority of these tracks beyond the one half baked idea that most of them offer, and indeed share.

The first few and last few tracks are so utterly dispensable with their incessant synthetic rhythms, halfhearted mumbled vocals, and repetition utterly lacking in development. I keep hoping for him to do something to spare the utter ignominy, even to the point of re-listening in the hope that something missed first time around will distinguish itself, but I can only conclude charitably that the proverbial spirit and flesh were not in concert. But I allude to a firmer midsection. The two tracks sung by daughter Tallulah do not by any means salvage this effort, but they do usher in a level of competency that is paid forward to the instrumental "No Jazz". I think I even hear guitars though none are credited.

An understandable level of leniency can inflate the market value of pseudo-posthumous releases of this sort, but I feel it would do a disservice to the man's legacy to apply buoyancy to "The Art of Levitation". At the same time, I want to acknowledge that PETE BARDENS was a major talent who found a groove in his solo career outside of progressive rock, and that those interested should begin their exploration elsewhere. Rest in peace, gentle soul.

In some ways the missing link between the Caramel period CAMEL and BARDENS' new age phase which began in 1987, "Heart to Heart" is unfortunately not one of those transitional albums that I like to tout as being best of breed. It offers an ungainly and disjointed conglomeration of jazzy keyboard dominated instrumentals of varying quality and light jazz pop vocal tracks of a similar inconsistency. At least half the tracks could be from the "Rain Dances" and "Breathless" sessions when Latimer literally went to sleep and the rest of the band supported Peter in the studio, although I know that's not how it happened, even if the ubiquitous MEL COLLINS is here.

The album's modest highlights occur mostly near the end, with "After Dark" benefiting from minimal but effective accompaniment by Gus Isadore and a very likable rhythm. By far the best vocal track is "Slow Motion", which is a bit prescient of later solo work, while "Raining Over the World" is a decent return to the style of "Starlight Ride". The album closes rather brilliantly with the title cut, an upbeat synthesized number with more of a sense of mystery and suspense than anything else here. Its oddly simple yet captivating melody gives the disk a better send off than it might deserve.

For big fans of late 1970s CAMEL or PETE BARDENS, "Heart to Heart" may be worth having, with the provisos noted above. For the rest, I might instead recommend the fun 1980s TV drama of the same name (different spelling) instead!

Long ago, far away

This anthology set gathers together Peter Bardens' first two (pre-Camel) solo albums The Answer (1970) and Peter Bardens (1971) in their respective entirety, plus some tracks from various bands Bardens played in during the 60's, three Camel numbers, and a few tracks from Bardens final solo album The Art Of Levitation (2002). As such Write My Name In The Dust works horribly badly as a retrospective as there is a very heavy focus on the very old--before Bardens became relevant--and the very new--long after he seized being relevant, overlooking almost everything of what came in between!

The primary reason for buying this two CD set is to get hold of those two full early solo albums for a reasonable price. Since I have reviewed those two albums separately, I will focus on the rest of what's here in this review.

The first disc opens with a set of tunes that Bardens recorded in the 60's with The Cheynes, Peter B's Looners, Shotgun Express, and The Village. The Zombies and Manfred Mann might perhaps be used as reference points here in terms of the style, but the quality of most of these songs is far below those acts. If you are looking for anything (proto-)progressive here, you are going to be disappointed.

The most important period in Bardens career is certainly his time with Camel. There are three Camel recordings here: a live recording of Arubaluba (originally from Camel's self-titled 1973 debut), Supertwister (from 1974's Mirage album), and a single edit of Flight Of The Snow Goose (1975). In addition there is a 2002 version of Spirit Of The Water (originally from 1976's Moonmadness) re-recorded for The Art Of Levitation--Bardens final solo album, released the same year he passed away. Like most of his solo albums, this was far away from Prog and more towards New Age.

Overall, a rather weird compilation this, and far from essential

Further away from greatness

That I am not a fan of Peter Bardens solo career would be something of an understatement. But being a Camel fanatic, I needed to hear what Bardens achieved outside of that great band. 1993's Further Than You Know is the final Bardens solo album that I needed to hear and review for a complete familiarity with his solo discography. Like most of his other solo efforts, this one too is full of rather dull "adult contemporary" Soft Rock. There is little or no hint of anything progressive or remotely related to Camel. The opening number Sometime, for example, is in full-on Phil Collins mode.

Some of the jazzier, instrumental parts of the album are bearable easy-listening exercises, but they fail to grab my attention and they fail to leave any lasting impressions. The only highlight of the album is the pleasant Sea Of Dreams which sounds a bit like Mike Oldfield playing lead guitar lines over an electronic back-drop in the vein of Jean-Michel Jarre. This piece reminds slightly of Bardens best solo album, the electronic Seen One Earth. The rest of Further Than You Know is however best avoided.

I think that attempts to rate any solo album by Peter Bardens, based on how close to Camel it is, are unfounded. Yes Camel in 1973 and from 1976 to 1978 was mostly Latimer and Bardens, and yes Camel in 1974 to 1975 was mostly Bardens and Latimer (Bardens wrote Freefall and Supertwister, the two most powerful tracks on Mirage). But in toto, Peter Bardens was not a progster. He started in 1969 as a typical 'hippie musician' who did something between old US psych and old UK hard rock in the vein of early Led Zeppelin. And after his cooperation with Andrew Latimer, in other words, after his 7 years long 'sightseeing tour' in progressive rock, he continued as a very individual composer and player who had his own style, a strange integral sum of soft rock, synth pop, new age and electronic music. Its development ended up with The Art Of Levitation which happened to crown the creative and physical life of Peter Bardens. If we try to rate this album as a work done by a prog keyboardist (i.e. if we listen to Bardens but think Camel), we may suspect that this is either hackwork or just not our department. But if we forget about prog and find ourselves inside Bardens' personal coordinate system, then excusez-moi, I'd say we have to consider The Art Of Levitation a masterpiece. Indeed, the personal evolution of Peter Bardens as a musician reached its peak, and the album is a real acme for his own original musical style. The album is marked with impeccable taste and sense of proportion. Of course, re-working old songs may be considered an enticement to be avoided, but Spirit Of The Water (from the 1976 album Moonmadness by Camel) edited in Bardens' unique post-Camel manner and beautifully sung by his daughter, became a highlight. Another highlight is The Zone, an opening instrumental piece. Unfortunately, The Art Of Levitation was the last message from the artist to the world.