HEART TO HEART

This is Peter Bardens' first post-Camel solo album. Let me say immediately that if you are looking for some lost Camel album, or anything remotely similar to that great band, please look elsewhere. This music has very little to do with Camel or with progressive Rock in general and neither is it at all similar to the first two pre-Camel solo albums of Bardens. So what is it? Well, a low quality, embarrassing Pop album with some some Fusion-like, funky instrumentals.

Julia is a pure Pop song that is impossible to relate to Bardens musical past. Tony Banks' worst solo albums boasted songs like this one. But when you thought it couldn't get worse, wait till you hear Doing The Crab! This embarrassingly trite funky tune is simply an abomination that will make most Prog fans cringe.

Next up is Slipstream which is the closest this album gets to Prog. There are some nice keyboard sounds here, but overall it is rather forgettable. Raining All Over The World is a piano-based ballad that could have been a reject from Camel's Breathless (the band's worst album, in my opinion). It is, of course, miles away from classic Camel, but it is not horrible as such. Camel alum Mel Collins adds some saxophone to this one.

After this, the album continues in the same fashion. Jinxed is another cheerful, funky instrumental. Again, its not horrible, but it sounds like it was written and recorded in four minutes and twenty seconds on an average day in the studio. After Dark features a couple of interesting sounds, but very quickly drifts into utter boredom with a simple, jazzy beat and improvised keyboards and sax. Slow Motion is indeed a slow Pop song.

The album closes with the title track that actually features a slightly Camel-like arrangement. This is obviously the best track of the album and a pleasant if unremarkable listen for fans of Rain Dances/Breathless-era Camel.

Peter Bardens solo career is very weak, not only in relation to past glories, but judged on its own merits. If you are looking for some funky Pop music, others did this kind of music better. What were you thinking here Pete?!

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