BREATHLESS

This is Camel's sixth studio album,and we begin to sense that Bardens and Latimer are going in different directions in their musical vision. This is the second Caravan album to have Richard Sinclair on bass and vocals. In "Breathless" Bardens started using those horrible plastic sounding keyboards avaiable at that time, altough playing them very well. Although many songs are short and poppy, there are some typically complex and progressive tracks.

1.Breathless - a typical soft-rock Camel track, good. 3,5/5

2.Echoes - outstanding instrumental performance that is definitely worthy of attention. Andy Latimer voice is great here. 4/5

3.Wing and a Prayer - is a bouncy jazz-pop. 2/5

4.Down on the Farm - even shows a considerable amount of production attention, with Latimer's skittish guitar riff in the verse and the playful vocal harmonies in the heavier part. 3/5

5. Starlight Ride - 3,5/5

6.Summer Lightning - has Andy Latimer doing some of the best lead guitar you'll ever hear on a Camel album. 4/5

7. You Make Me Smile - Pure disco crap 1/5

8.The Sleeper - It sounds like son of Lunar Sea. The best track on the album 5/5

9. Rainbow's End - 3,5/5

Final Note - Anyway, Breathless has some very good moments, bringing a soft Camel atmosphere that all of us like.

3+4+2+3+3,5+4+1+5+3,5 = 29

29 : 9 = 3,2

Good, but non-essential.

Curiosity : While making the album Bardens decided to quit the band, leaving shortly before the recordings were over. He has since then collaborated with Camel on two albums as a guest musician, and maybe played on some unreleased live gigs.