CAMEL

The year 1973 saw how rock 'n' roll, in general, was beginning to reach a level of quality it had never reach before -- and to this day has never reached again, as some people believe. There were masterpieces during the year. And this was also the case in the realm of progressive rock: there were "Dark Side of the Moon" (of Pink Floyd), "Tubular Bells" (Mike Oldfield), "A Passion Play" (Jethro Tull), "Selling England by the Pound" (Genesis), "Brain Salad Surgery" (Emerson, Lake & Palmer), and probably also "Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh" (Magma) and "In A Glass House" (Gentle Giant) to name a few.

This debut album of Camel would probably have been on the same ground had it not been for the unfocused materials reason. This fact does not mean it is a weak attempt, however. In fact, the band had their passion and energies, along with their musicianship, to cut a record in which there are strong hints of promise -- proven to be materialized several years later and attract a dedicated cult following.

The band open this album with an upbeat song titled (as if it were an irony) "Slow Yourself Down". It is a great, rocking tune with a good mood to start with.

The songs that follow vary widely, fluctuate between jazz-tinged rhythms and hard rocking tunes. But in tracks like "Mystic Queen", "Never Let Go" and "Arubaluba" that the listeners actually capture the finest moments in which Peter Bardens delivers his marvelous organ playing that almost dominate the band's sound while Andrew Latimer occasionally fill the music with his graceful guitar work.

If it is necessary to suggest simple words to describe this album, here they are: the band was still finding a firm formula in terms of sound, style, direction, etc.

Not a bad effort, though.