Breathless [SHM]

Camel: Andrew Latimer (guitar, synthesizer, vocals), Mel Collins (flute, saxophone), Peter Bardens (keyboards), Richard Sinclair (bass, vocals), Andy Ward (drums, percussion).
With Rain Dances, Camel began exploring shorter, more concise songs, but it wasn't until its follow-up, Breathless, that they truly made a stab at writing pop songs. Although they didn't completely abandon improvisational prog rock -- there are several fine, jazzy interludes -- most of the record is comprised of shorter songs designed for radio play. While the group didn't quite achieve that goal, Breathless is nevertheless a more accessible record than Camel's other albums, which tend to focus on instrumentals. Here, they try to be a straightforward prog rock band, and while the results are occasionally a little muddled, it is on the whole surprisingly successful. ~ Daevid Jehnzen