Comments for Camel, Stationary Traveller

This album is, as some have noted, fairly Alan Parsonsesque (minus the orchestration) but is possibly Camel''s darkest hour: the feel overall is quite oppressive. The music is very textured with lots of good guitar parts and two tracks featuring the wonderful Chris Rainbow on vocals (sounding a lot like Jon Anderson on "Cloak & Dagger Man"). Andy Latimer''s voice is fine with a sort of light baritone range. Mel Collins plays a fair bit of sax on one track and David Paton plays lots of bass (but doesn''t sing a note). The repetitive bass notes are very APP, but Camel have been doing this since the early days too. The oppressive feel works really well for the Berlin Wall concept. "Long Goodbyes" (an accomplished rock ballad) and the title track are standouts, although the whole album is strong (even if dark). The flute/pan-flute pieces add colour; real orchestration would have been welcome too (but probably precluded by cost) but this is nit-picking. Susan Hoover''s lyrics are consistently good and hold together logically and conceptually throughout. Ian Thomas