Rain Dances, Camel's 5th album, is where Camel wandered over the line from all-in progressive rock to that of AOR/FM music. Well sort of. They could be considered what is now known as Yacht Rock, or even more to the point, Yacht Prog. So yes, you can place Camel now in the company of Fruupp, Kestrel, Sebastian Hardie, and the rest of them. Latimer gives the game away on the back cover, though they are a bit scruffy to allow on the boat it would seem. Maybe they can work in the steam room?
If we're honest, Camel had always leaned in to the melodic side of the house. Herky-jerky rhythms and impossible compositions were never their forte. They just mastered their craft better here. And I have to think Latimer spent a little time digesting some of Santana's guitar licks before heading into the studio. Adding Canterbury stalwart Richard Sinclair was the right move at the right time. One of the few British singers who actually sounds like he lives there, his soothing tone is perfect for the soundscapes Camel are painting. There are a couple of overt plays for radio that didn't really stick (I can't recall ever hearing Camel on the radio growing up in the late 70s), but they aren't soaked in saccharine pathetic whining, like so many of their peers were prone to do. They were to dive deeper into these waters on the also excellent Breathless, but even more brazenly commercial than here. The deal is, Camel were just damned good songwriters and musicians, so they were able to pull it off. I'd submit much better than Genesis did, though the latter clearly captured the corporate market far better. There's no accounting for good taste, now is there?
Ownership: CD: Deram (later pressing of 1991 edition). Jewel box reissue with a fine historical retrospective and one single edit bonus track.
The CD above was my introduction to Rain Dances (2004). Of course the LP was easily available in the middle 80s when I first started crate digging for prog albums. Based on the cover, song lengths, and year, I just presumed this was a pop album, which wasn't uncommon. I was to be proved wrong. I did finally buy the LP during the pandemic at a record show. But given I have no history with it on vinyl, the CD easily won the battle. The LP goes to the next record show with me.
2004; 6/14/20; 3/9/24 (new entry)
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