Camel
Harbour of Tears

Release Date: 1996 | Tracklist

It would be fair to say that Camel had a rather tough time of it after the arrival of the punk rock scene and the onset of the 1980's. The band kept plugging away in a world that had turned generally hostile towards the dinosaurs of the 70's prog movement and although they have to be admired for their stoicism their albums from the 80's were by far the weakest of their discography and found them unsuccessfully trying to incorporate the musical sensibilities of the times. At the start of the 90's however Camel had recovered some of their integrity and came out with 'Dust and Dreams' which marked a partial return to former glories. After a subsequent hiatus of 5 years they released 'Harbour of Tears'.

This is a concept album based upon the imagined experiences of an Irish family emigrating to the USA to start a new life. Without even listening to the album one might suppose that the music would be influenced by Celtic folk melodies and this is indeed the case. "Irish Air/Irish Air(instrumental)" sets the scene for what is to come with some delicate female capella vocals and Latimer's trademark melodic lead guitar lines backed by flute, oboe and strings. The title track itself is a beautiful slow folky number with Latimers tasteful tone carrying the song to it's conclusion. As with the classic Snow Goose the structure takes the form of more substantial pieces syncopated with small musical interludes. "Send Home the Slates" is composed as a letter home from an Irish immigrant working for the railway company and conjures up images of the protagonist swinging his pick on the line with his work crew. The Irish folk influence manifests itself most prominently on "Eyes of Ireland" which takes the form of a simple acoustic folk song lightly touched with Camel's trademark sound. One of the real highlights is one of the more progressive pieces, an instrumental "Running From Paradise" which recalls Camel's past glories with its meandering structure. Album closer "Coming of Age" is also reminiscent of 70's Camel and does away with much of the Celtic folk influence prevalent throughout the album. There is really not a weak track on the whole album. However, sampling this music in small doses really doesn't do it justice. Just like the classic "Snow Goose" from all those years before this is an album to be enjoyed in it's entirety without any interruptions from start to finish.

This was their best release since Moonmadness way back in '76 and finally wiped away the memory of the forgettable and sometimes cringeworthy material that the band had put out in the 80's. If you are a fan of early period Camel there is a good chance you will take to this album. The infusion of Celtic folk melodies lend the music a beautifully ethereal air. An album to savour.

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3.8 excellent

Rank: #192 for 1996