Nod & a Wink (Mini Lp Sleeve) [Import]

A Nod and A Wink opens the album, sound effects setting the scene of a lazy summer evening, a steam train leaving a quiet country station as a hypnotic nursery rhyme tune meters out the time. The melody is carried by the flute in this beautiful opening section and precedes Latimer's dulcet voice. The tempo is picked up as the band joins in, the song develops through a series of lighter and darker passages..

Simple Pleasures, as its title might infer, is a gentle track, the opening section predominantly vocal with the instrumentation fairly subdued.

A Boy's Life has also a gentle opening section. On this occasion the accompaniment for the vocals are in the form of acoustic guitars which act as a precursor for the other instruments. This song continues the underlying theme of the album, reflecting upon our young country lad as he views summers past and present.

Next in line is Fox Hill . A jaunty song with a bouncing 12/8 feel, full of voice characterisation. The subject matter of this ditty being a fox hunt, our boy, high on his horse, and chasing the fox across the meadows - the music captures the mood of the chase superbly.

The Miller's Tale. A gentle acoustic guitar and vocal number with carefully chosen string, choral and woodwind sounds from Guy LeBlanc, played towards the close.

The last track is called For Today, opening with an almost hymn like quality, led by piano, voice and light band instrumentation. The piece evolves, gradually unfolding with Andy Latimer's passionate guitar soloing.

Critics of the band have many times criticised the band for not being adventurous and bold, especially during the times when progressive rock was being ruled by bands that were taking rock music to the limits of pretentiousness, like Yes an all-time favourite of mine. Camel have almost always stuck to a musical formula which has won them numerous fans worldwide, like me. Again, Camel made an album that leads me to the unavoidable conclusion that they have created another emotional masterpiece.

'A Nod' is sprinkled throughout with moods, imagery, and sympathetic sound effects, and the production is top notch, benefiting from crystal-clear high-density CD encoding and some wonderful vocal close-micing techniques.

Proving that Camel don't take themselves too seriously is the delightfully humorous 'Fox Hill' with some great Gabrielesque character voices playing the parts of a fox and its pursuing horse & rider. It draws comparison with Nursery Crime-era Genesis but is completely original and has you grinning from ear to ear. Other highlights are 'A Boys Life' and the rousing instrumental 'Squigley Fair'.

The album closes with the highly emotive 'For Today'. Evocative of Camel' s own 'Ice' from 'I Can See Your House From Here', it showcases Andy's fluid bluesy guitar lines and ably demonstrates why he's right up there on the podium (at the top, in my book) with the likes of Dave Gilmour. Read the sleeve notes and you will understand the special significance of this song and why (if you're a fan of the depth and emotion of Camel's music) it produces yet another 'hairs on the back of the neck' moment.

It's easy to let the clichés fly but Latimer and co have produced an album that is majestic, powerful, emotive, humorous, whimsical, and in a class of its own within today's bland musical climate. It is only through their refusal to follow the corporate path and to retain total artistic independence that they have been able to produce something of this quality and in a style that is their's alone. A Nod and a Wink is undoubtedly one of their finest.