Progressive rock giants Camel had a long-established viewers by the late Nineteen Seventies, and proved it once more with their fourth High 30 album in little greater than three years, Breathless. Launched on September 22, 1978, it hit the UK chart on October 14.
After first charting with The Snow Goose in 1975, a No.26 entry, Camel made the High 20 twice in a row, with Moonmadness, No.15 in 1976, and Rain Dances, No.20 in 1977. Breathless, the fourth of eight UK chart albums, consolidated their success at a time when the brand new wave was supposedly sweeping all earlier than it.
Farewell to a founder
Recorded on the well-known Manor Studios and produced by the band with Mick Glossop, it’s a landmark within the Camel story as a result of this was the ultimate album to function the band’s co-founding keyboard participant, Pete Bardens. After co-writing all however two of the songs on Breathless, Bardens departed earlier than the band toured the report. Mel Collins was now within the fold on saxophones, and two keyboard gamers had been drafted in for the tour: Dave Sinclair, the cousin of bass participant Richard Sinclair, and Jan Schelhaas.
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Whereas the album contained its share of prolonged, progressive items, equivalent to “Echoes,” “Summer Lightning,” and “The Sleeper,” this was a report on which Camel additionally addressed a extra poppy sound. It was evident on the opening, ethereal title observe, with vocals by Richard Sinclair, and elsewhere.
When Sounds author Phil Sutcliffe went to evaluation the brand new band line-up proper across the album’s launch, he discovered them in good kind. “The evidence at the City Hall [Sheffield] was that the spirit of this mildly avant-garde band is surprisingly persistent,” he noticed. “Their standard material was gratefully received and the new funky developments — welcomed by the open mind of an amiable crowd.”
Purchase or stream Breathless.
