01	A Nod And A Wink						11:16
	02	Simple Pleasures						05:31
	03	A Boy's Life						07:20
	04	Fox Hill						09:19
	05	The Miller's Tale						03:34
	06	Squigely Fair						08:02
	07	For Today						10:40

A Nod and a Wink
2002

A Nod And A Wink
Simple Pleasures
A Boy's Life
Fox Hill
The Miller's Tale
Squigely Fair
For Today

Andrew Latimer: Guitars, Flute, Keyboarsd, Vocals
Colin Bass: Bass guitar, backing vocals
Guy LeBlanc: Keyboards, backing vocals
Denis Clement: Drums
Terry Carelton: Drums (tracks 2,6), percussion, backing vocals (track 7)
JR Johnston: backing vocals (track 7)


Following a successful tour in 2000, Andrew Latimer and Susan Hoover, supported by Canadian keyboardist Guy LeBlanc, delivered a set of compositions that draw back from the roots of Camel's music, and reflect on them. The result is an often cheerful, light-hearted album, which refers to or quotes from the Prog Rock music of the early 70s and the music of Camel itself. Unlike Rajaz, in which Latimer's guitar was most prominent, this album is laden with a lot of flute and keyboards. While some tracks are obviously amusing and funny, the album's final track, the 10 minutes piece For Today, relates to the disaster of September 11th and concludes the album with a sensitive and emotional climax.

As stated in the CD sleeve, the song For Today is dedicated to the courageous spirit of the High Diver on September 11th, 2001. The "High Diver" is a reference to person who chose to accept his fate, and dived to his death. The graceful, almost atheletic pose of his body, (http://www.navexpress.com/911/2.htm) inspired Susan Hoover to refer to him as a High Diver.
Some music and playing styles suggest a reference to other bands or other songs: A guitar riff on Simple Pleasures has references to a vocal part from Rajaz ("The soles of heaven turn to stars..."). The acoustic guitar at the beginning of The Miller's Tale is reminiscent of Anthony Philips guitar work. Fox Hill has a theme which is close to Genesis' Squonk, and is sung with accent and character roles, similar to Peter Gabriel's singing on Genesis' I know what I like, for example.


Released on July 19th, 2002.
Total Playing Time: 55:44



A Nod And A Wink (2002)
Tracks:
# Name
1 A Nod And A Wink 11:16
2 Simple Pleasures 5:31
3 Boy's life 7:20
4 Fox Hill 9:19
5 Miller's Tale 3:34
6 Squigley Fair 8:02
7 For Today 10:40

4,54 stars based on 14 reviews
Click here to add your review

The album was written by Latimer in collaboration with Guy LeBlanc and of course Susan Hoover. It is dedicated to Peter Bardens (1945-2002).

Posted by Al Hawkes from England UK
Here's a copy of a review i posted to the Camel_Chord_Change YAHOO Group the other day following an earlier initial comment where i was quite critical of A Nod & A Wink: Well it's almost 2 weeks since my early criticism of the new cd. As is true of most Camel albums, they do grow on you and as i expected this one is no different. However, i still feel this is a very inconsistent effort and not up to standard of the last three albums. There are some superb moments and the playing is brilliant as expected but....the material is simply not always up to the usual standard with probably only For Today and Simple Pleasures at the level of Rajaz. Track by Track: (This is from memory so apologies if not all correct) A Nod & A Wink: Starts with some less than convincing sound effects then a sort of lullaby from Andy followed by almost....well Baa Baa Black Sheep on the flute. You wonder if this is really a lead off track from your favourite band's new album, your mates would laugh at you if you played this to them...and then.... some jolly little bass line gradually leads to the band, electric guitars kick in and we're off, much better now and even Guy kicks in with a solo that sounds almost as fluent as Kit Watkins! This track does meander around a bit and the flute is not as interesting as it might have been, but overall after a very poor start a good Camel track. 7/10 Simple Pleasures: Fine track that could have fitted onto Rajaz, Andy's playing is excellent and quite bluesy throughout. 9/10 A Boy's Life: A bit dreary but it does stick in the brain, i've been singing it to myself all day. Guitar is not that interesting until a great piece about 2/3 (i think) of the way in. 6.5/10 Fox Hill: Oh dear, is it Peter Gabriel and Genesis? Camel! Wot!! Actually there is some good instrumentation at times and it could've worked as an instrumental, especially the second half but oh dear whenever you pull this off your shelf to play it, this is the track that shall definitely make head straight for Rajaz or Moonmadness. Andy was probably told to lighten up a bit but come on...don't spoil a Camel album, should have been on his solo album if he wanted to get it out of his system!! 3/10 A Miller's Tale: Maybe Andy has just rediscovered early Genesis. All twelve strings and quite soft & ethereal. Sounds like Ant Phillips around the time of the Trespass album. 7/10 Squigeley Fair: I quite like this mainly instrumental track, and for once the flute sounds great especially just after the "Get Yer Tickets 'ere bit". During the ending, Andy seems to be throwing the kitchen sink at finding the sound he wants. Pretty Good. 7.5/10 For Today: A classic. Worth the admission price alone. How can a serious great track like this be on the same album as Fox Hill. I'm all for variety but they don't sit well together on the same cd. 9.5/10 Hope this helps those who haven't heard it yet! Cheers Al



:: Camel - A Nod And A Wink ::


Band/Artist: Camel
Title: A Nod And A Wink
Release Date: 2002
Label: Camel Productions
Total Playing Time: 55:44

:: Musical Offerings ::
01. A Nod And A Wink
02. Simple Pleasures
03. A Boy's Life
04. Fox Hill
05. The Miller's Tale
06. Squigely Fair
07. For Today

Guy LeBlanc: Keyboards, backing vocals
Andrew Latimer: Guitars, Flute, Keyboarsd, vocals
Colin Bass: Bass guitar, backing vocals
Denis Clement: Drums
Terry Carelton: Drums (tracks 2,6), backing vocals (track 7)
JR Johnston: backing vocals (track 7)

:: Review ::

The August release of Camel's "A Nod and a Wink" marks a major milestone for the band and a great many of their fans. Camel is celebrating thirty years of musical excellence in 2002, and with this new offering Andrew Latimer and company have added another fine album to their substantial library. Thirty years spent in any one pursuit is a long time, but in the music business with it's pressures, burdens and inevitable complications, this is a virtual era. Even more amazing than the longevity is that the essential magic that is Camel has survived the time and the changes with an undiminished style, and having produced numerous albums without a clunker in the lot! In recent years, Camel has had complete control over their music and has been able to pursue themes and projects as they choose. The resulting works (such as Harbor of Tears and Dust and Dreams) have been well received and the band is as popular now as anytime that I can remember. I hope (and pray) that we can look forward to many more years from them.

Having been around for thirty years, most of our readers know that strictly speaking no review is necessary. Camel has a new album out. Go and get it-nuf said. We know that we can't loose. It does occur to me though that after all of this time there are probably a lot of young Prog fans who really haven't been exposed to Camel's music. For them, here is a chance to pick up on a band that in the music school is Prog 101. You can start listening anywhere, but "Nod" is a great place to start.

Nod is a bit of a departure from Camel's releases of the last few years. The album moves away from the one theme format and features a number of tunes that are mostly lite-hearted and upbeat. Overall, this work reminds me of the I Can See Your House From Here release for it's musical diversity and cleverness. The album starts off with an 11-minute title cut with a nice "timeclock" like meter about dreams and the magic they might bring. The second half of the tune features a wonderful rolling signature Camel instrumental. Track two, "Simple Pleasure" a story I think of an old flame, has an ever so slight t Latin flavor to it which is unusual for the band, but is carried off very well. I found the tune "Fox Hill" to be a really fun song. It's a slightly campy song about a fox hunt (the fox survives), done in a jaunty manner and sung with what I think is a slight "Cockney?" accent. The track "A Boy's Life" once again features a beautiful Camel instrumental section so common to all Camel albums.

My favorite track is the last track simply titled "For Today." A song dedicated to the spirit of human courage shown by a victim of the 911 tragedy who rather then jumping to his death, chose to dive. On almost every Camel album there can be found at least one song that I feel "needed" to be written. Camel has always had a way of turning out material that feels to me as if it has always somehow been there. Even though I have never heard the tune before, it seems an old friend at first listen. These tracks range from moody to haunting or even majestic. They always strike an internal chord with me. It is what I love best about the band and I think that these special songs are essential to Andrew Latimer as they often appear as the last tracks on the album leaving us with a feeling that lasts after the listening is over. For Today features a nice piano introduction and then a lyric section that quite solemnly intones us to "Never give a day away. It won't return the same again" launching next into one of Latimer's classic, haunting blues inspired lead guitar sections. I can hear in this a subtle reminder of the music from the 70's release "Moon Madness." I cannot get enough of these songs. "For Today" alone makes the album worth the purchase and elevates the whole CD to a Camel must have. In my humble opinion as an impartial observer of course!

As a whole, the production and musical artistry is typically excellent as one would expect from any top notch Prog band and which is certainly the norm for Camel. Fans of great musicianship will always find a Camel album to be a safe haven. As always, the percussion, bass playing (Colin Bass is one of the best in the business) and keyboards are all stand out and easy to focus on. The incidental instruments such as the flute adding softness to the pieces. "A Nod and a Wink" is a fine album, rich in the Camel traditions and as I said, a must have for the old fans and a great intro for any new ones. In general, just buy it-nuf said.

With thirty years behind them, Camel has had more than it's share of successes. But with the passage of time there are also things that we see come to pass that are not quite as pleasant. Recently founding keyboard player Peter Bardens passed away having lost his struggle with cancer. In time, all things must by their nature pass away but it is always particularly sad when someone whose work you admire, and who has brought beauty into your world, passes away. The Prog4you folks would like to pass along our deepest sympathies to the Barden family and to the Camel family.


Rating: I give this album..........9 keyboards (I'd give it more but I always have hope for the future!)

Reviewer: Steven J. Mynaugh

Review Date - 8 November 2002


:: Credits ::
Producer: Andrew Latimer
Executive Producer: Susan Hoover

Visit the artist website: http://www.camelproductions.com/

You can purchase this CD from http://www.camelproductions.com/

Email: camel@camelproductons.com


:: Discography 1972-2002 ::

Camel - Released in February 1973
Mirage - Released in March 1st 1974
The Snow Goose - Released in April 1975
Moonmadness - Released in April 1976
Rain Dances - Released in September 1977
Breathless - Released in September 22nd, 1978
I Can See Your House From Here - Released in mid-October 1979
Nude - Released in January 1981
The Single Factor - Released on May 6th 1982
Stationary Traveler - Released in March 1984
Dust and Dreams - 1991
Harbour of Tears - Released on January 15th, 1996
Coming of Age (live and DVD) - 1997
Rajaz - Released on October 7th, 1999
A Nod and a Wink - Released on July 19th, 2002


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:: SPECIAL NOTE ::
As stated in the CD sleeve, the song For Today is dedicated to the courageous spirit of the High Diver on September 11th, 2001. The "High Diver" is a reference to person who chose to accept his fate, and dived to his death. The graceful, almost athletic pose of his body, (http://www.navexpress.com/911/2.htm) inspired Susan Hoover to refer to him as a High Diver.

Prog4you.com



CAMEL: A nod and a wink

What How you tell a blind man what "colours" are ? How can I ever tell someone, not familiar to Camel, what their music sounds like?

Is it rock? No ! Is it jazz, blues, symphonic pop, : ? No !

Altogether a unique combination? YES !! Progressive music from the top shelf? Positive, because Latimer flirts with existing styles and formats from the last 30 years.

For example : think of a bluesy guitar sound, a light jazzdrum underneath, symphonic keyboards on top and a fretless bass guitar drilling its way through: cut it into pieces and serve with a few tempo-changes; preferably from soft, dreamy & melancholic into playful, rocking & passionate and you might get an idea how the unique Camel sound is been created. Throughout the review I will regard Camel as a reference on its own, an exponent of the progressive genre. Luckily, most readers and listeners will be familiar with Camel, in my opinion, still an underestimated band.

In any case, three years after Rajaz (the 3' CD after Dust and Dreams) there is "A nod and A wink" with a line-up we know from "The Paris Collection" (highly recommended). Class musicians, every one of them. Andy Latimer knows how to surround himself with top artists. Perhaps by changing the line-up so often, he tries to maintain "his" Camel sound ? (A nod is as good as a Wink ?) Colin Bass is the only band member who has played with Camel since 1979 (in and out) for more than 10 records now.

At first, this new album seems a logical continuation of the evolution started in Rajaz : how to find the synthesis between Camel after "Dust and Dreams" and the one before that: the more jazzy, playful and rocking band with a typical style. A sound from 30 years ago, when the steaming locomotives used to cross the countryside.

"Hop on in" and ride along with the local, and sometimes fast, train through a musical landscape, signed by Andy Latimer and friends. An hour of delightful enjoyment that only Camel can offer you.

The title track opens with the sound of a steam locomotive starting up. A soft starter leading us from playfulness, romance and melancholy into energy, power, joy and back again:a very varied track where the 11 minutes pass very quickly. However it sounded familiar : it reminded me of the middle-piece of "Running from Paradise" from Harbour of Tears, transverse flute included (much used on this CD).

"Simple pleasures" seems like an transition track at first, but again we're being placed on the wrong foot. Where the subtle rhythm stays in the background and the typical (on rare occasions, sleepy) voice of A. Latimer brings you into a melancholic mood at first, the tempo change halfway supplies you with the necessary oxygen and you are speechless, listening to his magnificent bluesy guitar playing. We hear this blues sound a lot more in this album.

"A boy's life" is also strong. Acoustic guitar leads the rhythm, the synths overwhelm you with their beautifully melodious sound and after approx. 4 minutes, there's the light-footed Camel again, playful, thanks to a jazzy tempo change, and accompanied in a Gordon Giltrap way : fast, driving, but always light.

"Fox Hill" at first made me think, in sound as well as in structure, of "Harold the Barrel" from the earlier Genesis period. Andy sings (surprisingly) in a Gabriel way,with a quite funny story, and a strong British accent. The music is a mix of the Nursery Crime-Genesis with the Latimer guitar. A little further on, Camel "rocks" as it used to rock in the late 70's (how I missed that sound) and, this way, makes the track very fresh, very varied.

"Millers Tale" is very melancholic with classical guitar, transverse flute, mellotron, oboe and a less heavy Latimer voice.

"Squigely Fair" is everything Camel had to offer in the past and has to offer now. All ingredients are present, included the "authentic" sounds. Here and there you can hear the Dave Greenslade organ, but, most of all, Colin Bass relives the past with his fretless. Pure class !!! A track to listen to again and again and again.

"For Today" (for the courageous spirit of the High Diver on 11th September) refers in an sober way to the Twin Towers drama in 2001 and the thousands of victims there. I get a double feeling listening to this track. It sounds just like parts of "Us and them" from Dark Side of the Moon and "Shine on:" from Wish you were here, both Pink Floyd albums. Is it to honour Dave Gilmour ? Andy Latimer is at least as good as him, but the comparison is astonishing. Tempo, the accompaniment, even the lead guitar sounds the same. In any case, this track will put both your feet on the ground again. The end station, or to say it in Rajaz-words : the fantasy, is over, the spirit flies away:

This album is dedicated to Peter Bardens who passed away in January 2002. It's a pity he can't hear it, because the result has become more than a tribute.

It's just magnificent, beautiful. It touched my heart deeply sometimes and it made me listen to my old Camel LP's and CD's. During the coming months, I want to stay in that Camel sphere. The nods and winks towards "Moonmadness", "Rain Dances", "Nude", "Breathless", "Mirage", : are all present, more than once, but that strengthens the class.

For every Camel fan this is a top-class album and for those who have yet to discover the band, this is an excellent start. Listen to it over and over again, discover new nuances and cherish the whole experience.

I'd say "Handle with care" because this album is a rare diamond.

Reviewed by : Walter 'HaHa' Haentjens

Link directly to this page: http://www.Silverdb.com/MUSIC_DBCDInfo.asp?txtCDID=5011


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Camel
A Nod And A Wink

Artist Info
Formed in 1972 in Surrey, England, Camel got a record deal in 1973 releasing self titled official debut CD. Richard Sinclair (Caravan)became the new bass-player in 1976 and Mel Collins was added on Sax.From 1978 Colin Bass was the Bass-player. Various Keyboard players completed CAMEL like Peter Bardens and Ton Scherpenzeel (Kayak), and now most recently Guy LeBlanc, who is the genius on keyboards behind Nathan Mahl.

Recording Info
A Nod and a Wink is dedicated to one of Camel's founding members, Pete Bardens who died in 2002

Similar Bands/Artists:
Kerrs Pink // Tabula Rasa

Comments & Reviews:
We want to hear your reactions to our review and this recording. Go to our forum/discussion area , start a topic and give us your thoughts.

Nuno:
09/24/2002 A Nod and a Wink is the latest Camel release.
To commemorate it's 30th birthday, original member Andy Latimer and long time bassist Colin Bass joined by present companions LeBlanc and Clement and guests Carleton and Johnston have re-assembled the line-up from 2000's Rajaz Tour in order to tribute their faithful fans with a new Camel album.

This 2002 album comes to us as a perfect prove that Camel has been and still is capable to stay as one of the great exponents in Progressive Rock. A Nod and a Wink has completely taken me by surprise with its microscopic precision in a beautiful mellow package. The content of this album is simply the best Camel in ages, IMO.
The music is highly derivative of the principles the band has shown in the beginning of its career, yet it seems tighter than ever and surely based upon even more melodic lines. There is no space for the apparent improvisation and the keyboards are less overactive, but the leading role has been taken by the guitar with occasional (but graceful and gratifying) flute intrusions.

The album opens with the title song unfolding a gentle flute solo that sooths the listener and prepares him for the following 56 minutes of dreamlike melodies. The flute is soon accompanied by acoustic guitars and warm vocals, becoming more subtle and basing. The song has this kind of lullaby feeling, very pleasant, until the guitar starts electrifying it. From that moment on, the sound is typically Camelesque (eclectic in its comfortable harmonics) and, yes, simply outstanding!
Simple Pleasures has this perfectly subdued Tabla that simply sounds delicious when joined by the subtle percussion and the basing bass. The vocals are strongly reminiscent of (yes, that's right!) a grieving David Bowie, and the long guitar solo is almost Santana alike. The keyboards add a fantastic effect to base the guitar solo when the rhythm changes and the music "opens" and becomes more up-beat.
A Boy's Life starts as a pastoral acoustic song with lyrics that picture a country man and his views on past seasons. The structure builds up to a more elaborate venue, with the different instruments intervening but always maintaining it upon soft and mellow grounds. The guitar harmonies and soloing are unarguably familiar to Camel fans, due to its "coming-from-the-heart" .
Fox Hill is more folksy and unpretentious, with vocals that occasionally remind me of the loose feeling of Robert Wyatt in Shleep. This track is typically British with its catchy rhythms and subtle humor. There is finally time for LeBlanc to shine in a more obvious way, and Latimer's first solo again has that bluesy tone most common in Santana's work. The second part of the track is "Good Old Camel" again (including great flute lines), perpetuating the feeling that these guys will always know how to deliver!
The Miller's Tale is the shortest track. It's mainly acoustic/vocal but some orchestrations are introduced in order to provide it with more depth. Delicacy portrait in music.
Squigely Fair re-born the 70's textures and could feature in any early Camel release. It's an almost total instrumental track where the instruments perfectly interplay, and the flute solos are surprisingly (absolutely) Tullish. The only vocals appear in the middle section, inviting the listener to come aboard the train.
The final For Today is dedicated to the heroes of the 11th September, and works like a hymn. It is a most emotional track, where you will probably feel your skin go goose (I know I do). The guitar solo could have been recorded by David Guilmour and you would probably not notice the difference. In its almost 11 minutes, the song takes us to the peaks of emotional status, with its changing calmness that quietly flows while building up to ecstasy-moments where the guitar soloing and the anthem choruses shine brightly.

Overall, this is a finders keepers album. One that has surprised me not for its quality (a Camel brand), but for its extreme beauty and sensitiveness. I put it in the 2002 Hall of Fame.
Just the best way to tribute the late Pete Bardens!




Camel - A Nod and a Wink

Released: 2002
Label: Camel Productions
Cat. No.: -
Total Time: 55:42


Reviewed by: Eric Porter, November 2002
A Nod And A Wink celebrates 30 years of Camel music. The bands highly melodic symphonic style is in vast abundance here. As the title track opens, longtime fans will rejoice at the sound of Andy on the flute. An element that is too often absent in the bands music. Andy also seems to have found a friend in the acoustic guitar, as it is used throughout the recording. New keyboardist Guy LeBlanc is the perfect mate for Andy's smooth guitar licks. With the two often playing in unison, the band seems to gel together on their first studio effort.

In words and music Andy seems to be in a reflective mood. Songs like "For Today", "A Boys Life" and the short "Miller's Tale" just ooze with feeling. The music changes gears and offers plenty of instrumental sections, yet for the most part it stays in mellow, laid back territory. The mood is not all somber, as the title track immediately signals the listeners to strap themselves in as Latimer and LeBlanc dole out some enticing lead work. The whimsical lyrics of "Fox Hill" are quite different than those of the other songs, and musically is rather bouncy and upbeat. Another excellent instrumental from the band, "Squigely Fair" is a launching pad for Andy's guitar, firing up another terrific melody.

If the albums title was to suggest that the music was a reflection of the bands past work, then I say they hit the mark. Camel has continued to put out consistently excellent music, and I have yet to be disappointed. With the ever-changing line-up, it is good to see Colin Bass still in the fold. Let's hope LeBlanc and drummer Dennis Clement decide to stick around, as both seem to fit perfectly. Cherio!

More about A Nod and a Wink:

Track Listing: A Nod and a Wink (11:16) / Simple Pleasures (5:31) / A Boy's Life (7:20) / Fox Hill (9:19) / The Miller's Tale / (3:34) / Squigely Fair (8:02) / For Today (10:40)

Musicians:
Andy Latimer - guitars, flute, keyboards, vocals
Guy LeBlanc - keyboards, backing vocals
Colin Bass - bass, backing vocals
Denis Clement - drums
Terry Carleton - drums (tracks 2&6), percussion, backing vocals
JR Johnston - backing vocals

Contact:

Website: www.camelproductions.com
Note: will open new browser window

Discography

Camel (1973/2002*)
Mirage (1974/2002*)
The Snow Goose (1975/2002*)
Moonmadness (1976/2002*)
Rain Dances (1977)
A Live Record (1978/2002*)
Breathless(1978)
I Can See Your House From Here (1979)
Nude(1981)
Chameleon - The Best Of Camel (1981)
The Single Factor (1982)
Stationary Traveller (1984)
Pressure Points - Live (1984)
Compact Compilition (1986)
Landscapes (1991, compilation)
Dust And Dreams (1991)
Echoes (1993, compilation)
On The Road '72 (1993)
On The Road '82 (1994)
Never Let Go (1994, live)
Harbour Of Tears

Rajaz (1999)
Coming Of Age (1999)
The Paris Collection (2001)
A Nod And A Wink (2002)




Camel - A Nod and a Wink
Country of Origin: USA
Format: CD
Record Label: Camel Productions
Catalogue #: None
Year of Release: 2002
Time: 55:42
Info: Camel Productions
Samples: None

Tracklist: A Nod and a Wink (11:16), Simple Pleasures (5:31), A Boy's Life (7:20), Fox Hill (9:19), The Miller's Tale (3:34), Squigely Fair (8:02), For Today (10:40)

Bob's Review
At last the eagerly awaited studio album is with us, and as always there is a sense of anticipation with any new release from the Camel camp. Over more recent years it comes with the reassurance that, although the material will be new to the ears, that it will encompass their now customary warm and familiar essence. A Nod and a Wink is no exception to this rule, and confirms once again why Camel have and always will be one of the leading exponents within the progressive rock genre. The tracks may have mellowed over the years, but still they contain those elements that first moulded the Camel sound, perhaps a fitting legacy to all the members, past and present.

So for Camel's first studio album since their 1999 release of Rajaz, Andy Latimer has re-assembled the excellent line-up from their 2000 tour of Guy LeBlanc [keyboards & backing vocals], Denis Clement [drums] and old stalwart friend Colin Bass [bass guitar & backing vocals]. Additional musicians are Terry Carleton [drums 2 & 6 - percussion, backing vocals 7] and J R Johnston [backing vocals 7]. As with the tour and subsequent live album, The Paris Collection, the assembled musicians play cohesively together and are in totally empathy with the music.

The title track 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. We are told of a small child at bedtime and of thoughts that pass through the subconscious mind during slumber. The tempo is picked up as the band joins in, the song develops through a series of lighter and darker passages. A strongly themic song, characteristically cogent playing from all, and brief solo passages forming the mainstay of the track.

Simple Pleasures, as its title might infer, is a gentle track, the opening section predominantly vocal with the instrumentation fairly subdued. There is an indefinable drive throughout the track, a trademark of Camel - firstly in the early moodier section this is accompanied by some tasteful fretless bass, discreet percussion and an ever present tabla. And secondly, this continues in the more upbeat latter part of the song, with a sort of held back groove, a common trait in some of Camel's later work, and with some fine craftsman-like bluesy guitar from Andy.

The gentle opening section is continued in the next song, on this occasion the accompaniment for the vocals are in the form of acoustic guitars which act as a precursor for the other instruments. The distinct folk rock feel to this track did conjure similarities in the instrumentation to Gordon Giltrap circa the Perilous Journey era. It did seem a little odd to offer any correlation to other material whilst writing this article, as normally the cross reference would be to Camel themselves. It should be noted that any comparison is intended only as a point of interest rather than any direct inference. A Boy's Life continues the underlying theme of the album, reflecting upon our young country lad as he views summers past and present.

We now move onto Fox Hill and I couldn't help thinking by this point in the album, that although Andy Latimer has spent many years now, living in the States, how the typically English notion has never left Camel's material. A jaunty song with a bouncing 12/8 feel, full of voice characterisation, possibly in a Peter Gabriel fashion but more reminiscent of another quintessentially English band from the seventies Stackridge. The subject matter of this ditty being a fox hunt, our boy, high on his horse, and chasing the "Tod" across the meadows - the music captures the mood of the chase superbly. Much to delight of the boy and the fox, no capture is made, the fun is only in the sport itself.

The balmy, late summer, country air, prevalent throughout the album is continued in the next two tracks, firstly with the ballad-like 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 orchestration and timbres so aptly depicts the scene of our "two friends" making their way home at the end of the day. Squigely Fair again is set in early autumn (fall) and captures the surroundings of a country fayre. A very Camel-like song with a distinct 6/4 meter to it, harmony themes between guitar and keyboards and some excellent Tullian flute from Andy. Principally an instrumental, however there are some voice characterisations as we are all asked to "board the train".

For Today touches on the tragedy of September 11th last year, 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. The first in a more bluesy style very much indicative of Dave Gilmour - I tread lightly here, making comparisons between giants. The second played over an anthemic choral background is more in the traditions of Latimer himself. Although the track contains vocals, constructionally it reminded me very much of Ice. A truly emotive ending to A Nod and a Wink and certainly brought a welling of emotion from me.

It is probably evident by now that Camel rank very highly in my list of esteemed bands. For Today has already become a favourite track, along with The Miller's Tale and Squigely Fair. Andy Latimer is as tasteful as ever and the greater use of the flute within the the tracks was an added bonus. Colin Bass, the backbone of "the beast" for many years now, adds his own inimitable presence to the recording. Denis Clement's playing is crisp and precise throughout and last but not least Guy LeBlanc who follows in the traditions of Camel's previous excellent keyboard players. A DPRP recommended from me.

Nigel's Review
30 years on and Camel, or better still, Andrew Latimer and Colin Bass, are at it again. Camel have been one of progressive rock's unsung heroes, never actually attaining the heights of many bands of their generation. However, they never sold out and have till this very day maintained a solid fanbase with their professional polished brand of progressive rock. Also aiding Latimer and Bass on this release are Guy LeBlanc (Nathan Mahl) on keyboards and Denis Clement and Terry Carleton on drums.

Musically it seems that with the passage of time, Camel have mellowed out tremendously while their performance has become ever more precise and polished, maybe too much so. Possibly a comparison I could make to the music of the Camel of today would be Pink Floyd on The Division Bell. The music is less adventurous, yet everything is so calculated and smooth that there is little room for improvisation, a factor that does not allow the music to actually break out. On the other hand the album still manages to exude a warmth via the lush keyboard filled production coupled with Latimer's mellow voice and his delicate guitar work, which closely resembles that of David Gilmour (to cite Pink Floyd again!).

A factor which has definitely endeared me to this album is the "Britishness" that surfaces at various intervals throughout the album, something which I felt was missing from the last album, Rajaz. This appears in various guises, possibly most notably with the folk tinges that sprout occasionally. The flute introduction of the title track, A Nod And A Wink immediately sets the tone of the album and what could be described as a return to the roots of the band, which after all is celebrating its 30th Anniversary.

As I already mentioned, the mellow nature of the album is impressive and I feel that this is one of the main reasons why this album should strike a chord with most if not all progressive rock lovers. Simple Pleasures is quite simply one of the most delightful ballads I have come across this year. A Boy's Life has some of the most heartfelt guitar work I have heard in along time and is classic proof that a guitarist does not require a flurry of notes to make a point, when one or two soulful notes can say it all.

With Fox Hill the band, or better still Latimer, betrays his roots with the vocals taking on a strong English accent in the description of a fox hunt, this time from the perspective of a cunning fox who gleefully leads the pack and horse on a wild goose chase. On this track the music attains a strength, and rock nature, which had been missing for some time from the Camel repertoire and acts as a delightful breaker with keyboards and guitar playing off each other impeccably to then join each other in a wistful duet.

With The Miller's Tale, the music returns to the more traditionally melancholic nature of Camel. In fact such is their music that I find it strange that bands such as Coldplay and even Radiohead have never mentioned Camel as being of inspiration to their compositions. Squigely Fair is the only instrumental on the album, with the flute being a mainstay of the proceedings on what is a most pleasant track. Though an instrumental track, it seems that even here the band could not leave out a British touch with a sparse vocal of a ticket seller surfacing midway through the track. The lush orchestration gives this track that something special, though it is the extensive use of woodwind instruments which surfaces on many a track that seems to give an added dimension to the music of Camel.

The events of September 11th (2001) sparked off a reaction in everybody and it was to be expected that a wave of albums released this year would have some form of dedication to those who died in the atrocities. The closing number, For Today, was dedicated to "the courageous spirit of the High Diver" whose actions seem to have affected most artists, together with the heroic action of the firemen (Neil Young also dedicated Let's Roll from his Are You Passionate? album for the same actions). As can be expected the track is a moving one and once again the most likely comparison I can make to Latimer's guitar work is that of David Gilmour. This track is the closest the band come to what some might term as bombastic, though it never goes overboard as the orchestration involved fits in perfectly with the mood to create a fitting closer to an excellent album.

I have always had a soft spot for Camel and thus must admit to being slightly biased when reviewing this album. 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. Camel have always (or at least nearly always!) stuck to a musical formula which has won them numerous fans worldwide. Placid and mellow with the music always moving at a seemingly low pace giving a sense of tranquility and peacefulness to the listener, A Nod And A Wink has maintained this Camel tradition. It might not be their strongest album to have been recorded, yet it comes pretty close. Like good wine, Camel seem to get better with time. Congratulations on your 30th Anniversary, Camel. May there be many more of these!


Remco's Review
It is always a thrill to listen to a new album of one of your most admired bands. In this case it was a special treat, as it is the first time that such a progressive rock institute as Camel had the kindness to actually provide us with review material, which saved me a trip to the local record store (thanks Camel Productions!). The first thing one notices when receiving a new release is its cover. I've never been a great fan of the Camel covers (though some of them are quite stylish, others are a bit kitsch). In this case, in my opinion, it's plain ugly, I'm sorry to say. The picture on the inside of the jewel-case and also printed on the CD itself, is much nicer (same style, but with a white background).
Then comes the first listening. I remembered Rajaz: I was a bit disappointed at first listening, but eventually the album grew and grew on me and I rated it with a 9 out of 10. And indeed the same effect occurred with this album. The first time I listened to it, I almost fell asleep. I did notice the excellent recording quality (the CD is recorded with HDCD encoding, as was Rajaz) and the abundant use of flute on this album. The only track that immediately hit me in the guts was the last track, For Today, which is dedicated to "the courageous spirit of the High Diver on 11th September". This is one of those spine-shivering Ice-like tracks.

So then the process of growing and nurturing starts. I mostly listen to review albums when riding my bike on the way to work and back, which is an hour round-trip, exactly the time of most CD's. Last week, Camel has not left my player. And slowly, slowly you start to appreciate passages of music that escaped you the first time you heard the album, like Colin Bass' magic on Simple Pleasures or the end of Squigely Fair, or the guitar melody on A Boy's Live (which will become a Camel classic again). You start to notice how much further back some of the melodies go than you suspected at first (the first time I heard the album I found it to be very Dust and Dreams like, but now the references to Nude, The Snow Goose or The Single Factor become more and more apparent). As an example: the first time you hear the intro of Fox Hill, you think, has Latimer gone mad? It's like he is singing a kind of kid's song. But then you notice how he has done melodies like this on the, let's call it "experimental" tracks on I Can See Your House From Here as well, and actually made these tracks into a more regular Camel track (with even some Selling England By The Pound references).
Most songs start out slowly but contain a couple of excellent solo's (be it guitar, flute or keyboard), which give the tracks the drive they need. It's like with Nude: the feeling you have is that of an album in which nothing happens, which is very quiet, but each time you play it you are surprised again by the action that is still in there. Maybe it's due to the very small role that drums play in Camel's music. They basically add rhythm, but are not used as a tool to add power to the tracks.

Well, I could now start to do a track-by-track review, and tell you which passage reminds me of which other Camel album, and believe me, that could be a lengthy affair ;-). The album is not called A Nod And A Wink for nothing, it's full of Nods and Winks to Camel's past. Latimer also reflects in the booklet to thirty years of Camel (and take a look at the lyrics of Simple Pleasures...). But I believe that would spoil part of the fun of this album. Let every Camel lover pick out these sections for him or herself. However, the fact that after the last notes of For Today, in which I see in my mind how Latimer plays it, facial muscles in a twist, body shaking, like he played the guitar parts of Ice during the last Camel concert in Utrecht, I find myself slowly waking up from the music with tears in my eyes leads me to the unavoidable conclusion that Camel have created another emotional masterpiece.



Ratings:
Bob Mulvey: 9 out of 10.
Nigel Camilleri: 8 out of 10.
Remco Schoenmakers: 9 out of 10.