Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Camel
Label: Camel Productions
Release: 2002
Rating: 5/5
With “A Nod And A Wink” Camel have marked three decades of active creating and exploring all sorts of musical forms through the lens of the endless fields of melodic, symphonic prog rock, and they’ve done it in the most fitting way possible. After the release of “Rajaz” (1999) and a successful tour in 2000, Andy Latimer, the guitarist, singer, flutist and central musician of the band, rolled up his sleeves once again and delivered another masterpiece from one of the few 70s prog rock bands that stayed innovative well into the 21st century. With the help of his partner Susan Hoover, who has been responsible for most of their lyrics and the bulk of their concepts for years (when the album is a concept album, that is), Canadian keyboardist Guy LeBlanc, drummer Denis Clement and longtime bassist Colin Bass, Andy recorded yet another outstanding album that, both musically and symbolically, sheds light on the roots and development of a band that secured its status among the biggest names in progressive rock a long time ago. “A Nod And A Wink” is thus a kind of symbolic cross-section of their musical journey up to that point. Once again Camel have created an exceptionally diverse album that embraces many aspects of progressive rock, with a big emphasis on lush symphonic arrangements, mellifluous passages from Andy’s guitar and carefully chosen keyboard sounds that will have fans of complex melodies licking their fingers. In other words: the album contains all of the band’s main ingredients, and Camel still manage to offer something new. Beyond its deeply retrospective coloring, the album also contains a few symbolic nods to some of their 70s prog rock contemporaries (Genesis, Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd, etc.). In some places Camel deliberately wove in a few characteristic musical traits of these bands. Unlike its excellent predecessor “Rajaz”, where Andy’s guitar played the central role, this time there’s a lot more flute and a wide range of keyboards within the individual compositions, giving the album a much more pastoral feel. That indirectly adds to an even greater variety of moods across the tracks, and every new listen turns up something you hadn’t noticed before. As for the overall vibe, this is one of their most relaxed and cheerful albums ever.
“A Nod And A Wink” is dedicated to original keyboardist Peter Bardens (1944 – 2002), who passed away far too early that same year, taking his leave from all of us who quietly still believed in a reunion of their classic lineup (Latimer, Bardens, Andy Ward and Doug Ferguson), as well as to all the band’s past members who, in good times and bad, helped shape their sound and made sure the band’s name is still spoken with great respect among fans of symphonic prog rock.
The title track “A Nod And A Wink” opens with birdsong, the sound of a windmill and a ticking clock, followed by a gorgeous entrance of flute, laid over a soft line of a rich palette of keyboards with plenty of synth effects. The flute slowly builds the central melancholic melody to the accompaniment of keyboards, creating a pastoral atmosphere until the vocals join in. After some whistling and lots of effects comes a decisive switch to Andy’s electric guitar and Hammond, which instantly conjure up incredible magic, while tasteful orchestral arrangements, which Camel as usual don’t skimp on, add their share. The piece is full of twists and turns and complex instrumental sections. Amid all that variety, I’d still single out the excellent, melodic chorus created by Andy’s vocals, as usual full of pathos, and the gentle keyboard line. “Simple Pleasures” is another splendid, inventive composition that once again offers something new in their body of work, and it also contains a line that refers back to the previous album. It opens as a subtle ballad at a slow tempo, with melancholic vocals, percussion and plenty of synth effects, before a superb guitar passage carries it off into somewhat more astral-tinged instrumental waters. “A Boy’s Life” also has a calm, balladic intro. Acoustic guitar and subtle vocals weave a delicate melody until the wonderful orchestral arrangements come crashing in. This is followed by an interesting instrumental section where LeBlanc’s keyboards and Andy’s gliding guitar take the lead, gradually intertwining to create a majestic symphonic atmosphere and proving again and again why they are the band’s two central instrumental pillars. Next up is the excellent “Fox Hill”, which, in its rhythmic structure and many other elements, is more than obviously a tribute to their musical “relatives” Genesis. It’s one of the most interesting and varied pieces on the album, and it will instantly win over neo prog rock fans too, since it’s built on a typical neo prog rhythm, which of course, mark my words, came about in many ways as a result of Camel’s influence on the development of this prog rock genre. Vocally, Andy this time more than obviously recalls the legendary vocal mannerisms of the unforgettable Peter Gabriel. Anyone who spots this obvious resemblance will surely crack a mischievous smile. On the first pass there’s an exceptionally interesting instrumental section on guitar and synths that reminds me quite a bit of the Genesis classic “Squonk”. That’s followed by a first-rate guitar solo and an epic chorus backed by keyboards. Then a whole bunch of different instrumental sections trade places, each one better than the last. For the finale comes Andy’s dreamy flute solo, backed by ambient keyboards. A first-rate symphonic treat that offers at least a partial answer to what would happen if you mixed the two bands together. And the surprises are far from over! Next comes the pastorally tinged “The Miller’s Tale”, where Andy offers gentle melodies on acoustic guitar, backed by subtle keyboards. This track reminds me quite a bit of some of the solo work of Anthony Phillips, best known as Genesis’s original guitarist, since it has just the right romantic Celtic feel. It blossoms especially after the entrance of wonderful orchestral arrangements and choral vocal harmonies. Pure fairy tale for all fans of Celtic pastoral and symphonic music. If “Fox Hill” was steeped in the spirit of Genesis, then “Squigely Fair” is an exceptionally interesting hybrid between classic Camel and the champions of progressive folk rock Jethro Tull, as you can hear musical elements of both bands here. After the opening rooster crow come wonderful guitar passages that build an excellent central melody, which, interwoven with keyboards and rhythm, reach that authentic symphonic magic we were used to mainly from the band’s best years. But the composition takes on a completely different face when the flute comes in, gradually bringing the folk rock charm typical of Jethro Tull. The main “culprit” is Andy, who plays one of the best flute solos of his career here, one worthy of the master of the instrument himself, Ian Anderson. And after the wide-ranging instrumental section, Andy’s resemblance to Ian becomes even more obvious in the second part of the song, where, after a gentle flute melody, he adopts a vocal approach that more than obviously recalls the good old “tramp”. Andy had never allowed himself this much vocal variety before this album, which shows that over the years he has become an increasingly confident singer too. The closing “For Today”, dedicated to the man who jumped from one of the burning towers on that fateful 9/11/01, is one of the saddest yet also most beautiful pieces they’ve ever created. It’s a first-rate closing epic, where grandeur and indescribable melancholy merge in a perfect combination, shaking the listener to the core with its sincerity. Majestic orchestral arrangements and sensitive guitar passages keep flowing into that indescribable melancholy, building an incredible atmosphere. The addition of choral vocal harmonies only heightens it. This is the kind of first-rate magic that carries the listener through a personal catharsis, the kind that apart from them only the likes of Pink Floyd could conjure. “For Today” is in fact a kind of spiritual equivalent of the Pink Floyd classic “High Hopes”, since for Camel too it represents a symbolic, but luckily far from final farewell (to the first thirty years of their existence, that is). Still, even if it had been the closing work of their career, I could calmly say they couldn’t have picked a more fitting one.
“A Nod And A Wink” is another masterpiece of high expressive intensity, crafted by this indestructible band that, despite a criminally low profile, remains capable of creating highly creative and innovative work even in the new millennium. It’s yet another album from Camel that wins the listener over in an instant with its transcendental symphonies and the exceptional energy radiating from every pore of each composition. “A Nod And A Wink” is an exceptionally fluid, colorful and relaxed album that, with its original “camel” magic and a touch of nostalgic charm, instantly enchants both longtime fans of the band and all those fans of progressive music who, alongside complexity, also value a high degree of melodicism and heart, two things Camel have never lacked.
Lineup
Andrew Latimer – vocals, guitar, flute, keyboards
Colin Bass – bass guitar, backing vocals
Guy LeBlanc – keyboards, backing vocals
Denis Clement – drums
GUEST MUSICIANS:
Terry Carleton – drums (tracks 2 and 6), percussion and backing vocals (track 7)
JR Johnston – backing vocals (track 7)
Production
Andrew Latimer
Track List
1. A Nod And A Wink (11:16)
2. Simple Pleasures (5:31)
3. A Boy´s Life (7:20)
4. Fox Hill (9:09)
5. The Miller´s Tale (3:34)
6. Squigley Fair (8:02)
7. For Today (10:40)
Album Length: 55:34
