Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Camel
Label: Decca Records
Released: 1984
Rating: 3.5/5
A fair bit of time had passed since their first live album, “A Live Record” (1978), by the mid-80s. In that time Camel had gone through plenty of changes (mainly the gradual abandonment of symphonic arrangements and the jazzy rhythm lines, which led to a simpler sound and a drift toward AOR waters through what was pretty much a constant revolving door of lineups). After the release of “Stationary Traveller” (1984), which successfully signaled that they hadn’t completely lost touch with their signature progressive side, it was time for a new live album to capture what Camel looked like on stage back then.
“Pressure Points” comes from a Camel show at the legendary Hammersmith Odeon in London, during the tour for “Stationary Traveller”. Worth noting: this recording differs from the video/DVD version of “Pressure Points” (which recently came out in an upgraded edition as “Total Pressure”). Sadly, it’s not the full show. The track selection is way too short, and that’s its biggest minus. The sound quality is excellent, though, and ahead of its time, which was always one of their main strengths. The selection matches the band’s sound at the time, since they mostly play stuff from the 80s. Some of it has a strong AOR flavor too. That’s obviously not great news for fans of their classics like “Never Let Go” (Camel, 1973) and “Lady Fantasy” (Mirage, 1974), without which a Camel gig just doesn’t feel legit. On the other hand, a recording that captures a band’s sound from a particular phase of their career is always interesting, even if that phase is relatively atypical. And if the performance of every member is top-notch, you can forgive the absence of some of the best material. The lineup is basically the same as on “Stationary Traveller” (Latimer, longtime bassist Colin Bass, drummer Paul Burgess and Dutch keyboard wizard Ton Scherpenzeel, best known for his work with the Dutch prog icons Kayak). Fans of their golden years will surely be delighted to hear that they’re joined by two special guests and former members: founding member and one of the greatest masters of his craft Peter Bardens (his memory will live on forever in the hearts of the band’s fans) on organ, and the no less legendary Mel Collins (among other things a former King Crimson member) on saxophone. A special curiosity is that there are no fewer than three (!) keyboardists on this recording (really four, if you count guest Bardens on organ). Besides the two masters Scherpenzeel and Bardens, newcomer Richie Close (who sadly died tragically not long after this recording came out) and Chris Rainbow (ex-Alan Parsons Project) also chip in, with Rainbow doubling as an extra vocalist, mostly on the parts with an AOR undertone. It’s interesting how nicely the individual keyboardists mesh with each other, deepening the keyboard sound on most of the tracks compared to the originals. The main star, though, who outshines even the keyboardists mentioned above, is of course Latimer with his unique guitar approach, which usually gets overlooked whenever people list the best rock guitarists of all time.
Most of the performances of the 80s material actually come out better than the studio originals. That goes right from the excellent opening instrumental “Pressure Poitns” (Stationary Traveller), which is noticeably upgraded over the original with extended improvisations on guitar and keys. Besides Latimer’s weeping, layered solos, it features the great, multicolored growl of Bass’s bass guitar (what other instrument would a guy with that surname play?) and deep, multi-part keyboard lines that lift the whole piece above the original. They’re nowhere near the improvisations they pulled off at their 70s shows, but it’s still nice that they haven’t forgotten them entirely. Even in the era of synthetic sounds, Camel’s sound kept most of its signature mystique. Next up are three tracks from the concept masterpiece “Nude” (1981), considered one of their greatest achievements. On “Drafted”, Chris Rainbow shows off his vocal talents too, though his approach gives the performance a strong AOR tinge. Luckily, Latimer’s backing vocals in the background keep the band’s authentic spirit alive throughout. The performance is boosted mainly by special effects on the keyboards, while Latimer plays around with various guitar sounds the whole time, showing off his distinctive style, which also comes through on the excellent version of “Captured”. “Lies”, one of the best tracks from “Nude”, is above all a showcase for Latimer’s vocal talent, which, despite his technical limitations, is always capable of incredible emotion. This is where Bardens’ organ makes its first appearance. On the very good instrumental “Sasquatch” (despite its obvious pop flavor), one of the best tracks from their least noticed album “The Single Factor” (1982), Mr. Scherpenzeel especially shines. Then come two AOR-tinged tracks from “Stationary Traveller”, which aren’t among their best but which the band turns into very good versions. On “West Berlin” the good synth passages rule, while the balladesque “Fingertips” is enriched by a wah-wah guitar sound and a solo on Collins’ saxophone that gives it a slight jazzy touch. Next is an excellent version of “Wait” (I Can See Your House From Here, 1979), enriched mostly by Bardens’ expressive organ work. The high point of the recording is of course the performance of the classics “Rhayader” and “Rhayader Goes To Town” from their concept magnum opus “The Snow Goose” (1975), though I’ve heard quite a few better renditions of both. Still, Bardens’ organ being back adds some of the original spirit to the piece, while the synth lines and tasteful sax solo add something new to the songs without making them worse. Latimer is as always excellent on flute too, and once again his guitar sound is incredibly rich and mystical, as befits these classics.
“Pressure Points” is a very good live recording that, despite its limited length and thus indirectly the lack of many classics, offers a solid and credible picture of what a great live band Camel were, even in their most commercial incarnation. Still, it remains mainly for the band’s fans, since “A Live Record” is still the best demonstration of what they were like on stage. It wouldn’t hurt if a possible reissue of this recording came out as a double edition with additional, unreleased tracks, further enriching this already very good live document of the unforgettable masters of symphonic prog.
Worth mentioning, too, that Latimer, the only loyal and original member of the band, broke up the band for six years soon after this recording came out, because he had to fight an important court battle with the manager of their label at the time, who kept squeezing them over copyright. That also led them to later set up their own independent label, Camel Productions, where they enjoyed a new flowering of their musical identity and returned to the high standards of their best days.
Lineup
Andy Latimer – vocals, guitar, flute
Colin Bass – bass guitar, backing vocals
Ton Scherpenzeel – keyboards
Christopher Rainbow – vocals, keyboards
Richie Close – keyboards
Paul Burgess – drums, percussion
GUEST MUSICIANS:
Peter Bardens – organ
Mel Collins – saxophone
Production
Andy Latimer
Tracklist
1. Pressure Points (7:17)
2. Drafted (3:51)
3. Captured (3:02)
4. Lies (5:16)
5. Sasquatch (4:09)
6. West Berlin (5:19)
7. Fingertips (4:48)
8. Wait (4:28)
9. Rhayader (2:29)
10. Rhayader Goes To Town (6:05)
Album length: 46:51
