Abandoning the lovely soundscapes of
Snow Goose
,
Camel
delved into layered guitar and synthesizers similar to those of
Pink Floyd
's
Wish You Were Here
on the impressive
Moonmadness
. Part of the reason behind the shift in musical direction was the label's insistence that
venture into more commercial territory after the experimental
, and it is true that the music on
is more akin to traditional English progressive rock, even though it does occasionally dip into jazz-fusion territory with syncopated rhythms and shimmering keyboards. Furthermore, the songs are a little more concise and accessible than those of its predecessor. That doesn't mean
has abandoned art.
is indeed a concept album, based loosely on the personalities of each member --
"Chord Change"
is
Peter Bardens
"Air Born"
Andy Latimer
"Lunar Sea"
Andy Ward
and
"Another Night"
Doug Ferguson
. Certainly, it's a concept that is considerably less defined than that of
, and the music isn't quite as challenging, yet that doesn't mean that
is devoid of pleasure. In fact, with its long stretches of atmospheric instrumentals and spacy solos, it's quite rewarding. ~ Daevid Jehnzen