by Daevid Jehnzen

A new, larger version of Camel debuted on Nude, a concept album about a Japanese soldier stranded on a deserted island during World War II, and stayed there, oblivious to the outside world, for 29 years. More ambitious than the preceding I Can See Your House from Here, Nude is in many ways just as impressive. Although it's a less accessible effort, it has a number of quite intriguing passages, particularly since it boasts heavier improvisation, orchestration, and even some worldbeat influences. It's not as spacy as Camel's earlier progressive rock records, yet it is quite atmospheric, creating its own entrancing world.