Rain Dances

After the departure of Doug Ferguson, Camel entered the studio in 1977 with Andrew Latimer doubling on bass. However, Latimer vacated the role, as bassist Richard Sinclair finally took the call, providing a tenuous link to the Canterbury scene. Saxophonist Mel Collins, having first been a guest on the preceding tour, also joined the band as a full-fledged member. Rain Dances sports a polished production (courtesy Roxy Music's Rhett Davies), with "First Light" revealing two new aspects to the Camel sound: Pete Bardens has expanded his palette with a new range of keyboards, and the Ward/Sinclair rhythm section proves to be more precise than the previous team. Sinclair adds his distinctive voice to a couple of numbers, including the uncharacteristic (and excellent) "Metrognome." "Highways of the Sun" continues, displaying the combination of atypical rhythm and easygoing melody that had become Camel's signature. Curiously, Brian Eno makes a guest appearance on the (not so oddly) atmospheric "Elke." The band-composed "One of These Days I'll Get an Early Night" takes a shot at funk, but the jazzier "Skylines" fares better. Overall though, the album is rather soulless and nondescript; but nonetheless, it still managed to reach No. 20 in the UK. The band took to the road following the album's release; and A Live Record, released in early 1978, contained a few tracks from that tour, along with some older material. The second disc proved to be the more interesting of the two, as it contained the complete The Snow Goose, recorded at the Royal Albert Hall in 1975 with David Bedford conducting the London Symphony Orchestra.