In the previous post I mentioned how an email from Cherry Red Records put me on to the And Now the Runaways album re-press from the old days.
Well….in the same email the label also had a re-issue of the old Camel album back from the late 1970s – I Can See Your House from Here.
Whilst I’m not the biggest Camel fan, I do recall going to see them touring the album so hit the button to order the CD along with the Runaways album for a bit of extra regression in to my youth.
Whilst it’s not the full on progressive rock of some of their earlier stuff, the album moves towards a more easily accessible commercial style and is an enjoyable listen very well performed and written.
Wait is a jaunty opener with a fine hook. Your Love is Stranger Than Mine a rather catchy prog/pop style song which is very catchy.
Eye of the Storm progs things back up with a beautiful instrumental featuring superb keyboard work from Kit Watkins. Remote Romance being probably the closest thing to a hit single Camel ever had.
Then……the masterpiece. Ice. A proper ten-minuter of marvellous chilled out, atmospheric progressive rock instrumental. A beautiful, haunting listen. Check it out:
With this edition there are two bonus tracks. A single edit version of Remote Romance followed by an excellent liver version of Ice from the Hammersmith Odeon in 1981. Simply superb.
Main man Andy Latimer is peerless on guitar and flute. Andy Ward is one of the finest drummers and that shows through along with the rest of the band. The musicianship can’t be faulted. In particular Latimer’s work on Neon Magic and Who We are is very impressive up there with his best.
Plenty to like on this album. However the change in style away from the classic progressive would divide Camel fans at the time many being displeased with the more commercial elements coming in.
That said, it’s more than worthy in my opinion after revisiting it again with this re-issue with the two bonus tracks.
Here’s a link to it on Cherry Red in case you’d like to pick up a copy for yourself:
https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/i-can-see-your-house-from-here-expanded-edition