Rain Dances
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Rain Dances is the fifth studio album album by English progressive rock band Camel. It was released in 1977, with Deram Records, and brought a major change to the band's lineup, by replacing bassist Doug Ferguson with ex-Caravan Richard Sinclair and by adding saxophonist Mel Collins, former King Crimson member.
Album summary
Rain Dances possesses a more jazzy sound than the previous albums. That is mostly thanks to Sinclair's appearance, but also because of the band's aim to change their musical direction and moulding the music into a more commercial smoothness. Another distinguishing point is the reduced amount of Latimer's flute and Bardens' organ tunes, which were the trademark of all four previous albums of Camel. Most of the songs are radio-friendly, yet they bear a mark of Camel's earlier work.
Track listing
Side One
- "First Light" (Peter Bardens, Andrew Latimer) – 5:01
- "Metrognome" (Bardens, Latimer) – 4:15
- "Tell Me" (Bardens, Latimer) – 4:06
- "Highways of the Sun" (Bardens, Latimer) – 4:29
Side Two
- "Unevensong" (Bardens, Latimer, Andy Ward) – 5:33
- "One of These Days I'll Get an Early Night" (Bardens, Mel Collins, Latimer, Richard Sinclair, Ward) - 5:53
- "Elke" (Latimer) – 4:26
- "Skylines" (Bardens, Latimer, Ward) – 4:24
- "Rain Dances" (Bardens, Latimer) – 2:53
- "Highways of the Sun" (Bardens, Latimer) – 3:57 (single edit, non-LP track)
Personnel
- Andrew Latimer - Electric guitar, Acoustic guitar, 12 string guitar, Panpipes, Flute, Fretless bass (A 3), Electric piano (B 3), Piano (B 3, 5), Mini Moog (B 3), String (B 3), Fuzz guitar (B 3), Rhythm guitar (B 4), Bass (B 4), Glockenspiel (B 5), Backing vocals, Lead vocals (A 4)
- Peter Bardens - Organ, Piano, Electric piano, Mini Moog, String, Clavinet
- Andy Ward - Drums, Percussion, Ocarina, Glockenspiel, Talking drum
- Richard Sinclair - Bass, Lead vocals (A 2, 3, B 1)
- Mel Collins - Alto saxophone, Tenor saxophone, Soprano saxophone, Clarinet, Bass flute, Brass arrangements
Guest musicians
- Martin Drover - Trumpet (B 2), Flugel horn (B 4)
- Malcolm Griffiths - Trombone (B 2, 4)
- Brian Eno - Mini Moog, Electric piano, Piano (B 3)
- Fiona Hibbert - Harp (B 3)
Other credits
- Dave Hutchins - Engineer
- Paul Henry - Original LP sleeve design
- Bob Searles - LP illustration
Release details
- 1977, UK, Decca, Release date: September 1977, LP
- 1991, UK/GER, Deram, Release date: August 26, CD (w. bonus track)
- 2004, UK, London 8207252, Release date: February 2 2004, CD (remastered version)