Camel
Harbour of Tears

THE REVIEW

The sole survivor of Camel, A. Latimer, after various hardships including economic ones, manages to settle in Mountain View, CA. Driven by new musical projects, he succeeds in founding a personal record label (Camel Productions) and producing the excellent Dust And Dreams in 1991. Only five years later, Harbour Of Tears is released, a complex and rather personal work.

After the death of his father in 1993, Latimer decided to undertake an exhausting and costly genealogical search. With the discovery of his Irish origins, he probably decided to develop this concept album. The story is set in 1845 and tells the vicissitudes of many families forced to leave their roots to find fortune in new continents. On the back of the CD package, there is a note that comprehensively explains the meaning of the album title. "Cobh Harbour is a beautiful deep-water port in County Cork, Ireland. It was the last sight of Ireland for hundreds upon thousands of fractured families who departed her shores for fates unknow. They called it the Harbours of Tears".

Besides Latimer, this album features ten other musicians. Colin.Bass (bass), M.Simmonds (keyboards), D.Paton (bass, vocals), M.Mckenna (a capella vocal), J.Xepoleas (drums), N.Panton (oboe, soprano sax, harmonium), J.Burton (french horn), B.Phillips (cello), K.Bentley, and A.Stoneham (violin). It starts with the delicate "Irish Air" featuring a beautiful ethereal voice of M.McKenna, with Andy's instrumental reprise. "Harbour Of Tears" sung by Andrew with an inevitable and melancholic guitar solo. "Send Home The Slates" is a song sung with a clean and elongated guitar solo. "Under The Moon", one of the pieces that always moves me particularly, despite being a simple guitar solo. "Watching The Bobbins", a partially rock song with a cadenced start and a long final solo. "Eye Of Ireland" is quite a catchy acoustic ballad. "Running From Paradise" is a joyous track with Latimer's flute prominently featured. With "Coming Of Age" Andy showcases his artistic skills. The piece begins with a quick, decisive insert of violins followed by a highly effective guitar solo. A fairly complex and articulated track. It concludes with "The Hour Candle (A song for my father)". It seemingly starts as a "lullaby", then bursts into a blazing blues-based guitar solo. The solo is characterized by a high saturation rate of the amplifier to create a notable melancholic impact. The piece ends by linking back to the start of the album, with the same voice of M.McKenna. I must also add that the track doesn't stop there but continues for another sixteen minutes with the sound of waves crashing against the shore. A beautiful track, undoubtedly a small gem.

Therefore, do not expect musical experimentation on this album, or compositions with intricate instrumental virtuosity. Expect an excellent album full of genuine emotions, with a "CameLatimer" (affectionately nicknamed this way by me) as always in great form. An unjustly forgotten album...

PS: "This album is dedicated to Pan who waited as long as she could..."