Nude (Camel album)
Nude is the eighth studio album and a concept album released by the English progressive rock band Camel in January 1981. The album is based on a true story of a Japanese soldier (Hiroo Onoda) marooned on an island in World War II who doesn't know that the war is over. 'Nude' derives from his family name 'Onoda'. Most of the album is composed of instrumentals with only a few tracks containing lyrics. The album's lyrics were mainly written by Susan Hoover, except "Please Come Home", which was written by Andrew Latimer. It was the last Camel album to feature original drummer Andy Ward, and the last Camel album to feature more than one original member.
Nude | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | January 1981 | |||
Recorded | September 1980 | |||
Studio | Abbey Road Studios | |||
Genre | Progressive rock | |||
Length | 44:45 | |||
Label | Gama/Decca | |||
Producer | Camel, Tony Clark, Haydn Bendall | |||
Camel chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic |
Synopsis
Within the album, a story is displayed to tell about the album's plot. The concept mainly focuses on the theme of Onoda's isolation from the rest of the world and the effects on the way he lives after his disappearance and discovery.
The year is 1942 and World War II is in full motion. Hiroo Onoda has found himself living in a society ruled over by harsh regulations and orders that have altered the way that both himself and the rest of Imperial Japan have to live through everyday ("City Life/ Nude"). One day, Nude receives an envelope in the mail that require his services to the Japanese Army and the war effort. Seeing that he had no other options, he follows the instructions ("Drafted"). When the time had finally arrived, Nude finds himself alongside other young soldiers who are being loaded onto a ship to head for battle with a crowd of people watching behind them ("Docks"). Eventually, he is thrown into the fighting on a Pacific Island and is quickly overwhelmed by his surroundings, leading to a blackout during combat ("Beached"). When Nude wakes up, he is alone and without his regiment. He drifts off to sleep with the hopes that he will soon be rescued by his Unit, unaware of the fact that he has been left behind, all alone on the war torn island ("Landscapes").
Time passes and many lonely years drift by. By now, Nude has given up his search and is currently living in a cave beside a lagoon, constantly patrolling through the jungles for any hiding enemies ("Changing Places"). Every once in a while, he retreats to a high mountaintop and runs through a procedure that fulfills his military duties, including reciting his countries national anthem and firing a bullet into the sky ("Pomp & Circumstance"). When a plane flies over him one day, Nude is greeted by a large content of leaflets, letters and photographs urging him to accept the end of the war and for him to return to his country ("Please Come Home"), however, he dismisses these replies, assuming that the Allied Forces were playing tricks on him. Over time, Nude feels a shift in his feelings and comes to the conclusion that the war had truly ended long ago ("Reflections"). While on a hunt somewhere later on, he is captured and thrown onto a boat taking him back to Japan ("Captured").
Upon hearing of his return, the entire nation rejoiced. When Nude had landed back in his home land, he is greeted with crowds of people in celebration and excitement for his return ("The Homecoming"). Despite the warm welcome, his years of loneliness and lack of communication leads to a breakdown; a tidal wave of publicity that he did not favor ("Lies"). With the passing of his fame came his separation from the rest of society and life became dull for the returned soldier, even with his fame and government rewards. On his 50th Birthday, a small group had thrown a party for him and gave him a cake that allowed him to remember his time away. Nude is moved by such a presentation and is allowed to be left alone to reflect on his past ("The Last Farewell: The Birthday Cake/ Nudes Return").
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "City Life" | Andrew Latimer, Hoover | 4:41 |
2. | "Nude" | Latimer | 0:22 |
3. | "Drafted" | Latimer, Hoover | 4:20 |
4. | "Docks" | Latimer, Kit Watkins | 3:50 |
5. | "Beached" | Latimer | 3:34 |
6. | "Landscapes" | Latimer | 2:39 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Changing Places" | Latimer | 4:11 |
2. | "Pomp & Circumstance" | Latimer | 2:05 |
3. | "Please Come Home" | Latimer | 1:12 |
4. | "Reflections" | Latimer, Jan Schelhaas | 2:39 |
5. | "Captured" | Latimer | 3:12 |
6. | "The Homecoming" | Latimer | 2:49 |
7. | "Lies" | Latimer, Hoover | 4:59 |
8. | "The Last Farewell: The Birthday Cake" | Latimer | 0:30 |
9. | "The Last Farewell: Nude's Return" | Latimer | 3:42 |
- 2009 Expanded & Remastered Edition
Bonus tracks recorded at Hammersmith Odeon on 22 February 1981 for BBC Radio One "In Concert". Excerpts from "Nude" medley:
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
16. | "City Life" | |
17. | "Nude/Drafted" | |
18. | "Docks" | |
19. | "Beached" | |
20. | "Landscapes" | |
21. | "Changing Places" | |
22. | "Reflections" | |
23. | "Captured" | |
24. | "The Last Farewell: The Birthday Cake" | |
25. | "The Last Farewell: Nude's Return" |
Personnel
- Camel
- Andrew Latimer – guitars, vocals, flute, koto & various keyboards; lead vocals on "Please Come Home" and "Lies"
- Colin Bass – bass, vocals; lead vocals on "City Life" and "Drafted"
- Andy Ward – drums, percussion
- Additional musicians
- Mel Collins – flute, piccolo, saxophones
- Duncan Mackay – keyboards
- Jan Schelhaas – *piano on "Drafted"
- Chris Green – cello on "Drafted"
- Gasper Lawal – all percussion on "Changing Places"
- Herbie Flowers – tuba on "The Homecoming"
(*The liner notes credit Jan Schelhaas for piano on "The Last Farewell", which is incorrect because no piano was ever played on "The Last Farewell".)
- Production
- Engineered by Tony Clarke
- Cover design by Mayblin/Shaw/Munday
References
- Jehnzen, Daevid (2011). "Nude - Camel | AllMusic". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
External links
- "Camel - Nude (1981) album review at Ground and Sky/ProgReviews.com". www.ProgReviews.com. Retrieved 8 May 2009. [Dead Link]
- "Camel - Nude (1981) album review at ProgWeed.net". www.ProgWeed.net. Archived from the original on 24 March 2004. Retrieved 8 May 2009.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link) [Archive of dead link: https://archive.is/20040324020418/http://www.progweed.net/reviews/camel/camel-band.html%23nude#nude]
- "Camel - Nude (1981) album review at VintageProg.com". www.VintageProg.com. Retrieved 8 May 2009.
- Camel - Nude (1981) album review by Daevid Jehnzen, credits & releases at AllMusic.com
- Camel - Nude (1981) album releases & credits at Discogs.com
- Camel - Nude (1981) album credits & user reviews at ProgArchives.com
- Camel - Nude (1981) album review by Archibald C. Burke, credits & user reviews at SputnikMusic.com
- Camel - Nude (1981) album to be listened as stream at Play.Spotify.com