Camera Camera – Renaissance
Prog is a funny old thing. Lots of twiddly widdly. Lots of showing off. Long songs. Nice things like that. Punk came along and ruined it; turned music listeners into consumers of sweet saccarine junk with about as much artistic merit as a lump of tar.
When, in 1981 and the newly lined up version of Renaissance were releasing this album, punk had already started to rot the music world with its quick fix attitude. In reaction, older more experienced groups adapted to the new world order by changing their style in line with the times. It comes as no surprise when we hear this album, that this is what happened here.
Some songs wouldn’t be out of place as theme tunes for dreadful BBC dramas of the day like Triangle or Howards Way and one can almost imagine Annie in her bright neon nylon shell suit with shoulder pads with big Bonnie Tyleresque curly hair dancing away on whatever music programme they appeared on.
As with all Renaissance albums, I obtained this and the other Renaissance albums in this project following the discovery of the band. It’s not my favourite and it marks the boundary where the quality songs of the 1970s start to wane. Unlike Yes, who consistently released good albums with good songs on, Camera Camera to me, marks the edge of quality for the band. I’ve argued that this happened with all prog bands of the time, apart from Yes. Even Pink Floyd went all floppy and shit after 1981. Camel too. Although Camel’s Stationary Traveller remains a nice strong concept album.
Stegzy's Music Project 
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