Although
Stationary Traveller is a concept album, it musically falls into line with its predecessor The Single Factor, which found
Camel trying to refashion themselves as
the Alan Parsons Project. Where The Single Factor suffered from
Camel's attempts to write pop hooks,
Stationary Traveller finds the band breaking down the barriers, opening up their relatively concise songs with long, atmospheric instrumental passages. The album's lyrics, which were written by
Susan Hoover, is about the divided Berlin and its political, emotional and physical divides. Often, the lyrics and music -- which work as individual entities -- don't quite work together, since they follow different emotional directions, yet the record remains a worthwhile listen, especially since it features Andy Latimer on pan flute. ~ Daevid Jehnzen