10 Essential 1980s Progressive Rock Albums

10. Camel - Nude

Founded and still led by guitarist/singer Andy Latimer, Camel embodied the best of the Canterbury scene.

Punctuated by uniquely sophisticated and imaginative – yet also extremely warm and welcoming – arrangements, textures, and melodies, their first several studio LPs were mesmerizingly soothing and sleek. It’s no wonder why they influenced many later acts, such as Opeth, The Tangent, Änglagård, and Wobbler.

With 1978’s Breathless and (especially) 1979’s I Can See Your House from Here, the group gradually leaned toward more accessible and poppy material. Even so, they retained the essence of what made them special, and the same holds true for 1980’s radio-friendly Nude.

A concept album based on the incredible story of Japanese soldier Hiroo Onoda, it immediately evokes classic Camel calmness via opener City Life. Sure, it’s a tad simpler and lighter than, say, the imaginative intricacies of 1975’s Snow Goose, but it’s nonetheless a beautiful bit of mellow jazz-rock. Follow-ups like Drafted, Please Come Home, and Lies chart comparable courses, whereas Landscapes and Reflections act as highly mediative and scenic soundscapes.

All of it flows together quite well, and with its few instances of energized elaborateness – Docks, Captured, and the two-part The Last Farewell – Nude is absolutely lovely.