Camel | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Camel never achieved the mass popularity of fellow British progressive rock bands like the Alan Parsons Project, but they cultivated a dedicated cult following. Over the course of their career, Camel experienced numerous changes, but throughout the years, Andrew Latimer remained the leader of the band. Formed in 1972 in Surrey, Camel originally consisted of Latimer (guitar, flute, vocals), Andy Ward (drums), Doug Ferguson (bass), and keyboardist Peter Bardens, previously of Them. By the end of 1973, the group signed with MCA and released their eponymous debut. In 1974, the band switched record labels, signing with Deccas Gama subsidiary, and released Mirage. In 1975, Camel released their breakthrough album The Snow Goose, which climbed into the British Top 30. The bands English audience declined with 1976s Moonmadness, but the album was more successful in America, reaching number 118 -- the highest chart position the band ever attained in the U.S. Following the release of Moonmadness, Ferguson left the band and was replaced by Richard Sinclair (ex-Caravan); at the same time, the group added saxophonist Mel Collins. Latimer and Bardens conflicted during the recording of 1977s Rain Dances and those tensions would come to a head during the making of 1978s Breathless. After Breathless was completed, Bardens left the band. Before recording their next album, Camel replaced Bardens with two keyboardists -- Kit Watkins (Happy the Man) and Jim Schelhaas (Caravan) -- and replaced Sinclair with Colin Bass. By the time Camel released their 1979 album, I Can See Your House From Here, rock & roll had been changed by the emergence of punk rock, which resulted in less press coverage for progressive rock, as well as decreased record sales. Camel suffered from this shift in popular taste -- I Can See Your House from Here received less attention than any of the bands releases since their debut. Latimer returned to writing concept albums with 1981s Nude. In 1982, drummer Andy Ward was forced to leave the band after suffering a severe hand injury. Camels 1982 album, The Single Factor, was a slicker, more accessible affair than previous Camel records, but it failed to chart. Stationary Traveller (1984) was another concept album. After the release of the 1984 live album, Pressure Points, Camel entered a long period of hibernation that lasted until the early 90s. In 1985, Decca dropped Camel from its roster. Latimer wasnt able to find a new label because he was embroiled in a difficult legal battle with Camels former manager Geoff Jukes; Camel eventually won the lawsuit in the late 80s. Throughout this period, Camel produced no new music. In 1988, Latimer sold his home in England and moved to California, where he founded the independent label Camel Productions. By the time Camel recorded their follow-up to Stationary Traveller in the early 90s, the band was, for most intents and purposes, simply Andrew Latimer and a handful of session musicians. Dust and Dreams (1991) was the first release on Camel Productions. In 1993, PolyGram released a double-disc Camel retrospective, Echoes. In early 1996, Camel released Harbour of Tears. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 30 Title: Camel Released: 1973-02 Tracks: 7 Duration: 39:15 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Slow Yourself Down (04:47) 2 Mystic Queen (05:40) 3 Six Ate (06:06) 4 Separation (03:56) 5 Never Let Go (06:23) 6 Curiosity (05:53) 7 Arubaluba (06:27) |
| Camel : Allmusic album Review : Camel was still finding its signature sound on its eponymous debut album. At this point, Peter Bardens and his grand, sweeping organ dominate the groups sound and Andrew Latimer sounds tentative on occasion. Furthermore, the music fluctuates uncertainly between arty improvisations, jazz-inflected rhythms, and uninspired rock numbers. There are hints of promise scattered throughout the album, yet the record never gels into something special. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 30 Title: Mirage Released: 1974-03-01 Tracks: 5 Duration: 37:58 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Freefall (05:53) 2 Supertwister (03:20) 3 Nimrodel / The Procession / The White Rider (09:17) 4 Earthrise (06:42) 5 Lady Fantasy: Encounter / Smiles for You / Lady Fantasy (12:45) |
| Mirage : Allmusic album Review : With their second album, Mirage, Camel begin to develop their own distinctive sound, highlighted by the groups liquid, intricate rhythms and the wonderful, unpredictable instrumental exchanges by keyboardist Pete Bardens and guitarist Andy Latimer. Camel also distinguish themselves from their prog rock peers with the multi-part suite "Lady Fantasy," which suggests the more complex directions they would take a few albums down the line. Also, Latimers graceful flute playing distinguishes several songs on the record, including "Supertwister," and its clear that he has a more supple technique than such contemporaries as Ian Anderson. Camel are still ironing out some quirks in their sound on Mirage, but its evident that they are coming into their own. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 30 Title: The Snow Goose Released: 1975-04 Tracks: 16 Duration: 43:33 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Great Marsh (02:03) 2 Rhayader (03:01) 3 Rhayader Goes to Town (05:20) 4 Sanctuary (01:05) 5 Fritha (01:19) 6 The Snow Goose (03:11) 7 Friendship (01:43) 8 Migration (02:02) 9 Rhayader Alone (01:50) 10 Flight of the Snow Goose (02:40) 11 Preparation (03:53) 12 Dunkirk (05:25) 13 Epitaph (02:07) 14 Fritha Alone (01:39) 15 La princesse perdue (04:45) 16 The Great Marsh (01:23) |
| The Snow Goose : Allmusic album Review : Camels classic period started with The Snow Goose, an instrumental concept album based on a novella by Paul Gallico. Although there are no lyrics on the album -- two songs feature wordless vocals -- the music follows the emotional arc of the novellas story, which is about a lonely man named Rhayader who helps nurse a wounded snow goose back to health with the help of a young girl called Fritha he recently befriended. Once the goose is healed, it is set free, but Fritha no longer visits the man because the goose is gone. Later, Rhayader is killed in battle during the evacuation of Dunkirk. The goose returned during the battle, and it is then named La Princesse Perdue, symbolizing the hopes that can still survive even during the evils of war. With such a complex fable to tell, it is no surprise that Camel keep their improvisational tendencies reined in, deciding to concentrate on surging, intricate soundscapes that telegraph the emotion of the piece without a single word. And even though The Snow Goose is an instrumental album, it is far more accessible than some of Camels later work, since it relies on beautiful sonic textures instead of musical experimentation. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 30 Title: Moonmadness Released: 1976-03-26 Tracks: 7 Duration: 39:12 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Aristillus (01:56) 2 Song Within a Song (07:14) 3 Chord Change (06:44) 4 Spirit of the Water (02:07) 5 Another Night (06:56) 6 Air Born (05:02) 7 Lunar Sea (09:11) |
| Moonmadness : Allmusic album Review : Abandoning the lovely soundscapes of Snow Goose, Camel delved into layered guitar and synthesizers similar to those of Pink Floyds Wish You Were Here on the impressive Moonmadness. Part of the reason behind the shift in musical direction was the labels insistence that Camel venture into more commercial territory after the experimental Snow Goose, and it is true that the music on Moonmadness is more akin to traditional English progressive rock, even though it does occasionally dip into jazz-fusion territory with syncopated rhythms and shimmering keyboards. Furthermore, the songs are a little more concise and accessible than those of its predecessor. That doesnt mean Camel has abandoned art. Moonmadness is indeed a concept album, based loosely on the personalities of each member -- "Chord Change" is Peter Bardens, "Air Born" is Andy Latimer, "Lunar Sea" is Andy Ward and "Another Night" is Doug Ferguson. Certainly, its a concept that is considerably less defined than that of Snow Goose, and the music isnt quite as challenging, yet that doesnt mean that Moonmadness is devoid of pleasure. In fact, with its long stretches of atmospheric instrumentals and spacy solos, its quite rewarding. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 30 Title: Rain Dances Released: 1977-09 Tracks: 9 Duration: 41:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 First Light (04:59) 2 Metrognome (04:20) 3 Tell Me (04:07) 4 Highways of the Sun (04:29) 5 Unevensong (05:34) 6 One of These Days Ill Get an Early Night (05:52) 7 Elke (04:29) 8 Skylines (04:20) 9 Rain Dances (02:55) |
| Rain Dances : Allmusic album Review : The bands fifth release, Rain Dances is Camel at its best, offering the most consistent and representative package in their saga. The addition of Caravan-cofounder Richard Sinclair proves profitable, as do a few colorist touches by Brian Eno on "Elke." Mel Collins woodwinds are among the highlights, especially on "Tell Me" and the title track. From beginning to end, this project flows gracefully. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 30 Title: A Live Record Released: 1978-04 Tracks: 30 Duration: 2:19:16 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 First Light (05:27) 2 Metrognome (04:59) 3 Unevensong (05:37) 4 Skylines (05:45) 5 A Song Within a Song (07:10) 6 Lunar Sea (08:59) 7 Raindances (02:44) 8 Never Let Go (07:29) 9 Chord Change (06:54) 10 Ligging at Louis (06:36) 11 Lady Fantasy: Encounter / Smiles for You / Lady Fantasy (14:25) 1 Introduction (01:10) 2 The Great Marsh (01:44) 3 Rhayader (03:07) 4 Rhayader Goes to Town (05:11) 5 Sanctuary (01:10) 6 Fritha (01:22) 7 The Snow Goose (03:02) 8 Friendship (01:39) 9 Migration (03:51) 10 Rhayader Alone (01:47) 11 Flight of the Snow Goose (03:03) 12 Preparation (04:10) 13 Dunkirk (05:28) 14 Epitaph (02:33) 15 Fritha Alone (01:22) 16 La Princesse Perdue (04:45) 17 The Great Marsh (02:05) 18 The White Rider (08:52) 19 Another Night (06:36) |
 | Album: 7 of 30 Title: Breathless Released: 1978-09-22 Tracks: 9 Duration: 44:53 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Breathless (04:20) 2 Echoes (07:20) 3 Wing and a Prayer (04:46) 4 Down on the Farm (04:25) 5 Starlight Ride (03:26) 6 Summer Lightning (06:10) 7 You Make Me Smile (04:18) 8 The Sleeper (07:08) 9 Rainbow’s End (03:00) |
| Breathless : Allmusic album Review : With Rain Dances, Camel began exploring shorter, more concise songs, but it wasnt until its follow-up, Breathless, that they truly made a stab at writing pop songs. Although they didnt completely abandon improvisational prog rock -- there are several fine, jazzy interludes -- most of the record is comprised of shorter songs designed for radio play. While the group didnt quite achieve that goal, Breathless is nevertheless a more accessible record than Camels other albums, which tend to focus on instrumentals. Here, they try to be a straightforward prog rock band, and while the results are occasionally a little muddled, it is on the whole surprisingly successful. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 30 Title: I Can See Your House From Here Released: 1979-10 Tracks: 9 Duration: 46:11 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Wait (05:03) 2 Your Love Is Stranger Than Mine (03:26) 3 Eye of the Storm (03:52) 4 Who We Are (07:52) 5 Survival (01:12) 6 Hymn to Her (05:37) 7 Neon Magic (04:39) 8 Remote Romance (04:08) 9 Ice (10:18) |
| I Can See Your House From Here : Allmusic album Review : Although not an honest representation of the bands character, this is undoubtedly their most popular work. The one-time addition of American Kit Watkins produces some fine keyboard lead work. Rupert Hines resourceful production and appearances by Phil Collins and Mel Collins round out this strong release. "Survival" and "Who We Are" feature some fine orchestrations, and guitarist Latimer delivers some exceptional lead work on the albums closer "Ice." | ||
 | Album: 9 of 30 Title: Nude Released: 1981-01 Tracks: 14 Duration: 44:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 City Life (04:35) 2 Nude (00:27) 3 Drafted (04:20) 4 Docks (03:51) 5 Beached (03:34) 6 Landscapes (02:39) 7 Changing Places (04:11) 8 Pomp and Circumstance (02:05) 9 Please Come Home (01:12) 10 Reflections (02:39) 11 Captured (03:09) 12 The Homecoming (02:49) 13 Lies (05:00) 14 The Last Farewell: The Birthday Cake / Nudes Return (04:08) |
| Nude : Allmusic album Review : A new, larger version of Camel debuted on Nude, a concept album about a Japanese soldier stranded on a deserted island during World War II and staying there, oblivious to the outside world, for 29 years. More ambitious than the preceding I Can See Your House from Here, Nude is in many ways just as impressive. Although its a less accessible effort, it has a number of quite intriguing passages, particularly since it boasts heavier improvisation, orchestration, and even some worldbeat influences. Its not as spacy as Camels earlier progressive rock records, yet it is quite atmospheric, creating its own entrancing world. [A remastered version of Nude was released in 2009, including ten bonus tracks recorded live at the Hammersmith Odeon in 1981 for the BBC Radio 1 program In Concert.] | ||
 | Album: 10 of 30 Title: The Single Factor Released: 1982-05-07 Tracks: 11 Duration: 38:49 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 No Easy Answer (02:56) 2 You Are the One (05:24) 3 Heroes (04:52) 4 Selva (03:35) 5 Lullabye (00:58) 6 Sasquatch (04:43) 7 Manic (04:27) 8 Camelogue (03:42) 9 Today’s Goodbye (04:08) 10 A Heart’s Desire (01:11) 11 End Peace (02:53) |
| The Single Factor : Allmusic album Review : Following the ambitious song cycle Nude, Camel attempted their version of an Alan Parsons Project album with The Single Factor. Considering that Parsons was having hits that year with songs like "Eye in the Sky," its not surprising that Camel tried to capture the same audience, yet their talent didnt lay with pop music -- it lay with atmospheric instrumentals and creating detailed soundscapes. Consequently, The Single Factor sounds a little forced and often fails to capture the groups magic, even though there a few strong moments on the record. | ||
 | Album: 11 of 30 Title: Stationary Traveller Released: 1984-04-13 Tracks: 10 Duration: 42:15 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Pressure Points (02:09) 2 Refugee (03:47) 3 Vopos (05:32) 4 Cloak and Dagger Man (03:55) 5 Stationary Traveller (05:34) 6 West Berlin (05:10) 7 Fingertips (04:29) 8 Missing (04:22) 9 After Words (02:01) 10 Long Goodbyes (05:15) |
| Stationary Traveller : Allmusic album Review : 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 Camels 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 albums 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 -- dont 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. | ||
 | Album: 12 of 30 Title: Pressure Points Released: 1984-11 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:25:12 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Pressure Points (07:17) 2 Drafted (03:51) 3 Captured (03:02) 4 Lies (05:16) 5 Refugee (03:48) 6 Vopos (05:49) 7 Stationary Traveller (05:16) 8 West Berlin (05:19) 9 Fingertips (04:48) 1 Sasquatch (04:09) 2 Wait (04:28) 3 Cloak and Dagger Man (04:04) 4 Long Goodbyes (06:45) 5 Rhayader (02:29) 6 Rhayader Goes to Town (06:05) 7 Lady Fantasy (12:41) |
 | Album: 13 of 30 Title: A Compact Compilation Released: 1985 Tracks: 13 Duration: 1:08:53 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Freefall (05:53) 2 Lady Fantasy: Encounter / Smiles for You / Lady Fantasy (12:45) 3 The Great Marsh (01:45) 4 Rhayader (03:03) 5 Rhayader Goes to Town (05:20) 6 The Snow Goose (03:18) 7 Flight of the Snow Goose (02:47) 8 Dunkirk (05:30) 9 Song Within a Song (07:14) 10 Lunar Sea (09:07) 11 First Light (04:59) 12 Metrognome (04:20) 13 Rain Dances (02:48) |
| A Compact Compilation : Allmusic album Review : Dating from the early years of the CD repackaging revolution, A Compact Compilation is an excellent sampling of, as the subtitle says, "songs from four of their most acclaimed albums." Cherry-picking Mirage, The Snow Goose, Moonmadness, and Rain Dances (which in turn means only the original lineups first and final LPs are absent), the 13-track collection does not, of course, negate the need to pick up the original LPs. But it serves up sufficient highlights from each to let you know whether you want to dig deeper. Of the four, it is the first pair that have the greatest resonance, with the 12-minute "Lady Fantasy" (from 1974s Mirage) pinpointing Camels debt to Caravan at the same time as the band strove to escape the gravitational pull of the entire Canterbury Scene. That they succeeded as quickly as they did is testament enough to Camels own ambition, but still the following years The Snow Goose is a remarkable achievement, one of the most successful "concept albums" in an era that was lousy with the things. Half a dozen tracks from the album testify to its magnificence, with the necessary disruption of the concept itself scarcely spoiling the show. It must have been difficult for the band to follow that masterpiece, but 1976s Moonmadness at least had a good go at it, delivering the delightful "Song Within a Song" and the epic "Lunar Sea" as undeniable peaks. Only with the fourth of the albums showcased here, 1977s Rain Dances, then, is Camel truly dislodged from its pedestal, although by the time you hit its contributions, youve already sat through an hour of superlative music. | ||
 | Album: 14 of 30 Title: The Collection Released: 1986 Tracks: 12 Duration: 1:01:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Aristillus (01:56) 2 Freefall (05:53) 3 Supertwister (03:20) 4 Spirit of the Water (02:07) 5 Lunar Sea (09:00) 6 Rhayder / Rhayder Goes to Town (08:24) 7 Migration / Rhayder Alone (05:41) 8 The Princess Perdue / The Great Marsh (07:02) 9 Drafted / Captured (06:55) 10 Sasquatch (04:02) 11 Rain Dances (02:48) 12 Highways of the Sun (04:29) |
| The Collection : Allmusic album Review : Castles Camel Collection is a reasonably thorough overview of highlights from the groups 70s albums, but it leaves out too many highlights and representative tracks to make it a good introduction for novices. | ||
 | Album: 15 of 30 Title: Dust and Dreams Released: 1991 Tracks: 16 Duration: 47:55 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Dust Bowl (01:54) 2 Go West (03:42) 3 Dusted Out (01:35) 4 Mother Road (04:15) 5 Needles (02:34) 6 Rose of Sharon (04:48) 7 Milk n’ Honey (03:35) 8 End of the Line (06:52) 9 Storm Clouds (02:07) 10 Cotton Camp (02:55) 11 Broken Banks (00:35) 12 Sheet Rain (02:15) 13 Whispers (00:52) 14 Little Rivers and Little Rose (01:57) 15 Hopeless Anger (04:59) 16 Whispers in the Rain (02:54) |
| Dust and Dreams : Allmusic album Review : Camel packed up their bags and moved to California, with the dust of a seven-years span of quiet on their backs, and the dream of creative freedom through their own label, Camel Productions, ahead of them. Inspired by the John Steinbeck novel "The Grapes of Wrath" (and one can only hope that Camels westward move went smoother), Dust and Dreams is exactly the sort of labor of love that makes a private label worth having. Elegiac, literate, largely instrumental in spots, this stuff would make most label executives eyes glaze over. Its also the sort of finely wrought music that will delight Camel fans who still fondly imagine their band in the Nude. Despite the long absence since Stationary Traveller, many familiar faces return to Camels ranks: Susan Hoover, Ton Scherpenzeel, Colin Bass, David Paton, and Paul Burgess. Andy Latimer, of course, remains the pivotal figure, writing the songs, taking the vocal leads (his sleepy, deep delivery suggesting a Watersed-down version of Pink Floyd), driving the music with his masterful guitar work. This last point is worth resting at a moment, since Latimers guitar has grown audibly since we last heard him. While some of the guitar passages are classic Camel (e.g., "Cotton Camp"), Latimer is just as likely to invoke the image of David Gilmour ("End of the Line") and Steve Hackett ("Broken Banks," "Hopeless Anger"). Like Nude, Dust and Dreams initially divides its time between songs and instrumentals before ceding halfway through to purely instrumental music. The 18 tracks are interconnected, separated only by a four-second delay before "End of the Line," effectively marking a first and second act. The introductory "Dust Bowl" is a quiet overture reminiscent of Brian Eno, the closing "Whispers in the Rain" is actually an epilogue (the real curtain comes crashing down on "Hopeless Anger"). If it all sounds like a structured play, thats because Dust and Dreams is. The disc exists as a single work broken into two sections, inextricably bound together in the composers mind (themes return, specific points of action take place). In retrospect, its probably a wonder that Nude ever got off the ground, and few studios would have taken a flyer on the equally ambitious Dust and Dreams. Thank goodness Andy Latimer had the fortitude to see this through to completion; it is the mature work of an indomitable dreamer, if a little downbeat. It lacks the immediate melodies of Nude (which many would concede is the better album), but the victories here are harder won and thus to be prized by fans who were still scanning the horizon for the shadow of Camels tall spirit. | ||
 | Album: 16 of 30 Title: On the Road 1972 Released: 1992-08 Tracks: 4 Duration: 44:18 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Lady Fantasy (13:45) 2 Six Ate (06:11) 3 White Rider (09:56) 4 God of Light Revisited (14:24) |
| On the Road 1972 : Allmusic album Review : The 90s found Andy Latimer releasing compact discs on his own label, Camel Productions, which included a new work (Dust and Dreams), a reissue of Camels first album, and here a live recording of Camel in its earliest stages. On the Road 1972 features Camel in its original quartet form -- Peter Bardens, Doug Ferguson, Andy Latimer, and Andy Ward -- playing music that would appear on the bands first and second albums, plus a track from Bardens 1970 solo album, The Answer. Its a little limited at only four tracks, and the stingy liner notes shed little historical light on the music, but longtime fans of Camel will delight in hearing from this incarnation of the band one more time. "Six Ate," which appeared on the groups eponymous debut, is little more than an excuse to jam, sounding at times like Jethro Tull circa A Passion Play. Likewise, Bardens "God of Light Revisited" -- which appeared originally as "Homage to the God of Light" and later, on the Greasy Truckers Live at Dingwalls Dance compilation, as "Lord of Light Revisited" -- is an instrumental piece that allows the band to indulge in the kind of spacy jams that marked (some would say "marred") the early 70s. The two tracks that would subsequently appear on Mirage, "Lady Fantasy" and "White Rider" (which would be divided into the two-part "Nimrodel" for that album), are most likely to please fans. They match the studio versions nearly note for note and, as such, reveal a band that was making calculated art; the solos may veer off the path a bit, but these renditions are clearly the template for the subsequent studio versions. The recording is surprisingly good -- maybe a hiccup or two on "White Rider," but otherwise better than expected (although Wards bass drum is undermiked). The playing is tight, with Ferguson anchoring the pieces with his mesmerizing basslines, Ward using his superlative drum skills to optimal effect, Latimer engaging in some creative guitar distortion, and Bardens evoking all manner of sound from his keyboards. And, best of all, the profits dont go to some evil corporation. | ||
 | Album: 17 of 30 Title: Echoes Released: 1993 Tracks: 26 Duration: 2:26:52 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Never Let Go (06:18) 2 Freefall (05:53) 3 Lady Fantasy (12:43) 4 Rhayader (03:23) 5 Rhayader Goes to Town (05:00) 6 Song Within a Song (07:14) 7 Air Born (05:02) 8 Lunar Sea (09:11) 9 Unevensong (05:34) 10 Tell Me (04:07) 11 Elke (04:29) 12 Skylines (04:20) 1 Breathless (04:20) 2 Echoes (07:20) 3 The Sleeper (07:04) 4 Your Love Is Stranger Than Mine (03:26) 5 Hymn to Her (05:37) 6 Ice (10:11) 7 Drafted (04:18) 8 Lies (05:00) 9 Sasquatch (04:43) 10 You Are the One (05:24) 11 Refugee (03:47) 12 West Berlin (05:10) 13 Mother Road (04:15) 14 Whispers in the Rain (02:54) |
 | Album: 18 of 30 Title: Never Let Go Released: 1993-11-01 Tracks: 28 Duration: 2:11:47 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Never Let Go (07:22) 2 Earthrise (08:02) 3 Rhayader (02:23) 4 Rhayader Goes to Town (05:14) 5 Spirit of the Water (03:03) 6 Unevensong (05:44) 7 Echoes (07:48) 8 Ice (10:21) 9 City Life (05:10) 10 Drafted (04:12) 1 Dust Bowl (01:58) 2 Go West (03:47) 3 Dusted Out (01:36) 4 Mother Road (03:44) 5 Needles (03:31) 6 Rose of Sharon (05:32) 7 Milk n Honey (03:28) 8 End of the Line (07:27) 9 Storm Clouds (03:16) 10 Cotton Camp (02:28) 11 Broken Banks (00:45) 12 Sheet Rain (02:20) 13 Whispers (01:06) 14 Little Rivers and Little Rose (02:10) 15 Hopeless Anger (04:54) 16 Whispers in the Rain (03:56) 17 Sasquatch (04:58) 18 Lady Fantasy (15:28) |
| Never Let Go : Allmusic album Review : Progressive rock bands like Camel have to be creative in their touring schedules, often traveling to Europe in order to find a substantial concentration of fans in a single place. So it was that Camel arrived with their 20th anniversary tour at Enschede, Holland. After their tenth anniversary tour (which found them promoting The Single Factor), few would have predicted a 20th, but the release of Dust and Dreams in 1991 suggested the band had found a second creative wind (or at least tapped into the original breeze last felt on Nude). Never Let Go confirms the point that Camel has plenty of life left in it. Spread out across two discs (the untangling of which is like disassembling a childs toy, a problem common to two-disc sets), this live show features two distinct sets. The first is a remarkable retelling of their earlier travels, recounting highlights from each of their releases up to Nude, in chronological order no less. It starts out deceptively simple, with Andrew Latimer strumming a slow version of "Never Let Go," which soon explodes into a spot-on rendition. With keyboardist Mickey Simmonds joining a returning Colin Bass and Paul Burgess, the new quartet does a marvelous job of capturing Camel in its various guises: from the instrumentals "Ice" and "Earthrise" to familiar songs like "Spirit of the Water" (sung by Bass) and "City Life." The second set is devoted to a pristine presentation of their recent opus, Dust and Dreams, in its entirety. Amazingly, the live performance concedes nothing in clarity to its studio counterpart, so no harm done if you bypass the original and hear it here instead. As a bonus, Camel closes with the instrumental "Sasquatch" (one of the few bright spots from The Single Factor) and a beloved mirage from the past, "Lady Fantasy." Among their live releases (which number more than a few), Never Let Go may be the one worth holding onto. Latimers voice has grown a little thinner over the years (and it was pretty thin to begin with), but his guitar work gets sharper with age. Critically speaking, this gets two humps up. | ||
 | Album: 19 of 30 Title: On the Road 1982 Released: 1994-10-25 Tracks: 14 Duration: 1:08:46 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Sasquatch (04:30) 2 Highways of the Sun (04:38) 3 Hymn to Her (05:23) 4 Neon Magic (04:04) 5 You Are the One (05:21) 6 Drafted (04:01) 7 Lies (05:10) 8 Captured (03:19) 9 A Hearts Desire / End Peace (04:34) 10 Heroes (05:36) 11 Who We Are (06:21) 12 Manic (04:11) 13 Wait (04:49) 14 Never Let Go (06:44) |
| On the Road 1982 : Allmusic album Review : On the Road 1982 features the bands tenth anniversary tour performance from The Hague, Netherlands. Unfortunately, as the liner notes explain, the original tapes were lost, and the recording presented here draws from the version that passed through the mixing desk. While the end result is still better than your garden-variety bootleg, the sound of the "Camel Live" ladle scraping the bottom of the proverbial barrel is inescapable. Camel was promoting The Single Factor at the time (no wonder they called it the tenth anniversary tour), with a cast that bore little resemblance to any popular incarnation of the band. Andrew Latimer and Kit Watkins were the veterans, vocalist Chris Rainbow and David Paton had only recently come on board, while Stuart Tosh and Andy Dalby make their "dromedarial" debut here. Chris Rainbow assumes lead vocal duties, which changes the character of the songs slightly, though without ill effect, on tracks like "Hymn to Her," "A Hearts Desire," and "Highways of the Sun." The band also runs through a few selections from Nude; if youre really interested in hearing that album live, pick up the superior On the Road 1981. There are moments where the band seems to possess both the energy and camaraderie necessary to pull off a successful performance, such as the opening "Sasquatch," "Manic," and "Who We Are." But there are also a number of flawed moments to contend with: Their rushed version of "Wait" lacks the originals caged energy, "You Are the One" turns out to be a live dud, and Toshs "counting out" before many of the songs doesnt bespeak electricity. The performance at least ends on a high note, with yet another stellar rendition of "Never Let Go" (you get the sense Latimer could play this one well in his sleep). If the Dutch audience was wild about this performance, it didnt make it into the mix (maybe they were miffed that Latimer referred to them as "Den Whogue"). On the Road 1982 sounds a lot more like the end of the road. | ||
 | Album: 20 of 30 Title: Harbour of Tears Released: 1996-01-12 Tracks: 13 Duration: 1:02:14 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Irish Air (00:57) 2 Irish Air (instrumental reprise) (01:57) 3 Harbour of Tears (03:12) 4 Cóbh (00:50) 5 Send Home the Slates (04:23) 6 Under the Moon (01:16) 7 Watching the Bobbins (07:13) 8 Generations (01:01) 9 Eyes of Ireland (03:09) 10 Running From Paradise (05:20) 11 End of the Day (02:29) 12 Coming of Age (07:21) 13 The Hour Candle (A Song for My Father) (23:00) |
| Harbour of Tears : Allmusic album Review : Strap yourself in for another dire journey with Camel. This time its the Irish immigration to America, a fitting travel companion for Dust and Dreams or Nude. The Celtic overtones are largely dispensed with by the second track, and what emerges is a finely conceived concept album filled with rich, saturated arrangements and guitar leads that cut through the surrounding music like a beacon. More so than Dust and Dreams, Harbour of Tears feels like it was intended for the stage. The instrumentals are oftentimes simple bridges to the next phase of storytelling; the music is streamlined (even with strings and winds) to advance a linear progression in the listeners mind. If some of this seems familiar, remember that Camel have been likely to retrace the occasional familiar footprint during 20 years of traveling (e.g., "Eyes of Ireland" has been heard before). During the interim, Andrew Latimer has become a remarkable conjurer of conjoined sound and imagery; the way in which he uses different sounds to suggest scenes and action is imagistic music in the best sense of the word. The rest of the cast is equally accomplished, drawing on the estimable skills of Mae McKenna, Mickey Simmonds, lyricist Susan Hoover, and others to create a full-bodied presentation. Harbour of Tears isnt a sad tale; its simply bittersweet, and sometimes heroic. Camel are careful to walk a balance between hope and hardship, to convey the hushed (if barren) beauty of Ireland against the coarse reality of immigrant life in America. Again, its a marvel that the band continue to invest so much skill and vision into their music at this late juncture in their journey, but thats the advantage of choosing your own path. Drawing out individual tracks is antithetical to Harbours design. The disc should be heard in its entirety, by Camel fans old and new. And if youre vacillating between this and Dust, dream another day and buy Harbour of Tears first. Just be mindful of the last track, as Camel take their time waving goodbye. | ||
 | Album: 21 of 30 Title: On the Road 1981 Released: 1997 Tracks: 13 Duration: 58:44 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Never Let Go (07:03) 2 Song Within a Song (07:20) 3 Lunar Sea (10:50) 4 City Life (04:43) 5 Nude (00:27) 6 Drafted (03:55) 7 Docks (04:06) 8 Beached (03:34) 9 Landscapes (03:22) 10 Changing Places (03:31) 11 Reflections (02:24) 12 Captured (03:19) 13 The Last Farewell (04:04) |
| On the Road 1981 : Allmusic album Review : This one might just as well have been called Nudes Return. The third in Camel Productions series of "official" bootlegs opens with a familiar trio of tunes (in fact, identical to 1978s A Live Record) before undertaking a near-complete retelling of Nude. The performance is an April 1981 show at the Hammersmith Odeon, originally broadcast by the BBC and featuring the lineup that first appeared on 1979s I Can See Your House From Here. The benefit of having two keyboard players, Jan Schelhaas and Kit Watkins, is made plain on the opening "Never Let Go," which also features the energetic rhythm section of Andy Ward and Colin Bass. Two cuts from Moonmadness follow -- "Song Within a Song" and "Lunar Sea" -- which the audience clearly appreciates despite Andrew Latimers lackluster vocals. The decision to then launch into the "story" of Nude comes as a surprise -- on the surface, the sedate and mostly instrumental work doesnt lend itself to live performance any more than The Snow Goose. However, the shift in strategy places the emphasis on Camels current strengths: Latimers expressive guitar and flute playing, the moody keyboard textures, and Wards intrepid drumming. Those familiar with the studio version of Nude will not be disappointed with the live version presented here: in fact, the impressive succession of "Drafted," "Docks," and "Beached" elicits rousing applause from the audience (and rightly so). Just as the album cover draws heavily from Nude, On the Road 1981 lives or dies by the listeners appreciation for their 1981 concept album. Given that this lineup of Camel was long on talent and short on time together, On the Road 1981 is a good choice from the archives: clean sound, some nice extra touches, and a final curtain call for the talented "other" Andy. | ||
 | Album: 22 of 30 Title: Master Series: Camel Released: 1997 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:17:18 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Remote Romance (single version) (04:00) 2 You Are the One (edited version) (03:45) 3 Rhayader (03:03) 4 Rhayader Goes to Town (05:20) 5 Cloak and Dagger Man (03:55) 6 Highways of the Sun (single version) (04:00) 7 Rainbow’s End (single version) (03:00) 8 Fingertips (04:29) 9 Never Let Go (live) (07:27) 10 No Easy Answer (02:52) 11 Beached (03:34) 12 Another Night (single version) (03:24) 13 Breathless (04:20) 14 Tell Me (version two) (04:07) 15 Supertwister (03:20) 16 Please Come Home (01:12) 17 Wait (05:03) 18 Lunar Sea (live) (10:22) |
 | Album: 23 of 30 Title: Coming of Age Released: 1998 Tracks: 28 Duration: 2:04:37 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Lunar Sea (08:57) 2 Hymn to Her (06:34) 3 Rhayadar (02:53) 4 Rhayadar Goes to Town (05:03) 5 Preparation (03:19) 6 Dunkirk (05:05) 7 Drafted (04:28) 8 Docks (03:54) 9 Beached (04:00) 10 Spirit of the Water (03:09) 11 Ice (09:40) 12 Sasquatch (04:18) 1 Milkn Honey (03:23) 2 Mother Road (04:29) 3 Needles (02:30) 4 Rose of Sharon (05:09) 5 Irish Air (00:57) 6 Irish Air (reprise) (02:27) 7 Harbour of Tears (03:16) 8 Cóbh (00:52) 9 Send Home the Slates (04:04) 10 Under the Moon (01:46) 11 Watching the Bobbins (07:38) 12 Eyes of Ireland (03:13) 13 Running From Paradise (05:39) 14 End of the Day (02:44) 15 Coming of Age (07:38) 16 The Hour Candle (07:20) |
 | Album: 24 of 30 Title: Rajaz Released: 1999-10-11 Tracks: 8 Duration: 58:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Three Wishes (06:58) 2 Lost and Found (05:38) 3 The Final Encore (08:07) 4 Rajaz (08:15) 5 Shout (05:15) 6 Straight to My Heart (06:23) 7 Sahara (06:44) 8 Lawrence (10:46) |
 | Album: 25 of 30 Title: Gods of Light Released: 2000 Tracks: 5 Duration: 1:10:54 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 God of Light Revisited (16:11) 2 White Rider (08:54) 3 Lady Fantasy (11:35) 4 Arubaluba (06:52) 5 Excerpts From the Snow Goose (27:20) |
 | Album: 26 of 30 Title: The Paris Collection Released: 2001 Tracks: 10 Duration: 1:11:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Ice (08:47) 2 Chord Change (08:52) 3 Fingertips (06:40) 4 Slow Yourself Down (04:30) 5 Sahara (06:51) 6 Mother Road (06:07) 7 Little River and Little Rose (01:55) 8 Hopeless Anger (05:43) 9 Lady Fantasy (16:04) 10 Slow Yourself Down (Late Night version) (05:34) |
 | Album: 27 of 30 Title: Lunar Sea: An Anthology 1973-1985 Released: 2001-10-08 Tracks: 26 Duration: 2:33:44 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Never Let Go (06:23) 2 Slow Yourself Down (04:47) 3 Freefall (05:53) 4 Nimrodel / The Procession / The White Rider (09:17) 5 The Great Marsh (02:03) 6 Rhayader (03:01) 7 Rhayader Goes to Town (05:20) 8 Lady Fantasy (15:25) 9 Song Within a Song (07:14) 10 Spirit of the Water (02:07) 11 Air Born (05:02) 12 Lunar Sea (08:59) 1 Tell Me (04:07) 2 Elke (04:29) 3 Echoes (07:20) 4 The Sleeper (07:04) 5 Ice (10:14) 6 Hymn to Her (05:37) 7 City Life (05:04) 8 Drafted (04:18) 9 Lies (05:00) 10 Sasquatch (04:43) 11 Cloak and Dagger Man (03:55) 12 Stationary Traveller (05:34) 13 West Berlin (05:24) 14 Long Goodbyes (05:15) |
| Lunar Sea: An Anthology 1973-1985 : Allmusic album Review : This double-CD set more or less supplants -- though in some ways it also enhances -- the 1993 compilation Echoes: The Retrospective. With a slightly longer running time and a fair difference in song content; though the same number of tracks, the overlap between the two is surprisingly limited. Gone are "Unevensong," "Breathless," "Skylines," the studio versions of "Lunar Sea" and "West Berlin," and "City Life," among other tracks -- in their place as "Stationary Traveler," "Long Goodbyes," "Slow Yourself Down," "Nimrodel," "The Great Marsh," and "Spirit of the Water," plus live renditions of "Lunar Sea" and "West Berlin." The sound here is also improved somewhat, although Echoes was very good in that department as well, and, to be fair, theres a limited amount that one can do with the earliest recordings in terms of raising the fidelity. The annotation is extremely thorough, and the overall quality of the package makes a worthy addition to any Camel collection, as well as a good introduction to the band for the uninitiated. | ||
 | Album: 28 of 30 Title: A Nod and a Wink Released: 2002-07-29 Tracks: 8 Duration: 1:01:38 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 A Nod and a Wink (11:16) 2 Simple Pleasures (05:31) 3 A Boys Life (07:20) 4 Fox Hill (09:19) 5 The Millers Tale (03:34) 6 Squigely Fair (08:02) 7 For Today (10:44) 8 After All These Years (05:52) |
 | Album: 29 of 30 Title: Best: Supertwister Released: 2006 Tracks: 13 Duration: 1:16:43 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Never Let Go (03:39) 2 Six Ate (06:03) 3 Supertwister (03:21) 4 Lady Fantasy / Encounter / Smiles for You / Lady Fantasy (13:01) 5 Rhayader (03:02) 6 Rhayader Goes to Town (05:23) 7 Song Within a Song (07:15) 8 Lunar Sea (09:09) 9 Elke (04:34) 10 Echoes (07:20) 11 Wait (05:04) 12 Drafted (04:22) 13 Fingertips (04:30) |
 | Album: 30 of 30 Title: Rainbow’s End: An Anthology 1973-1985 Released: 2010-09-20 Tracks: 59 Duration: 5:05:17 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Slow Yourself Down (04:47) 2 Never Let Go (06:22) 3 Curiosity (05:53) 4 Mystic Queen (05:39) 5 Nimrodel / The Procession / The White Rider (09:17) 6 Freefall (05:53) 7 Earthrise (06:40) 8 Lady Fantasy: Encounter / Smiles for You / Lady Fantasy (original Basing Street Studios mix) (12:59) 9 Ligging at Louis (05:49) 10 Arubaluba (06:52) 11 Supertwister (03:15) 1 Homage to the God of Light (live) (19:00) 2 The Great Marsh (02:03) 3 Rhayader (03:03) 4 Rhayader Goes to Town (05:20) 5 Preparation (04:10) 6 Dunkirk (05:28) 7 Aristillus (01:56) 8 Song Within a Song (07:14) 9 Air Born (05:02) 10 Spirit of the Water (02:07) 11 Chord Change (06:59) 12 Another Night (07:26) 13 First Light (04:59) 14 Elke (04:29) 1 Tell Me (04:07) 2 Metrognome (04:59) 3 Unevensong (05:37) 4 Lunar Sea (08:59) 5 Rain Dances (02:40) 6 Echoes (07:20) 7 Starlight Ride (03:26) 8 Breathless (04:20) 9 Rainbow’s End (single version) (03:00) 10 Survival (01:12) 11 Hymn to Her (05:37) 12 Ice (10:13) 13 City Life (04:41) 14 Nude (00:27) 15 Drafted (04:20) 16 Lies (05:00) 1 Docks (04:06) 2 Beached (03:34) 3 Captured (03:19) 4 Summer Lightning (05:37) 5 Sasquatch (04:43) 6 Heroes (04:49) 7 Selva (03:35) 8 A Heart’s Desire (01:11) 9 End Peace (02:53) 10 In the Arms of Waltzing Frauleins (02:18) 11 Cloak and Dagger Man (03:55) 12 Stationary Traveller (05:34) 13 Long Goodbyes (05:15) 14 Pressure Points (07:17) 15 West Berlin (05:18) 16 Fingertips (04:32) 17 Rhayader (02:29) 18 Rhayader Goes to Town (05:52) |