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Thread: Tell me more about Camel

  1. #1

    Tell me more about Camel

    I recently acquired a copy of this band's A Live Album (apparently I have the original version; there's one with bonus trax) and ... well ...

    The first disc struck me as fairly generic proggery. But the second disc, the live performance of "The Snow Goose," that blew me away.

    So, the question is: Have they done anything else as amazing as "The Snow Goose?"

    (And a second question: if I buy the studio "Snow Goose," will I be disappointed?)
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  2. #2
    Outraged bystander markwoll's Avatar
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    IMHO The Snow Goose is an outlier. It is a different work than most, but their albums tend to be different.
    I rank The Snow Goose with top Prog, CTTE, etc.
    I prefer the original recording to the remake, just because I like some of the old synth sounds better.
    Moonmadness is pretty good. I am less familiar with the latter ( after Rain Dances ) albums.
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  3. #3
    Member since March 2004 mozo-pg's Avatar
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    Andy Latimer is one of the best progressive guitarists, period.

  4. #4
    Member Sputnik's Avatar
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    Tough questions, very subjective. I love Snow Goose, but actually prefer Moonmadness as an album. If you consider Song Within a Song and Lunar Sea to be "generic Proggery," then I'd say for your tastes Snow Goose is as good as it ever got. I'd still encourage you to explore Mirage and Moonmadness, and even the debut album, all of which I'm sure you can sample on Youtube. But they never did anything else quite like Snow Goose.

    On the second question, I've never heard a live version of Snow Goose I prefer to the studio version. This isn't to say the live versions are bad, I just don't think they add a ton that was missing on the studio version. But if you like the live version you have, that might be enough.

    Again, you'll get all kinds of opinions on this, I don't think there's a right answer here, just personal preferences.

    Bill

  5. #5
    Member Man In The Mountain's Avatar
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    Nothing generic about the early Camel albums, IMO. Other than maybe you've heard other bands trying to emulate Camel and think you've been there done that. Andy Latimer is one of the very best guitarists you'll find anywhere, and Pete Bardens on keys is just incredible. I would spin that first live disc a few times before labeling it as such.

    To me the best albums are from the early 70's - Moonmadness & Mirage. Can't say I'm a big fan of Snow Goose, other than a few standout tracks. I also love the debut album "Camel", though opinions vary on that one. After getting the classic early 70's stuff, then move onto others...

  6. #6
    Mirage and Snow Goose are their best in my opinion, with Moonmadness just a bit behind. Surprisingly they fail to move me now as they did 25 years ago - they're too polished, too perfect for my taste. Relying on the melody and not exactly taking huge risks. This is completely subjective of course, they´re huge, and perhaps overplaying them has taken its toll. But nowadays I would listen - and do listen - to their debut or Rain Dances far more easily.

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    Highly Evolved Orangutan JKL2000's Avatar
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  8. #8
    Member Yodelgoat's Avatar
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    ^^^Wow, my first listen to Camel!

    Who agrees with me that the guitarist looks a bit like a young Neil Peart? (Its the haircut, I'm guessing)

    I think I'll jump into some Camel! Years ago I was told that our old band Jaugernaut was a lot like this band... So, of course I stayed away from ever listening to it... They are nothing like we were!... Much, MUCH better! but it was intended as a compliment, I'm sure.

    That Bass player is awesome.

  9. #9
    Member Big Ears's Avatar
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    They were a great live band, around the time of The Snow Goose, and really put on a show even in the smaller clubs. Moonmadness has some of the best instrumental passages you will ever hear. After Rain Dances and Pete Bardens' departure it was downhill for me, despite the talent involved (Mick Glossop, Chris Rainbow, etc).
    Last edited by Big Ears; 04-25-2017 at 12:20 PM. Reason: Forgot the possessive apostrophe.
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  10. #10
    Member rcarlberg's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Yodelgoat View Post
    That Bass player is awesome.
    Yes, Richard Sinclair is totally awesome. This clip doesn't BEGIN to define his awesomeness! For instance he was the singer in Hatfield & The North, as well as one of its prime composers. He's led a couple of bands (Caravan of Dreams and RSVP) both of which were wonderful. He's played bass with Camel, Caravan, Hatfield, Sinclair & The South, National Health (briefly), Wilde Flowers, and done duet/trio/quartet albums with Hugh Hopper, Alan Gowen, Phil Miller, David Rees Williams and others.

    Plus, he's a really really nice guy.

  11. #11
    Member rcarlberg's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sturgeon's Lawyer View Post
    So, the question is: Have they done anything else as amazing as "The Snow Goose?"

    (And a second question: if I buy the studio "Snow Goose," will I be disappointed?)
    I happen to think there is wonderful material, the equal of "Snow Goose," on just about every Camel album. However, for sheer consistency, none of them measures up to "The Snow Goose" which is goosebumps all the way through (sorry, couldn't resist).

    And the studio version is definitive. The live is good, but nothing beats the original IMV.

  12. #12
    Of the Camel discography, my front-to-back red-listing of Mirage — highlighted foremost by the intensity of "Earthrise" and the "Lady Fantasy" suite — has placed that album into my top 1% of 1974. That said, I share the oft-voiced sentiment that "Lunar Sea", with its gradual buildup and cathartic release, is Camel's most compelling nine minutes. I also have a special fondness for the chromatic modulations that ride out "The Sleeper" and the alternately aggressive/refined approach of "Wait." Overall, I'd rate their five best albums in the following order: Mirage, Moonmadness, I Can See Your House from Here, The Snow Goose, and Rain Dances.

  13. #13
    IMO, 1973-1976 Camel was like a wimpier version of what would happen if you crossed Genesis and Caravan.

    I like some of their stuff - and the live performances tend to have more energy than the records - and own most of their albums, in some format. But they're not a band I get particularly excited about, and I wouldn't count any of their albums among my all-time favorites.

  14. #14
    Member Gizmotron's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sturgeon's Lawyer View Post
    I recently acquired a copy of this band's A Live Album (apparently I have the original version; there's one with bonus trax) and ... well ...

    The first disc struck me as fairly generic proggery. But the second disc, the live performance of "The Snow Goose," that blew me away.

    So, the question is: Have they done anything else as amazing as "The Snow Goose?"

    (And a second question: if I buy the studio "Snow Goose," will I be disappointed?)
    I am always intrigued when someone has just discovered a band like Camel. (It happened to me...it wasn't until 1977 that I was turned onto them.)
    There is lots of good advice here. I would add that I think there are wonderful tunes on every Camel album but I'd suggest you start with the earlier ones.

    Importantly, there is not just the original Studio version of Snowgoose; there is also the remake of it (that someone references briefly, above). And yes, there are several live versions out there. Every version, studio or live, has many strong points. I cannot pick out a favorite but you the version you have heard does have some passion and some bigger dynamics than the original studio version.

    Enjoy the exploration!

  15. #15
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    I am going to throw out some love for latter day Camel. “Dust And Dreams”, “Harbour Of Tears”, and “Rajaz” are a great 3 album run that IMO ranks right up with their classics. In fact “Harbour” may be my all-time favorite Camel album. The last / most recent one “A Nod And A Wink” is not quite as good, but the album does contain one of the most moving songs Andy has ever written in the closing track “For Today”.

  16. #16
    Outraged bystander markwoll's Avatar
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    “A Man Who Does Not Read Has No Appreciable Advantage Over the Man Who Cannot Read” - Mark Twain

  17. #17
    Get an original copy of The Snow Goose. It is a great album. I had a radio show called "Instrumental" that I always opened with The Flight Of The Snow Goose.

    Of all of their tracks, I consider "Dunkirk" to be one of the absolute peaks of instrumental Prog.

  18. #18
    Member interbellum's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sturgeon's Lawyer View Post
    I recently acquired a copy of this band's A Live Album (apparently I have the original version; there's one with bonus trax) and ... well ...

    The first disc struck me as fairly generic proggery. But the second disc, the live performance of "The Snow Goose," that blew me away.

    So, the question is: Have they done anything else as amazing as "The Snow Goose?"

    (And a second question: if I buy the studio "Snow Goose," will I be disappointed?)
    Funny no one has jet mentioned that the album is actually called "A Live Record".

    Most posters have told you what they think are the best Camel-albums, but what I'm wondering is why you think "The Snow Goose" is amazing?
    I just make a guess that you like the song-cycle, the concept, where all songs tell one tale. If so the other album you could try is "Nude", which has more or less the same structure.
    And if you want a studio-version of "The Snow Goose" you might also want to try the rerecording from a few years ago. The orchestra has been replaced by keyboards I believe. (Oops, just noticed this was already mentioned)

    B.t.w. I love the first couple of Camel-LP's a lot, especially this one and "Moonmadness" and songs like "Lady Fantasy".

  19. #19
    Taker of Naps IncogNeato's Avatar
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    A camel is an even-toed ungulate within the genus Camelus, bearing distinctive fatty deposits known as "humps" on its back. The three surviving species of camel are the dromedary, or one-humped camel (C. dromedarius), which inhabits the Middle East and the Horn of Africa; the Bactrian, or two-humped camel (C. bactrianus), which inhabits Central Asia; and the critically endangered wild Bactrian camel (C. ferus) that has limited populations in remote areas of northwest China and Mongolia. Bactrian camels take their name from the historical Bactria region of Central Asia (Yam & Khomeiri, 2015).[3] Additionally one other species of camel [4] in the separate genus Camelops, C. hesternus [5] lived in western North America and became extinct when humans entered the continent at the end of the Pleistocene. Both the dromedary and the Bactrian camels have been domesticated; they provide milk, meat, hair for textiles or goods such as felted pouches, and are working animals with tasks ranging from human transport to bearing loads.

    The term camel is derived via Latin and Greek (camelus and κάμηλος kamēlos respectively) from Hebrew or Phoenician gāmāl.[6][7]

    Most of the world's camels are dromedaries (94%) while Bactrian camels and wild Bactrian camels make up only 6% of the total camel population (Yam & Khomeiri, 2015).[3] "Camel" may also be used more broadly to describe any of the seven camel-like mammals in the family Camelidae: the three true camels and the four New World camelids (the llama, alpaca, guanaco, and vicuña).[8]


  20. #20
    My first exposure to Camel was on MTV. They used to play West Berlin a lot. I worked my way back from there. Snow Goose is my favorite.

  21. #21
    My first introduction to Camel was Moonmadness.. it's still my fav from them. Like many here have said there's lot's to like about every Camel album up to and including Rain Dances. They were hit or miss for me after that..

  22. #22
    Member Since: 3/27/2002 MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER's Avatar
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    ...depends on what you like

    Camel have the best duo of drummer guitarist of all Brit Symph bands

    no, they aren't Cobham/McLaughlin, but I didn't say Jazz Rock style Prog, I said Brit Symph. When Bruford and Holdsworth were in UK perhaps that could be noted as a peer, but generally Camel's Ward/Latimer combo were peerless among Brit Symph artists
    Why is it whenever someone mentions an artist that was clearly progressive (yet not the Symph weenie definition of Prog) do certain people feel compelled to snort "thats not Prog" like a whiny 5th grader?

  23. #23
    Quote Originally Posted by SteveSly View Post
    I am going to throw out some love for latter day Camel. “Dust And Dreams”, “Harbour Of Tears”, and “Rajaz” are a great 3 album run that IMO ranks right up with their classics. In fact “Harbour” may be my all-time favorite Camel album. The last / most recent one “A Nod And A Wink” is not quite as good, but the album does contain one of the most moving songs Andy has ever written in the closing track “For Today”.
    Agree 100%, especially regarding "Harbour". Absolutely love it!

    Ed

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  24. #24
    Quote Originally Posted by SteveSly View Post
    I am going to throw out some love for latter day Camel. “Dust And Dreams”, “Harbour Of Tears”, and “Rajaz” are a great 3 album run that IMO ranks right up with their classics.
    Yeah, I forget about those later albums sometimes. I'd rank Rajazz among the few best '90s albums made by '70s prog bands (that I've heard).

  25. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by SteveSly View Post
    I am going to throw out some love for latter day Camel. “Dust And Dreams”, “Harbour Of Tears”, and “Rajaz” are a great 3 album run that IMO ranks right up with their classics. In fact “Harbour” may be my all-time favorite Camel album. The last / most recent one “A Nod And A Wink” is not quite as good, but the album does contain one of the most moving songs Andy has ever written in the closing track “For Today”.
    I also agree with this completely

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