Camel Album: “Moonmadness”

This is one of Camel albums I like most (Staionary Traveller, Mirage, and Moonmadness). These are very beautiful musics over all (especially, "Airbone" and "Song within a Song"). I have never heard flute sound such beautiful as does in this album. Every instrumetal were played greatly. When you listen this album, forget everything and just concentrate on the music. You will experince the world of fantasy riding on the back of CAMEL.

Moonmadness find Camel returning back to where Mirage left off, more or less. The Snow Goose was a concept album and was largely instrumental. Moonmadness goes back to a half vocal, half all instrumental compositions. This album isn't nearly as aggressive or rocking as Mirage, as this album emphasizes more their mellower side, like "Chord Changes" which has that Dark Side of the Moon-type of atmosphere and pace going. "A Song within A Song" is perhaps closest to Mirage in sound, especially with the rocking passages. "Spirit of the Water" is one of those cool, atmospheric numbers with electronically modified vocals. "Another Night" seems to be the least interesting piece here as it's rather straightforward, but the album closes with "Lunar Sea" which is highly regarded as one of Camel's masterpieces, especially with Andy Latimer's killer lead guitar works and a great Moog solo by Peter Bardens in the middle. Moonmadness happens to be another album of theirs where more than one cover exists. The version I have is the American LP pressing on Janus (same label that also released a few Kayak and Eloy albums in the United States) which features a truly absurd cover of a camel on the moon in an astronaut's suit. Moonmadness is yet considered by many to be a fan favorite and I have absolutely no arguments about this. Totally essential which you should not go without!

Camel's allure rests not in an instant appeal; you'll find it in a magnetic desire to listen just one more time, for all the nuances you missed or simply because you just can't resist it. The audio quality of their recordings is almost tangible.

In fact, nearly all of Camel's music has this appeal. Guitarist, multi-instrumentalist and founder-member Andy Latimer remains the body and soul of Camel yet the musicianship of all the various members throughout their 26-year history is stunning. Each player contributes a unique texture that adds character to all Camel's recordings while remaining faithful to the original mood.

Although 'Moonmadness' is one of their early recordings, their most recent releases in the nineties -- 'Dust and Dreams' and 'Harbour of Tears' -- easily stand equal. Latimer's smooth, fluid touch on Moonmadness' "Air Born" is surpassed only by the powerful maturity of his guitar on "The Hour Candle" from 'Harbour of Tears' or "Rose of Sharon" from 'Dust and Dreams'. The more you listen, the more you'll want to hear -- for years past and years to come.

Deeply personal in their music, Camel is a group that can knock your socks off or melt your heart.

This was always going to be a tricky fourth album for the Bardens/Latimer oufit, coming after the acclaimed 'Snow Goose', which broke them into the big time. The vocals, never a primary concern, are, if anything, more insipid than on previous albums. The guitar-playing is as strident as ever, particularly on the stand-out rock track, 'Another Night'. Bardens's moog and organ float in throughout most of the album.

Camel were never a premier-league band, in the sense of Yes or Pink Floyd. They were perhaps too nice, and they remained in that distinguished second division of worthy but not commercially dominant bands that included Gentle Giant, Greenslade, Caravan and maybe even Hatfield & the North.

I saw them once. They did a concert at my school just before releasing their 2nd album. It was excellent. Because it was at our school, we were free to wander in and out beforehand, watching the band setting up their kit, doing sound-checks etc. Andy Ward, the drummer, came across as an exceptionally nice guy. It was distressing to hear that after the band split up, he had a breakdown and was now stacking shelves at a supermarket.

But enjoy this record, showcasing the band at their finest. The final track, 'Lunar Sea', was another concert favourite.

With MOONMADNESS, Camel proved that was one of the greatest progressive bands of the 70's. This album, as MIRAGE and THE SNOW GOOSE, have the clear and amazing song that only Camel can record. Latimer, on guitars and flute is perfect ! His guitar work is probably the best among all Camel albums(we can hear it on "Chord Change") and his flute solos are extremely beautiful (as in introduction of "Air Born"). Bardens synthetizers and piano/organ works really astonishing me. Always a clean sound, simple, but very harmonious variations. On "Spirit of Water" we can see his voice, and piano, taking us to heaven... Ferguson and Ward simply create one of the most powerful bass-drums combination that i ever heard. The album has its highlights: "Son within a song", with a very beautiful melody, flute and Moog. "Chord Change", just virtuosism of high quality (as Camel always did), "Air Born", with its "air" sound, very spacey and soft (plus a marvelous guitar-moog work) and "Lunar Sea", a powerful instrumental with all good Camel attributes ! So, if you liked the early Camel albuns, get Moonmadness ! After this recording, things changed...