Camel
Band members Related acts
|
line up 1 (1971-76) - Peter Bardens (RIP 2002) -- vocals, keyboards, synthesizers - Doug Ferguson -- bass, vocals - Andy Latimer -- guitar, flute, vocals - Andy Ward -- drums, percussion, vocals
line up 2 (1976-78) - Peter Bardens (RIP 2002) -- vocals, keyboards, synthesizers NEW - Mel Collins -- sax - Andy Latimer -- guitar, flute, vocals NEW - Richard Sinclair -- bass, vocals (replaced Doug Ferguson) - Andy Ward -- drums, percussion, vocals
line up 3 (1978-84) NEW - Colin Bass - bass (replaced Richard Sinclair) - Andy Latimer -- guitar, flute, vocals NEW - Jan Schelhass -- keyboards NEW - Kit Watkins -- keyboards (replaced Peter Bardens) - Andy Ward -- drums, percussion, vocals
line up 4 (1991-2003) - Andy Latimer -- guitar, flute, vocals
line up 5 (2013-) - Andy Latimer -- guitar, flute, vocals
|
- 3 Mustphas 3 (Colin Bass) - 21st Century Schziod Band (Mel Collins) - Peter Bardens (solo efforts) - Mike Batt and Friends (Mel Collins) - Blues Incorporated (Mel Collins) - Brew (Andy Ward) - Caravan (Richard Sinclair) - The Cheynes (Peter Bardens) - The Chrysanthemums (Andy Ward) - Circus (Mel Collins) - Happy the Man (Kit Watkins) - Hatfield and North (Richard Sinclair) - Keats (Peter Bardens) - King Crimson (Mel Collins) - Kokomo (Mel Collins) - Loving Awareness (Mickey Gallagher and John Turnbull) - Mirage (Peter Bardens) - National Head Band (Jan Schelhass) - The Noise Boyz (Mel Collins) - Pilot (David Patton and Tosh Stewart) - Jan Schelhass (solo efforts) - The Secret Police (Mel Collins) - Shotgun Express (Peter Bardens) - Richard Sinclair's Caravan of Dreams (Richard SInclair and Andy Ward) - Richard Sinclair's RSVP Band (Richard Sinclair) - Snape (Mel Collins) - The Stormsville Shakers (Mel Collins) - Them (Peter Bardens) - Tone Ghost Ether (Kit Watkins) - Velvet Opera (Colin Bass) - Village (Peter Bardens)
|
|
Genre: progressive Rating: 4 stars **** Title: Moodmadness Company: Decca Catalog: 810
879-1 Country/State: UK Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: Korean pressing; ncludes insert Available: 1 Catalog ID: 2155 Price: $
Genre: progressive Rating: 4 stars **** Title: Moodmadness Company: Janus Catalog: JXS
3 Country/State: UK Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: -- Available: SOLD Catalog ID: SOLD Price: SOLD $20.00
|
I remember being in high school and hearing "Moonmadness" at a friend's house and when 'Song within a Song' came over the speakers (AR-7s). wondering how come I hadn't heard this new Pink Floyd album ... Yeah, looking back that was a bit of a stretch (blame the Stella Artois), but anyone who'd grown up on their earlier albums was going to be surprised by how conventional and mainstream this one came across. Produced by Rhett Davies and the band, after the all-instrumental "Snow Goose", it didn't take a lot of imagination to understand their record label wanted something a little more commercial this time around. "Snow Goose" may have gotten great reviews from the critics, but Decca management was interested in one thing - sales. Hence their fourth studio set found the band stripping away some of their earlier complexities and even featured a return to vocals with Peter Bardens, Doug Ferguson, and Andy Latimer each getting a shot a the spotlight. And if you never thought you'd hear a convention rocker come from this band - well check out 'Another Night' (which was even released as a single). Apparently intended as a loose concept piece based on the personalities of the four members, I'm just not a big enough fan to follow the plotline, or understand the connections - 'Chord Changes' as a reflection of the late Peter Bardens ... Okay. Four band members; six songs? I guess two of the compositions were for the roadies. As you'd expect, hardcore Camel fans are divided on this one. Those with progressive leanings seem to find this one a disappointment, while the other faction see it as one of the band's creative zenith. Not being a hardcore devotee I don't have anything riding on my comments, but I'd go with the latter group. "Moonmadness" was clearly more commercial than much of their catalog, but I thing they benefited from it's more focused and open sound. If nothing else, it was a good place for a curious listened to start exploring the ban's catalog.
"Moonmadness" track listing: 1.) Aristillus (instrumental)) (Andy Latimer) - 1:56 Who would have ever expected to hear a breezy, bubbly tune from a group like Camel ? Always loved Barden's cheesy-'70s synthesizers on this one. Shame it was so short. rating: *** stars 2.) Song within a Song (Andy Latimer - Pete Bardens) - 7:16 Powered by Barden's mini-Moog, 'Song within a Song' started out with one of their prettiest melodies and an interesting structure that did in fact sound like a song-within-a-song. It's one of those tunes that can drop my blood pressure by a couple of points and I don't even mind Latimer's flute solo. After hearing this one you had to wonder why bassist Ferguson didn't handle more of the vocals. To my ears his dry voice sounded a bit like David Gilmour and that was meant as a compliment. It only took me a decade to notice the ticking clock sound effects. LOL rating: **** stars 3.) Chord Change (instrumental) ( Andy Latimer - Pete Bardens) - 6:45 The instrumental 'Chord Change' highlighted guitarist Latimer's smooth moves with a slinky, almost jazzy, Allman Brothers vibe. I'd call this one of the album's hidden treasures. Very relaxing. I had it on a CD-R that I'd crank up in my Jeep Cherokee after a rough week. The song apparently became a long standing staple in their live set. rating: **** stars 4.) Spirit of the Water (Pete Bardens) - 2:07 Bardens' heavily treated vocals were an acquired taste, but then this was recorded in 1976. Pretty keyboard dominated ballad that was too short. No idea when or where it was recorded, but this live version is even better than the studio version (you got to hear Bardens without the studio effects). rating: **** stars
(side
2) Latimer on lead vocals with 'Another Night' standing as one of the most commercial tunes they ever recorded. Geez, who would have imagined these guys recording a straight-ahead rocker like this? In an edited format the tune was even released as a single in the UK and the US:
UK - 1976's 'Another Night' b/w 'Lunar Sea' (Decca catalog number FR 13656) US - 1976's 'Another Night' b/w 'Lunar Sea' (Janus catalog number J 262)
YouTube has a performance of the tune at an April 1976 set at London's Hammersmith Odeon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEQzMxyVaZ4 rating: **** stars 2.) Air Born ( Andy Latimer - Pete Bardens) - 5:02 Once again the treated vocals were an irritation, but 'Air Born' had such a dreamy, pastoral melody you could overlook that shortcoming. Except for Latimer's flutes, this was another one that reminded me of a David Gilmour solo outing. 3.) Lunar Sea (instrumental) ( Andy Latimer - Pete Bardens) - 9:11 Normally an extended progressive instrumental like 'Lunar Sea' wouldn't do much for me, but there was something about this tune that got under my skin. Maybe it was Ferguson's tasty bass riff that kept it all together? My guess would be it had something to do with the combination of Bardens' wonderful synthesizer solo (it just screamed '70s) and Latimer's blazing guitar solo. On the original album the song ended with a blowing wind sound effect that saw your stylus skip back to the start of the segment in a never-ending cycle. rating: **** stars
|
BACK TO BADCAT PAYMENT INFORMATION
