Mystic Queen (Camel, 1973)

Something in this song reminds me of the Hippy festivals and of proto-prog sounds. I know we're in 1973, the very heart of the progressive rock Golden Era, but there is a scent of Woodstock and Summer of Love mixed with proper prog here. Even the song title goes back to the upper class girls wearing long coats and necklaces and searching for another world. That said, "Mystic Queen" is a great ballad, featuring one the best sung themes in Camel's career along with heartwarming instrumental sections.

"Mystic Queen" comes from Camel's self-titled debut album

Bardens actually wrote a masterpiece and the rest of the band added that unique smooth flavour Camel are famous for. Last but not least, it's incredible how this track - bearing all the traits of the early '70s - aged so well... I like it today even more than fourty years ago and I'm delighted to say that I know many millennials that are fond of it.

Nimrodel / The Procession / The White Rider (Camel, 1974)

No doubt "Mirage" by Camel is one of the best prog albums ever and you'll find many songs from it in my blog. This suite of three songs is one of the highlights of such a masterpiece and also another prog song inspired by Tolkien's world. There is magic in this track, but also beautiful changes, dreamy guitars, a good deal of keyboards and well found melodies.

Camel line-up in 1974. A stunning foursome...

Military marches, folk ballads and instrumental passages follow each other, lining up mellow and lively sections, with clever arrangements and pleasant reprises. This is simply a great prog rock composition, where four brilliant musicians shine and take the time of their lives. The same can be said of their listeners... and especially for me!

Long Goodbyes (Camel, 1984)

This song comes from the album "Stationary Traveller", released in 1984 and actually features one of the most beautiful melodies I've ever listened to in a Camel track. More than this, the 12 string guitar leading the verse and the melancholy  keyboards accompanying the chorus are heartbreaking IMHO. Of course, an electric guitar solo finishes this composition with all Mr. Latimer's well known charms.

This track was  a 7" single in Germany b/w "Waltzing Frauleins".

 

The traditional song scheme is perfectly exploited by its authors Latimer and Hoover, and the listener is surrounded by sweet and warm moods, delighted by sensible volume changes, intrigued by the Berlin Wall-themed lyrics, finally pampered with all the familiar and awaited sounds. Strange, even incredible, but that's all I need when I put a Camel record into my playlist.

Sasquatch (Camel, 1982)

"The Single Factor" isn't my favourite album by Camel and it is unlikely to be yours, as far as I can see. But there are excellent tracks in it, especially the instrumental ones, like this "Sasquatch", a true prog gem. Its lively and changing rythm, the intricate interplays and the usual camel-esque warm melodies are but three of the good reasons to listen to it. Let's see some other ones.

"The Single Factor" was the ninth studio album by Camel.

The simultaneous presence of 12-string and electric guitars creates a sparkling and enjoyable mood, so that the tempo and theme changes can count on a constant and never too invasive background. Latimer's guitar is another highlight of "Sasquatch", but then I'm saying nothing new: Andrew's original touch has a brilliant and cheerful nuance in this track, rather on the sunny side of Camel. That said, my dear progfriends, I'll leave you the pleasure to start this enthralling musical journey.

Supertwister (Camel, 1974)

Camel's "Supertwister" and its album "Mirage" are all time classics, so that I won't waste my time trying to describe them. I'll just say that this short instrumental - including a slow, winding theme and a lively, vaguely folk dance - could be easily chosen as a prog rock promo. Actually, all is there: nostalgic atmospheres, keyboard progressions, tempo changes, beautiful interplays... and even Andrew Latimer's flute!

 

Andrew Latimer playing his flute in a '70s show.

What I like above all the rest - here and in many other Camel songs - is the lushing, fluid sound of the band, their way to suggest red sunsets and blue waters, and all that in only 3 minutes... that's why, I presume, I usually listen to this song two or three times in a row. A prog compulsion, I daresay.

The Hour Candle (A Song for My Father) (Camel, 1996)

This long track (9 minutes of good music and 14 more of gull and sea effects) comes from Camel's "Harbour of Tears" album, a concept based on Irish emigration to America. The sweet, sad, bluesy Latimer's electric guitar solo is the most magic moment of the song, but I like every bit of it (well, maybe not so the final gulls and waves...), as the main theme is simply magnificent and all the variations are worth Camel's long and glorious history.

"Harbour of Tears" is my favourite album by Camel after the '70s.

The a cappella reprise of the traditionsl Irish Air opening the album is also very good and acts as a bridge between the proper song and the sea sounds coming after a minute or so of silence. Camel succeed IMHO in describing the sadness of leaving one's home country and breaking maybe forever all family and friendship links. Heartbreaking, that's the word.

Rhayader Goes to Town (Camel, 1975)

"Music Inspired by The Snow Goose", based on a Paul Gallico's novel published in 1941, is a whole instrumental album, one of the best records of this kind and a recognized masterpiece by Camel. "Rhayader Goes to Town" perfectly represents the main features of this work and even if it isn't the most popular song from the album it certainly is one of the best in the lot. Its 5 minutes and more are full of unpredictable and still enjoyable music, including keyboard progressions and a stunning floyd-esque electric guitar solo. The music describes how the citizens react when the eccentric artist Philip Rhayader, one of the main characters of Gallico's book, comes to town.

Camel's line-up in 1975.

The sweetness of the song is also enriched by a good deal of humour, some acid sounds and a creative drumming, so that I always considered this song as kind of an anthology of prog rock main characters. Even so, "Rhayader Goes to Town" has its own distinctive style and is a quintessential Camel song, that's to say fresh, tasty, pure music juice!

Song within A Song (Camel, 1976)

I think this song represents the quintessential Camel's sound. All their typical elements are there: slow and melancholic melodies, dreaming guitar solos, wind instruments and keyboards at their best, fair tempo changes, vocal harmonies (some don't like them, I know...). All, as I said, and something more: I like here very much Andy Ward's drums: his creative patterns and his work on cymbals give to this song a crisp and lively soul. And what about the finale? Some say Camel often fail teir closing sections, I don't know that, but they certainly don't here: a little pleasant jig and some effective key arabesques perfectly carry out the task.

The cover and the music within really are as one.

The lyrics are about going to sleep and dream and leaving off the world and its problems. They're not precisely a literary masterpiece, but they fit in the song very well. If you like - as I do - the soft side of prog and dislike trivial songs, this is for you.

Lady Fantasy (Camel, 1974)

Taken from the album "Mirage", this long and beautiful song features all the main ingredients of prog: tempo changes, very good melodies, instrumental passages, guitar/keyboard dialogues and solos, imaginative arrangements. Of course, Andrew Latimer's dreaming guitar is the winning card of this play, but "Lady Fantasy" is a well-balanced song, where all the instruments share the stage. As always in Camel's tracks, the sound is agreeable, like a journey in a pleasant country, but you also find here some heavier moments, perfectly fit into the big picture.

 

The beautiful cover of "Mirage".

 

The lyrics, where an ideal woman is compared with a real one, lie somewhere between the earth and the sky, just like a mirage, especially when Latimer enters...