Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Camel
Label: Camel Productions
Release: 2000
Rating: 4/5
“Gods Of Light” is yet another official live album from the legendary symphonic prog rock champions Camel, released on their independent label Camel Productions. Band leader, guitarist, flutist and singer Andy Latimer uses it to make sure their rich live legacy never slips into oblivion. This release is another hugely important historical document for every devotee of this immortal band, one of the key outfits of progressive rock’s golden age.
“Gods Of Light” is a collection of live recordings from their early and, by most fans’ reckoning, best period, when they put out symphonic prog classics like their debut “Camel” (1973), “Mirage” (1974) and “The Snow Goose” (1975). The set is similar to the one on the live album “On The Road 1972”, except that most of the performances here are even better, and for any fan who never got the chance to see the band at the peak of their creative powers, they’ll trigger an unavoidable wave of longing for an era when innovation in rock music knew no limits.
The recording features some of their best and most beloved pieces, without exception epic in length and built like classical suites. The fantastic instrumental “God Of Light Revisited”, originally from Bardens’ first solo album “The Answer” (1970), is even longer and better structured here than on “On The Road 1972”. The jamming sections are even wittier, with plenty of Bardens’ Hammond organ solos and Latimer’s incredibly varied guitar work. Meanwhile, the rhythmic interplay between Ward and Ferguson, with its jazz latin rock fusion feel and unmistakable early Santana influence, is, as usual, finger-licking good. There’s also a great rendition of the epic symphonic prog rock treat “White Rider”, inspired by The Lord of the Rings, which marked an important turn toward an even more symphonic direction after their beginnings under the influence of jazz rock latin fusion. The transitions are played even faster here, with an unbelievable interplay of melodic bass fragments and constant playful trickery on drums and percussion, once again confirming the quality of what was then one of the best rhythm sections in rock.
Next up is one of the best versions of their best-known classic, the epic suite “Lady Fantasy”, where we can once again marvel at fantastic organ and guitar solos, played in a way that was the very embodiment of symphonic prog rock perfection. An immortal suite that still thrills after a thousand listens in most of its live versions. This one, though, is simply fantastic and bears witness to the band’s incredible instrumental tightness and creative breadth, whose influence is still felt today even outside of progressive rock. Perhaps the biggest treat of all the recordings on this release is the superb instrumental “Arubaluba”, which appears here for the first time on an official live album. This excellent fusion of symphonic prog and jazz rock fusion is played with tremendous energy, if not downright wildly. The last track is a perfect ten, since it contains “Excerpts From The Snow Goose”, or in plain terms some of the key highlights of the epic symphonic prog suite “The Snow Goose”, originally split into several parts, which made up the whole of their best-known and best album, “The Snow Goose”. Numerous instrumental sections are played in a completely different way. Latimer’s solos in particular were stretched out in places where the studio version had none, while this performance also has no shortage of Bardens’ witty Hammond epics. Those who want to relive that legendary album in miniature and in the shortest possible way will get their money’s worth, though the ultimate (and complete) performance, played together with an orchestra, can be found on “A Live Record” (1977).
“Gods Of Light” is one of the best live recordings in the band’s history, and only Latimer could say why it took so long to come out. It’d be hard to wish for a better showcase of their best live days. The fantastic rendition of the excerpts from “The Snow Goose”, the centerpiece of this album, is hugely important for all true Camel fans, and its mere presence fully justifies buying “Gods Of Light”. Even the sound, though far from perfect, is among the better ones of the live releases put out on Camel Productions. All of this is more than enough that no loyal fan of the band should be without the “gods of light” in their collection.
Lineup
Andrew Latimer – guitar, vocals
Peter Bardens – keyboards
Doug Ferguson – bass guitar
Andy Ward – drums
Production
Andrew Latimer
Track List
1. God of Light Revisited (16:09)
2. White Rider (8:52)
3. Lady Fantasy (11:33)
4. Arubaluba (6:50)
5. Excerpts from the Snow Goose (27:20)
Album running time: 70:44
