Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Camel
Label: Decca Records
Release: 1974
Rating: 5/5
When Camel released “Mirage” in 1974, their second record and one that now has cult status among prog rock fans, they found themselves at the center of some controversy, especially with their label for the American market. Ah, those Americans again! What bothered them was the cover, which featured the logo of Camel cigarettes, a giant of the American tobacco industry. The band even had to swap the cover for the US market, and some tobacco dealers cashed in on it at gigs and behind the band’s back. But Camel obviously never meant to advertise cigarettes (if anything, it was more of a warning about the dangers of smoking). What they got out of it was a great cover and logo for their second record, which, I can say right off the bat, is another masterpiece, just like their debut from 1973. Despite its musical brilliance, that one was a commercial flop, and so the band switched from MCA Records to Decca Records.
On “Mirage” Camel got a bit more refined. They started bringing flute into their music, along with more folk rock elements and, above all, symphonic touches. They did lose some of the jazz elements that dominated the previous album, but in return they moved more toward symphonic music, or symphonic prog. So the songs sound different from the debut, and Camel took another step forward. They also solved the problem of the constant vocal swapping between band members this time around: all the vocals, wherever there are any, are sung by guitarist Andy Latimer. “Mirage” finally brought them a bit more attention from prog rock fans too, and today it ranks among the classics of the genre.
“Freefall” opens the record with a “wind” intro on Bardens’ VCS3 synthesizer, and it’s positively bursting with energy. It has an almost danceable rhythm (and a jazz fusion one at the same time!) that makes it impossible for the listener to stand still, and you just have to get up and dance. It’s also graced by Latimer’s ever-tuneful, upbeat and melodic vocals. The lyrics themselves are nothing special in that regard, with no intellectual depth to speak of (which is typical of Camel, though I think their deeper lyrics only came later, in later years), but even that is a refreshing change compared to the heap of “intellectual” bands in their genre. It just shows that Camel always cared far more about the music itself than about poetry.
Next comes “Supertwister”, a wonderful instrumental where you can also hear Latimer’s flute and his skill with an instrument he only started using on this very record. It has a really lovely, esoteric ambient feel. The rhythm is again almost jazz fusion. At the end of the track you can also hear a special effect, where someone opens a can and pours themselves a drink.
The most mystical track on the album is definitely the epic “Nimrodel/The Procession/White Rider”, inspired by a part of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy. It tells of the solemn arrival, or rather return, of the good and wise wizard Gandalf, who needs no special introduction for any of the “initiated”. Camel never hid their enthusiasm for the classics of modern literature, and this track is just the first of many inspired by them (as I already mentioned, even though in my view the band members weren’t classic prog intellectuals à la Genesis and Yes, they still loved to read). When the “White Rider” part kicks in with Bardens’ mellotron and Latimer’s famous line “once he was a grey…this time wearing white”, I’m always flooded with memories of the book and the movie. That’s followed by a fast Ferguson-Ward rhythm, Latimer’s supersonic solos and Bardens’ moog synthesizer. Ferguson’s bass is nicely distinct the whole time, and Ward is excellent as usual, ranking among the best drummers of the genre.
The third instrumental on the record is “Earthrise”, which opens with the sound of wind (VCS3 synth). It’s a mid-tempo track with plenty of room for the individual instruments, exactly the kind of song Camel always loved to make. The brilliant arrangements in the middle section and the tight interplay between the Ward-Ferguson rhythm section and Bardens’ keyboards, over Latimer’s always tasteful and melodic guitar solos, are more first-class musical material. “Earthrise” is definitely the most fusion-leaning, jazziest track on the album and draws the most parallels with the previous record, though it’s once again a chapter of its own.
And now we’re at “Lady Fantasy”, probably the band’s best-known song of all and also one of their best, one without which a Camel gig is unthinkable. It’s a very varied, melodic epic that radiates both beauty and tremendous energy. At almost 13 minutes, it opens with an organ intro, followed by a melody on Latimer’s flute. Calm and fast parts alternate the whole way through. Some of Latimer’s solos are downright supersonic. Then the final section brings a brilliant metal riff and a rhythm of the kind you can often hear today in, say, Iron Maiden (it reminds me most of their “The Trooper”), which speaks to the band’s versatility. This track is the band’s trademark, the yardstick of a good epic, and one of the best and most beautiful compositions in progressive rock.
The production is once again phenomenal, especially on this reissue, which brought some bonus goodies along with the improved sound. The bonus tracks are live versions of some of the songs recorded during a gig at London’s Marquee Club on October 30, 1974, plus a special version of “Lady Fantasy” (the original 1973 version, never released before). The live versions of “Supertwister”, “Mystic Queen” and “Arubaluba” are all played brilliantly and can even rival the originals.
“Mirage” is an excellent record, and more than that, a masterpiece and a classic of progressive rock. If I had to recommend a record to someone looking for a place to start with Camel, it would probably be “Mirage”. In my opinion it’s the most “camel-y” of all their records, both in musical style and in its cover, which only fans and those in the know realize means something quite different from an ad for cigarettes.
Lineup
Andy Latimer – vocals, guitar, flute
Doug Ferguson – bass guitar, backing vocals
Peter Bardens – keyboards
Andrew Ward – drums
Production
David Hitchcock
Track List
1. Freefall (5:47)
2. Supertwister (3:20)
3. Nimrodel (9:12) – The procession – The Whit Rider
4. Earthrise (6:42)
5. Lady Fantasy (12:46)
6. Supertwister (Bonus, Live 1974) (3:14)
7. Mystic Queen (Bonus, Live 1974) (6:09)
8. Arubaluba (Bonus, Live 1974) (7:44)
9. Lady Fantasy (Bonus, Original Basing Street Studios Mix 1973) (12:59)
Album length: 67:53
