Camel

Mirage - 1974

Camel’s second release Mirage begins to establish the classic Camel sound. Opening with the Bardens penned "Freefall"; it

features some ripping guitar and keyboard work, yet somewhat marred by the uninspired vocals by Bardens. The interesting

thing is that at about 3:25 into the track, you might think you were listening to the Allman Brothers. "Supertwister" offers

up a hefty portion of flute, which many Camel fans often complain they don’t get enough of in the band's later years.

The middle of the record is where the band seems to hit full stride and really come up with the sound that would carry

them to their most acclaimed release The Snow Goose. "Nimrodel – 1. The Procession, 2. The With Rider" and "Earthrise" are

the two gems here. Both tracks offer up lengthy examples of the band's melodic and lyrical playing. An obvious Tolkien

influence can be found in the lyrics of "The White Rider." Bardens steps out for a lengthy keyboard solo, eventually turning

it over to Latimer. The instrumental "Earthrise" has a slow building intro, and has Bardens and Latimer trading off carrying

the melody and lead work throughout the track, giving both an intense workout.

The disc ends with the Camel classic "Lady Fantasy." A concert staple to this day, it has served the band well, and in the

various versions they usually stick close to what you hear on this disc. Mirage shows a band maturing and growing into a

signature sound. You can hear the ties that Mirage shares with The Snow Goose and it seems like a logical progression. Camel

has always been about melody, and you can find plenty here, as even during the longer instrumental breaks, there is always

something to hang your hat on, as the guitar and keyboards are truly the bands main voice.