Camel - SHM-CD Series (2016) MP3@320kbps Beolab1700

Camel - SHM-CD Series (2016) [email protected] Beolab1700

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Camel - '73~'75 Gods Of Light SHM-CD
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Artist...............: Camel
Album................: '73~'75 Gods Of Light SHM-CD
Genre................: Rock
Source...............: CD
Year.................: 2016
Ripper...............: EAC (Secure mode) / LAME 3.92 & Asus CD-S520
Codec................: LAME 3.99
Version..............: MPEG 1 Layer III
Quality..............: Insane, (avg. bitrate: 320kbps)
Channels.............: Joint Stereo / 44100 hz
Tags.................: ID3 v1.1, ID3 v2.3
Information..........:


Posted by............: Beolab1700 on 25/07/2016
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Tracklisting
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Camel never achieved the mass popularity of fellow British progressive rock bands like the Alan Parsons Project, but they cultivated a dedicated cult following. Over the course of their career, Camel experienced numerous changes, but throughout the years, Andrew Latimer remained the leader of the band.
Formed in 1972 in Surrey, Camel originally consisted of Latimer (guitar, flute, vocals), Andy Ward (drums), Doug Ferguson (bass), and keyboardist Peter Bardens, previously of Them. By the end of 1973, the group signed with MCA and released their eponymous debut. In 1974, the band switched record labels, signing with Decca’s Gama subsidiary, and released Mirage. In 1975, Camel released their breakthrough album The Snow Goose, which climbed into the British Top 30. The band’s English audience declined with 1976’s Moonmadness, but the album was more successful in America, reaching number 118 – the highest chart position the band ever attained in the U.S. Following the release of Moonmadness, Ferguson left the band and was replaced by Richard Sinclair (ex-Caravan); at the same time, the group added saxophonist Mel Collins. Latimer and Bardens conflicted during the recording of 1977’s Rain Dances and those tensions would come to a head during the making of 1978’s Breathless. After Breathless was completed, Bardens left the band. Before recording their next album, Camel replaced Bardens with two keyboardists – Kit Watkins (Happy the Man) and Jim Schelhaas (Caravan) – and replaced Sinclair with Colin Bass.
By the time Camel released their 1979 album, I Can See Your House From Here, rock & roll had been changed by the emergence of punk rock, which resulted in less press coverage for progressive rock, as well as decreased record sales. Camel suffered from this shift in popular taste — I Can See Your House from Here received less attention than any of the band’s releases since their debut. Latimer returned to writing concept albums with 1981’s Nude. In 1982, drummer Andy Ward was forced to leave the band after suffering a severe hand injury. Camel’s 1982 album, The Single Factor, was a slicker, more accessible affair than previous Camel records, but it failed to chart. Stationary Traveller (1984) was another concept album.
After the release of the 1984 live album, Pressure Points, Camel entered a long period of hibernation that lasted until the early ’90s. In 1985, Decca dropped Camel from its roster. Latimer wasn’t able to find a new label because he was embroiled in a difficult legal battle with Camel’s former manager Geoff Jukes; Camel eventually won the lawsuit in the late ’80s. Throughout this period, Camel produced no new music. In 1988, Latimer sold his home in England and moved to California, where he founded the independent label Camel Productions. By the time Camel recorded their follow-up to Stationary Traveller in the early ’90s, the band was, for most intents and purposes, simply Andrew Latimer and a handful of session musicians. Dust and Dreams (1991) was the first release on Camel Productions. In 1993, PolyGram released a double-disc Camel retrospective, Echoes. In early 1996, Camel released Harbour of Tears.

1991 – Dust And Dreams

Camel packed up their bags and moved to California, with the dust of a seven-years span of quiet on their backs, and the dream of creative freedom through their own label, Camel Productions, ahead of them. Inspired by the John Steinbeck novel “The Grapes of Wrath” (and one can only hope that Camel’s westward move went smoother), Dust and Dreams is exactly the sort of labor of love that makes a private label worth having. Elegiac, literate, largely instrumental in spots, this stuff would make most label executives’ eyes glaze over. It’s also the sort of finely wrought music that will delight Camel fans who still fondly imagine their band in the Nude. Despite the long absence since Stationary Traveller, many familiar faces return to Camel’s ranks: Susan Hoover, Ton Scherpenzeel, Colin Bass, David Paton, and Paul Burgess. Andy Latimer, of course, remains the pivotal figure, writing the songs, taking the vocal leads (his sleepy, deep delivery suggesting a Watersed-down version of Pink Floyd), driving the music with his masterful guitar work. This last point is worth resting at a moment, since Latimer’s guitar has grown audibly since we last heard him. While some of the guitar passages are classic Camel (e.g., “Cotton Camp”), Latimer is just as likely to invoke the image of David Gilmour (“End of the Line”) and Steve Hackett (“Broken Banks,” “Hopeless Anger”). Like Nude, Dust and Dreams initially divides its time between songs and instrumentals before ceding halfway through to purely instrumental music. The 18 tracks are interconnected, separated only by a four-second delay before “End of the Line,” effectively marking a first and second act. The introductory “Dust Bowl” is a quiet overture reminiscent of Brian Eno, the closing “Whispers in the Rain” is actually an epilogue (the real curtain comes crashing down on “Hopeless Anger”). If it all sounds like a structured play, that’s because Dust and Dreams is. The disc exists as a single work broken into two sections, inextricably bound together in the composer’s mind (themes return, specific points of action take place). In retrospect, it’s probably a wonder that Nude ever got off the ground, and few studios would have taken a flyer on the equally ambitious Dust and Dreams. Thank goodness Andy Latimer had the fortitude to see this through to completion; it is the mature work of an indomitable dreamer, if a little downbeat. It lacks the immediate melodies of Nude (which many would concede is the better album), but the victories here are harder won and thus to be prized by fans who were still scanning the horizon for the shadow of Camel’s tall spirit.

01. Dust Bowl 01:54
02. Go West 03:42
03. Dusted Out 01:35
04. Mother Road 04:15
05. Needles 02:34
06. Rose Of Sharon 04:48
07. Milk N’ Honey 03:35
08. End Of The Line 06:52
09. Storm Clouds 02:07
10. Cotton Camp 02:55
11. Broken Banks 00:35
12. Sheet Rain 02:15
13. Whispers 00:52
14. Little Rivers And Little Rose 01:57
15. Hopeless Anger 04:59
16. Whispers In The Rain 02:54

1992 – On The Road 1972

The ’90s found Andy Latimer releasing compact discs on his own label, Camel Productions, which included a new work (Dust and Dreams), a reissue of Camel’s first album, and here a live recording of Camel in its earliest stages. On the Road 1972 features Camel in its original quartet form — Peter Bardens, Doug Ferguson, Andy Latimer, and Andy Ward — playing music that would appear on the band’s first and second albums, plus a track from Bardens’ 1970 solo album, The Answer. It’s a little limited at only four tracks, and the stingy liner notes shed little historical light on the music, but longtime fans of Camel will delight in hearing from this incarnation of the band one more time. “Six Ate,” which appeared on the group’s eponymous debut, is little more than an excuse to jam, sounding at times like Jethro Tull circa A Passion Play. Likewise, Bardens’ “God of Light Revisited” — which appeared originally as “Homage to the God of Light” and later, on the Greasy Truckers Live at Dingwall’s Dance compilation, as “Lord of Light Revisited” — is an instrumental piece that allows the band to indulge in the kind of spacy jams that marked (some would say “marred”) the early ’70s. The two tracks that would subsequently appear on Mirage, “Lady Fantasy” and “White Rider” (which would be divided into the two-part “Nimrodel” for that album), are most likely to please fans. They match the studio versions nearly note for note and, as such, reveal a band that was making calculated art; the solos may veer off the path a bit, but these renditions are clearly the template for the subsequent studio versions. The recording is surprisingly good — maybe a hiccup or two on “White Rider,” but otherwise better than expected (although Ward’s bass drum is undermiked). The playing is tight, with Ferguson anchoring the pieces with his mesmerizing basslines, Ward using his superlative drum skills to optimal effect, Latimer engaging in some creative guitar distortion, and Bardens evoking all manner of sound from his keyboards. And, best of all, the profits don’t go to some evil corporation.

01. Lady Fantasy 13:45
02. Six Ate 06:11
03. White Rider 09:56
04. God Of Light 14:25

1994 – On The Road 1982

On the Road 1982 features the band’s tenth anniversary tour performance from The Hague, Netherlands. Unfortunately, as the liner notes explain, the original tapes were lost, and the recording presented here draws from the version that passed through the mixing desk. While the end result is still better than your garden-variety bootleg, the sound of the “Camel Live” ladle scraping the bottom of the proverbial barrel is inescapable. Camel was promoting The Single Factor at the time (no wonder they called it the tenth anniversary tour), with a cast that bore little resemblance to any popular incarnation of the band. Andrew Latimer and Kit Watkins were the veterans, vocalist Chris Rainbow and David Paton had only recently come on board, while Stuart Tosh and Andy Dalby make their “dromedarial” debut here. Chris Rainbow assumes lead vocal duties, which changes the character of the songs slightly, though without ill effect, on tracks like “Hymn to Her,” “A Heart’s Desire,” and “Highways of the Sun.” The band also runs through a few selections from Nude; if you’re really interested in hearing that album live, pick up the superior On the Road 1981. There are moments where the band seems to possess both the energy and camaraderie necessary to pull off a successful performance, such as the opening “Sasquatch,” “Manic,” and “Who We Are.” But there are also a number of flawed moments to contend with: Their rushed version of “Wait” lacks the original’s caged energy, “You Are the One” turns out to be a live dud, and Tosh’s “counting out” before many of the songs doesn’t bespeak electricity. The performance at least ends on a high note, with yet another stellar rendition of “Never Let Go” (you get the sense Latimer could play this one well in his sleep). If the Dutch audience was wild about this performance, it didn’t make it into the mix (maybe they were miffed that Latimer referred to them as “Den Whogue”). On the Road 1982 sounds a lot more like the end of the road.

01. Sasquatch 04:31
02. Highways Of The Sun 04:37
03. Hymn To Her 05:23
04. Neon Magic 04:04
05. You Are The One 05:21
06. Drafted 04:03
07. Lies 05:07
08. Captured 03:19
09. A Hearts Desire / End Peace 04:34
10. Heroes 05:36
11. Who We Are 06:21
12. Manic 04:12
13. Wait 04:47
14. Never Let Go 06:37

1996 – Harbour Of Tears

Strap yourself in for another dire journey with Camel. This time it’s the Irish immigration to America, a fitting travel companion for Dust and Dreams or Nude. The Celtic overtones are largely dispensed with by the second track, and what emerges is a finely conceived concept album filled with rich, saturated arrangements and guitar leads that cut through the surrounding music like a beacon. More so than Dust and Dreams, Harbour of Tears feels like it was intended for the stage. The instrumentals are oftentimes simple bridges to the next phase of storytelling; the music is streamlined (even with strings and winds) to advance a linear progression in the listener’s mind. If some of this seems familiar, remember that Camel have been likely to retrace the occasional familiar footprint during 20 years of traveling (e.g., “Eyes of Ireland” has been heard before). During the interim, Andrew Latimer has become a remarkable conjurer of conjoined sound and imagery; the way in which he uses different sounds to suggest scenes and action is imagistic music in the best sense of the word. The rest of the cast is equally accomplished, drawing on the estimable skills of Mae McKenna, Mickey Simmonds, lyricist Susan Hoover, and others to create a full-bodied presentation. Harbour of Tears isn’t a sad tale; it’s simply bittersweet, and sometimes heroic. Camel are careful to walk a balance between hope and hardship, to convey the hushed (if barren) beauty of Ireland against the coarse reality of immigrant life in America. Again, it’s a marvel that the band continue to invest so much skill and vision into their music at this late juncture in their journey, but that’s the advantage of choosing your own path. Drawing out individual tracks is antithetical to Harbour’s design. The disc should be heard in its entirety, by Camel fans old and new. And if you’re vacillating between this and Dust, dream another day and buy Harbour of Tears first. Just be mindful of the last track, as Camel take their time waving goodbye.

01. Irish Air 00:57
02. Irish Air (Instrumental Reprise) 01:57
03. Harbour Of Tears 03:12
04. Cobh 00:50
05. Send Home The Slates 04:23
06. Under The Moon 01:16
07. Watching The Bobbins 07:14
08. Generations 01:01
09. Eyes Of Ireland 03:08
10. Running From Paradise 05:20
11. End Of The Day 02:29
12. Coming Of Age 07:21
13. The Hour Candle (A Song For My Father) 23:00

1997 – On The Road 1981

This one might just as well have been called Nude’s Return. The third in Camel Productions’ series of “official” bootlegs opens with a familiar trio of tunes (in fact, identical to 1978’s A Live Record) before undertaking a near-complete retelling of Nude. The performance is an April 1981 show at the Hammersmith Odeon, originally broadcast by the BBC and featuring the lineup that first appeared on 1979’s I Can See Your House From Here. The benefit of having two keyboard players, Jan Schelhaas and Kit Watkins, is made plain on the opening “Never Let Go,” which also features the energetic rhythm section of Andy Ward and Colin Bass. Two cuts from Moonmadness follow — “Song Within a Song” and “Lunar Sea” — which the audience clearly appreciates despite Andrew Latimer’s lackluster vocals. The decision to then launch into the “story” of Nude comes as a surprise — on the surface, the sedate and mostly instrumental work doesn’t lend itself to live performance any more than The Snow Goose. However, the shift in strategy places the emphasis on Camel’s current strengths: Latimer’s expressive guitar and flute playing, the moody keyboard textures, and Ward’s intrepid drumming. Those familiar with the studio version of Nude will not be disappointed with the live version presented here: in fact, the impressive succession of “Drafted,” “Docks,” and “Beached” elicits rousing applause from the audience (and rightly so). Just as the album cover draws heavily from Nude, On the Road 1981 lives or dies by the listener’s appreciation for their 1981 concept album. Given that this lineup of Camel was long on talent and short on time together, On the Road 1981 is a good choice from the archives: clean sound, some nice extra touches, and a final curtain call for the talented “other” Andy.

01. Never Let Go 07:03
02. Song Within A Song 07:20
03. Lunar Sea 10:50
04. City Life 04:43
05. Nude 00:27
06. Drafted 03:55
07. Docks 04:06
08. Beached 03:34
09. Landscapes 03:22
10. Changing Places 03:32
11. Reflections 02:24
12. Captured 03:19
13. The Last Farewell 04:06

1999 – Rajaz

01. Three Wishes 06:58
02. Lost And Found 05:38
03. The Final Encore 08:06
04. Rajaz 08:15
05. Shout 05:15
06. Straight To My Heart 06:23
07. Sahara 06:44
08. Lawrence 10:46

2000 – ’73~’75 Gods Of Light

01. God Of Light Revisited (From Greasy Truckers) 16:11
02. White Rider 08:54
03. Lady Fantasy 11:36
04. Arubaluba (From BBC Broadcast 1974) 06:52
05. Excerpts From The Snow Goose (From BBC Radio One In Concert 1975) 27:20

2002 – A Nod And A Wink

01. A Nod And A Wink 11:16
02. Simple Pleasures 05:31
03. A Boy’s Life 07:20
04. Fox Hill 09:19
05. The Miller’s Tale 03:34
06. Squigely Fair 08:02
07. For Today 10:44
Bonus Track:
08. After All These Years 05:52

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