After discovering this band, indirectly through Opeth, I have grown from initially considered them a Pink Floyd ripoff to now realizing their true progressive excellence. Id like to heard UM's opinion of this band
Camel
- Thread starter Hammersmashface
- Start date
The Ozzman
Melted by feels
Camel actually ran parallel with Pink Floyd in the time line. If theres any influence I hear it would be Allman Brothers in spots but then alot shows aspects of the music of those times. Still they are pretty much their own thing from what I've heard which is MoonMadness and some of Mirage. I wish I had some Camel when I was a young, I had only heard of them. I would have been right into that band if I had a record then.
DarkBliss
...And okra for all
The Ozzman
Melted by feels
Psychonaut
God Of Emptiness
I have Snow Goose and one other. They're an aquired taste and I need to spin them more to appreciate it. Picked up 2 of their vinyls for $2.
I think its just more primitive, comparatively and also more laid back than most current progressive music. Its value is in the stepping stone, a look back in modern musics history to see who came up with various origional ideas and applications, tieing in the progression over the years of musicians that apply to more deep music.
Mirage is my favorite camel album.
The Snow Goose, Moonmadness & their S/T are quite good as well. Haven't really checked out the rest.
Their guitarist(Andrew Latimer) sounds like David Gilmour on steroids!
The Snow Goose, Moonmadness & their S/T are quite good as well. Haven't really checked out the rest.
Their guitarist(Andrew Latimer) sounds like David Gilmour on steroids!
ramses
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- Jan 19, 2004
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I just need the Raindances album. I find them to actually be a little more akin to early Genesis in sound. They don't play as sprawlingly slow, or as ambient/atmospheric, as Pink Floyd do. The guitars being a little louder in the mix, compared to Genesis. Moonmadness, Mirage, The Snow Goose....all these are Camel in their creative prime. The Snow Goose is an instrumental album, but if one appreciates good 70's prog musicianship, it's well worth the investment. Moonmadness is my favorite. The debut album is good too, just not as developed as the next 3 albums. I'd say Mirage is my 2nd favorite.
Well, ya, they actually don't sound like Pink Floyd...just their guitarist sounds a bit familiar though.
I dont get that, I listened to Moonmadness all last night and I heard very little Floyd
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Rames, you lost me with this one
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Rames, you lost me with this one
but then went on to say Moonmadness was your favorite ?
palm plant.... duh
I'm a bit slow at times
So what comes second after Moonmadness ? I see you said Mirage, then what ? Did they ever get more aggressive ? What was the debut like ? Seems they are actually kind of laid back for that period in time. what I have of Mirage is more aggressive. Im in the mood for these guys now. Glad someone brought the topic up, it got me diggin into my music.
I think the one passage or theme that made me truely realize Camel's Brilliance in their style of playing was the middle passage of Lady Fantasy with the drawn out guitar solo. Simply amazing
What would be the album to buy to see if you like them or not? I have just heard of them on the Opeth live album, Mikael says one of their songs is completely ripped from them!
Well they dont sound like Opeth to me. So if someone is a die hard metal head that needs gruesome rawage to be secure, I would spare the idea. If you can appreaciate older progressive rock its another story. Also because someone says they were influenced by such and such a band does not mean they sound like such and such a band.
I like Rush, Pink Floyd and Godspeed You! Black Emperor and such, so softness isn't an issue. The Opeth song in question is off their solely acoustic album "Damnation" and the song is "Ending Credits". Yeah, I get the influence thing as well, but as I said, after they perform the song, Mikael says it is "totally ripped off a band called Camel."
Moonmadness has some pretty awesome moments in it. Not sure it appeals to me more than Rush of that period but its different. I pick up on all kinds of comparisions, I've heard some Doors sounding stuff, Beatle-esk moments, Focus, Moody Blues, Allman Brothers, Yes, some fusion influenced jams, some jaming grooves that even remind me of Grand Funk. Then they can be real soft. They are very melodic, reach pretty far for most bands of that era but keep it all tied together nicely. There are many execellent guitar moments. Im finding it more interesting as I pick up on more little things here and there. Very talented guys and know how to do the less is more at times as well.
ramses
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The Camel influence is found here and there in Opeth's (mostly Mikael) guitar melodies, and a little bit in their solos. Their latest, Watershed, has a keyboard/guitar riff in the song Porcelain Heart (3:25-4:27 and again at 6:11-7:50) it's pretty much from the Camel song-Lady Fantasy, off of the Mirage album. And bits of Song Within A Song, and the beginnig of Another Night, off of Moonmadness. The soloing at the 2 minute mark in the song Chord Change will remind you of Akerfeldt's playing as well. The reference on the Lamentations DVD, I think are riffs found on the song The Snow Goose. When you hear the first 4-5 Camel albums, you'll realize how much influence they've had on Opeth, particularly Mikael.
