MIRAGE

The better of Camel's two pre-Snow Goose albums - a louder, flashier, more bombastic era for the band - Mirage is also a classic symphonic prog album, one on which the talents of Peter Bardens and Andy Latimer are wonderfully showcased. Having rocked out wildly on Freefall, the band take the listener through a dramatic musical journey which culminates in the sweeping and majestic Lady Fantasy, with a brief stopover to worship at the altar of Lord of the Rings along the way (in Nimrodel/Procession/The White Rider). Alongside The Snow Goose and Moonmadness, this should be a listener's first stop in any exploration of Camel's music.