MIRAGE

If their debut album was good, this is in a different class. I got it out to listen to specially for this review after a few month's break and it reminded how amazing it is. In my view, this was the best album of 1974 (and there were some damned good ones that year) and I'd still rate it in my top 10 of all time. My vinyl copy only has the first 5 tracks listed but every one is superbly composed and played - the CD with the bonus tracks would be a bargain. The production and sound quality are much improved and the musicianship is, as ever of the highest order. Funny how, at the time, Camel were always rated as second division below ELP, Yes and the like; playing their music now, they sound so much better than those icons of prog. Andy Latimer is one of the guitar gods - he can play fast, musical and can riff like a demon when he chooses. His flute playing is invaluable too - just listen to Supertwister. The late, lamented Pete Bardens is one of the most underrated keyboards players ever - he deserves to be ranked up there with Banks and Wakeman. Dougie Ferguson is a bass player's bass player (my son is a pro bass player and rates him as being as good as Geddy Lee and Chris Squire) - what a loss he was - producing melodic bass lines to hold everything together. Finally, Andy Ward is a technical and inventive drummer. All the tracks are of the highest quality but the extended tracks (Nimrodel and Lady Fantasy) allow for some real invention and are a musical delight - certif1ed's review is spot on in all respects and I endorse every comment he makes. The vocals are limited but much improved over the debut. And the beer bottle at the start of Nimrodel is good for testing your hifi!!! If you don't have this album, buy it. It couldn't get much betterthan this? Well, it did - next time out.