When it comes to Progressive Rock or Space Rock or Symphonic Rock everyone is familiar with albums like Pink Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon. What I would like to bring to the attention of Indian music lovers is the relatively not so popular bands like Camel who are without doubt among the most respected groups in this genre. The Latimer - Bardens duo is considered one of the most creative compositional teams. Camel is a pioneering band with atmospheric and light Space Rock overtones.

This album was where Camel really came of age. From the first notes of Aristillus a brief but striking instrumental, the attention of the listener is caught. Camel's instrumental prowess is still very much to the fore here. The excellent closing track Lunar Sea (Lunacy = Moon Madness, get it?) for example is entirely instrumental, with slightly more jazz leanings than on previous albums but still very much in the symphonic prog vein. The album is a loose concept album, based around the moon, and the diverging personalities of each band member. (eg. Lunar Sea = Keyboardist Peter Bardens). This music is drifting and beautiful. The album has shimmering layers of very modern sounding keyboards as well as Latimer's ever present flute, and trademark smooth, liquid guitar, which lends the album its melting soundscapes.  

Chord Change is a rather unstructured instrumental, where one could say spacey-symphonic meets jazz- fusion. It is an excellent, paced track in which every instrument is extraordinary. Spirit of the Water is probably the prettiest piece on the album, a song built on piano and synthesizers, in which Latimer's distant vocals add an eerie feel. Air Born is a very pleasant track, with lots of flute and acoustic guitar and piano. Lunar Sea is probably the most popular piece off of MOONMADNESS, and is also Camel at its spaciest. It is among the best progressive albums ever!

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. 2. Song Within a Song (7:18) 3. Chord Change (6:48) 4. Spirit of the Water (2:09) 5. Another Night (7:00) 6. Air Born (5:04) 7. Lunar Sea (9:14)

Line-up / Musicians

- Doug Ferguson / bass, lead vocal on 2 - Andy Ward / drums, percussion, voice on 1 - Peter Bardens / keyboards, vocal on 4 - Andy Latimer / guitars, flute, recorder and vocal on 2, 5 and 6

Releases information

LP DECCA TXS-R115 (1976)

Reviewed by Pilak Bhatt

Pilak Bhatt is a 54 year old Mumbai resident who is still keeping the turntable spinning. Bhatt is one of many avid LP record collectors in the country and also around the world who has a passion for music and collecting LP records. Bhatt has a collection of almost 1 lac LP records. He buys and sells LPs, advises on turntables and has his own Music Circle shop at Kandivili, Mumbai that stocks loads of LPs.  He can be contacted on 9820365979.