Description
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=cs0cJVEtxJo&feature=gws_kp_track
English progressive rock group formed in 1971 with an original lineup of Andrew Latimer (guitar, flute, vocals), Peter Bardens (keyboards, synths, vocals), Doug Ferguson (bass, vocals) and Andy Ward (drums. percussion). This lineup recorded the first four studio albums including their most commercially successful album, The Snow Goose, an entirely instrumental record released in 1975. It peaked at number 22 on the UK charts and is certified silver.
CAMEL The Snow Goose LP album audio review
Label: Decca SKL-R 5207
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Laminated (reflective and shinny) picture sleeve
Country: UK
Released: 1975
Genre: Prog Rock
Tracklist
A1 The Great Marsh
A2 Rhayader
A3 Rhayader Goes To Town
A4 Sanctuary
A5 Fritha
A6 The Snow Goose
A7 Friendship
A8 Migration
A9 Rhayader Alone
B1 Flight Of The Snow Goose
B2 Preparation
B3 Dunkirk
B4 Epitaph
B5 Fritha Alone
B6 La Princesse Perdue
B7 The Great Marsh
Record Company The Decca Record Company Limited
Phonographic Copyright (p) Gama Records Limited
Printed By Robert Stace
Printed By Senol Printing Ltd.
Recorded At Island Studios
Overdubbed At Decca Studios
Mixed At Island Studios
Published By Copyright Control
Published By Peter Bardens
Published By Rak Publishing Ltd.
Mastered At Decca Studios
Arranged By [Orchestral Arrangements] David Bedford
Bass, Other [Duffle Coat] Doug Ferguson
Coordinator Geoff Jukes
Drums, Vibraphone [Vibes], Percussion [Varispeed Percussion] Andy Ward
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Slide Guitar, Flute, Vocals Andy Latimer*
Organ, Synthesizer [Mini Moog, Arp Odyssey], Electric Piano, Organ [Pipe Organ], Piano [Acoustic] Peter Bardens
Other [Ginseng] Allan Mason
Other [Sanity By] Max Hole, Richard Thomas
Photography By [Group Photographs] John Anunziato
Producer David Hitchcock
Written-By Andy Latimer*, Peter Bardens
“The Snow Goose” was inspired by the short story of the same title, written by Paul Gallico in 1941.
Made in England![CAMEL: The Snow Goose LP [all instrumental, super classic progressive rock. Decca records] Pink Floyd, Genesis. s.](https://yperano.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/15327-CAMEL-The-Snow-Goose-LP-all-instrumental-super-classic-progressive-rock.-Decca-records-Pink-Floyd-Genesis.-s.jpg)
5.0 out of 5 stars Finest hour
I’m still in love with this album 35 years on. At the time it helped me make the connection between classical and rock music.
Latimer and Bardens were completely together on the writing of this one. A superb concept that raises the spirits and touches the soul. If you enjoy progressive music of the period then it is likely that this one would be included amongst most peoples top 10 all time albums. If you like more melodic & symphonic prog without vocals then this is the one for you – you will not be disappointed. (Further essential Camel music would be ‘Moonmadness, Nude’)
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5.0 out of 5 stars It doesn’t get better than this,
Quite simply one of my all time favorite albums. A magnificent blending of rock and classical. Never mind the comparisons of if you like Pink Floyd, or Genesis, or whatever you’ll like this, although you will. Its more a case of if you like music you’ll like this.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Camel,
Camel here weave jazzy melodies that fit the sentimental tone of the book perfectly – a story of friendship and redemption during a time of horror. Whilst some of the instrumentation may sound dated, the power of the music remains strong.
The album is all instrumental and the style and tone changes depending on the part of the story it represents – which ranges from “character” themes of The Snow Goose, Rhayader Goes to Town and Fritha to the chaos of Dunkirk and the mournful epitaph.
Everything you wanted to know about Camel and weren’t afraid to ask; The History of Camel told in interviews with Latimer, Bardens, Ward and voice content from Ferguson; excerpts from concerts throughout their career including rare and never-before-seen footage, live BBC in-studio footage and excerpts from concert performances:
1975. The last gasp of the Progressive Rock era. Between 1974 and 1975 King Crimson
broke up, Yes released Tales From Topographic Oceans (a disastrous example of the self-indulgence of Progressive Rock), Peter Gabriel left Genesis, and the Moody Blues went on hiatus. The genre had clearly passed its peak. And with Punk Rock gaining steam in New York and London its days were clearly numbered. Nevertheless, with the movement in its death throes 1975 saw the release of one of the best albums of the Progressive Rock eras, (Music Inspired By) The Snow Goose by British band Camel.
Never heard of them? I’m not surprised. They had a small amount of success in the UK, and even less in the United States. In fact, you can’t even find their first two albums on iTunes. I haven’t even heard them in their entirety, though I am told they are fairly good. But having heard The Snow Goose I’m not quite sure they could compete. For one thing, the album is entirely instrumental, whereas the other albums contain (weak) vocals. Advantage Snow Goose. And secondly The Snow Goose has a central theme (the album is based on the 1941 novella The Snow Goose by Paul Gallico). As such it shies away from the usual bombast of six minute Prog Rock explorations and features shorter pieces that follow the plot of the original story (some are barely one minute in length).
While Camel was by no means the first band to base a concept album on a book, piece of art, or classical piece, this is (from all that I’ve heard) the most understated and, as a result, possibly the most effective. The album contains many of the things we associate with Prog Rock pomposity, such as lead-flute, the mellotron and the mini-moog. But they are all used sparingly and without drawing too much attention to themselves. Orchestration (oftentimes a third-rail for Progressive Rock albums when used incorrectly) is present, but it is kept to a minimum (and is used quite effectively in the song “Friendship”). The result is an album which effectively follows the plot of the story by creating musical moods.
In terms of influences the album sounds like “pre-Dark Side of the Moon” Pink Floyd circa 1970-1972 (in my opinion their best period). But where Pink Floyd released good, but incomplete albums during that period, “The Snow Goose” sounds like the offspring of only the good portions of Pink Floyd’s Atom Heart Mother, Meddle and Obscured By Clouds (and as a complete album is better than each of them). This is a point worth defending, as Pink Floyd fans will point to the innovation of “Atom Heart Mother Suite” or the power of “Echoes.” I would not necessarily disagree with them. But those are albums of moments. Good, often great moments. But sadly the albums also contained weak material (by their standards) that took away from the album as a complete statement. In my opinion had a band with Pink Floyd’s reputation released this album it would rank among their very best work.
This LP does not have the acclaim that, say, Close to the Edge has, or the sales that Dark Side of the Moon garnered. But behind the pretentiousness of most of the Progressive Rock movement, and despite the fact that you’ve probably never heard of the band (if you’re in the United States) there is a very good, and very well realized album here that is extremely pleasant to listen to.
The Snow Goose: Camel’s Captivating Instrumental Album
On April 15, 1975, the third album by the English band was released, a wonderful conceptual work, the cornerstone of their discography.
Camel
The Snow Goose
Range/Decca. 1975. England
From 1971 to the present Camel , the emblematic English progressive rock band, have been captivating and delighting us with their beautiful instrumental passages.
His discography of about fourteen titles in the studio and a dozen live, has several unforgettable moments.
Mirage (1974), Moonmadness (1976), Rain Dances (1977), Breathless (1978), A Live Record (1978), I Can See Your House From Here (1979), Harbor of Tears (1996) and Rajaz (1999) , are some of them.
However, his most ambitious work is represented on this record label that today takes us back 45 years to revive it with perhaps greater enthusiasm than when we heard it for the first time.
Conceptualized by its founder, guitarist, singer, and occasional flutist, Andrew Latimer , as a delicate fusion of classical, folk, jazz, rock, and electronic music, Camel is still active today, with bassist Colin Bass, drummer Denis Clement, keyboardist Pete Jones and of course Latimer who make it up today. His quality on stage is still fantastic, as we saw in 2018 during the Moonmadness Tour .
Andrew Latimer forced the band into a prolonged hiatus several years ago as a result of spinal cancer. More than a dozen musicians are part of the group’s history, including keyboardist Peter Bardens (†) who co-wrote several of the group’s songs, including our celebrated album and to whom Latimer dedicated Camel’s album A Nod And A Wink (2002).
Throughout these five decades several emblematic progrock musicians have formed part of his career, including the everlasting wind musician Mel Collins (King Crimson), Guy LeBlanc (†), Richard Sinclair (Caravan, Hatfield and The North), Jan Schelhaas (Caravan), Kit Watkins (Happy The Man) and Tom Scherpenzeel (Kayak), among others.
However, at the time of recording our honored album, Camel kept the original line-up, considered the classic: Andy Ward on drums, Doug Ferguson on bass, Peter Bardens behind the keys, and Andrew Latimer on guitar, flute, and vocals.
The exquisite Snow Goose
Before putting the LP on the “plate”, we appreciate the cover drawing designed by Modula , a goose in a circle in colors predominantly white, gold, black and light purple that at first glance seems to be the emblem of some sect.
There behind the Island Studios console, Rhett Davis (Supertramp, Roxy Music, Brian Eno…), all under the production of David Hitchcock (producer of Mirage and almost all of Caravan’s records).
The Snow Goose is the band’s third studio album. It is also his first fully conceptual work inspired by a short story by the writer Paul Gallico that bears the same name.
However, it is necessary to highlight that the success of the small suite made up of “ Nimrodel ”, “ The Procession ” and “ White Rider ”, based on the epic The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien and part of the repertoire of the Mirage album , it already gave Latimer grounds for a large-scale work.
Camel had delved into several novels to develop them musically. Gallico’s work was the great motivator even though it brought a legal copyright dispute over the name, which resulted in a significant change to the renaming Music Inspired by The Snow Goose .
The Snow Goose is made up of sixteen short themes. Nine made up Side A and the rest made up Side B. Which means a short pause to change sides.
Bardens, Latimer and Ward open with “ The Great Marsh ”, a beautiful melody that surprises us with what resembles a siren’s song.
Then comes Latimer’s well-known flute passage in “ Rhayader ”, where Bardens’ key solo also stands out. It is followed by a more dramatic and explosive “ Rhayader Goes To Town ”, with a good guitar solo from Latimer and Peter Bardens’ keys around it.
After those five minutes, Camel plays two short songs, “ Sanctuary ”, a beautiful melody arpeggiated on the guitar and “ Fritha ” with Bardens adding more beauty to the work to link later with the title track that begins with Latimer and in which a subtle change of pace captivates us.
The melody is one of the most remembered on the LP. Then the orchestra enters emulating a goose with what seems to be a bassoon and oboe in an interesting moment where there is a certain mystery at the end.
This is “ Friendship ” mixed with Ward’s roll and Latimer’s voice in “ Migration ”. Keys, guitar and voice captivate us above all for its dynamics. The end of side A comes with “ Rhayader Alone ”, another delicate moment.
He opens the second side with Bardens on “ Flight of the Snow Goose ”, a track with a catchy groove and Peter Bardens ‘ interesting key textures , including the inescapable Moog.
In the next three minutes Camel offers us the song “ Preparation ”, a piece with a ghostly tinge where the spectral voice returns and Bardens recreates the sound of the goose that later gives way to “ Dunkirk ”, where again Bardens leads the way with Latimer modulating the volume and slowly incorporating itself into the piece.
The London Symphony Orchestra, arranged by David Bedford , infuses the work with greater grandeur in this segment. Ward contributes some effects.
The play continues with the short ” Epitaph ,” in which Ferguson and Latimer recreate the sound of a goose’s wings wearing a duffle coat. Andy Ward contributes again with almost watery sounds.
Bardens at the piano starts “ Fritha Alone ” for just over a minute before giving way to “ The Princesse Perdue ”, a contrasting and moving piece with the presence of the orchestra and a solo by Latimer with variations of “ The Great Marsh ” . . Finally, Camel returns to ” The Great Marsh ” to symmetrically culminate this stupendous work.
In 1975, The Snow Goose gave Camel the ticket to stardom with a resounding success that resulted in a sold-out concert at London’s prestigious and legendary Royal Albert Hall.
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