Moonmadness

CAMEL emerged from Guildford like a MIRAGE with the release of their first album in 1973. The band have since gone on to become as legendary as the flight of THE SNOW GOOSE, with its annual long migration from Canada to Mexico. Their fourth album was a concept album, released at a time when the concept album was King. When record buyers listened to the final track on the album, Lunar Sea (Lunacy), they may have thought they were experiencing a temporary bout of MOONMADNESS, as the song played on endlessly, in what's known as the "terminal groove" effect. Camel's next critically acclaimed album had their loyal fanbase performing RAIN DANCES of delight and they were BREATHLESS with anticipation for the follow-up album. Who can forget the stark image of the crucified astronaut on the cover of I CAN SEE YOUR HOUSE FROM HERE, where he's metaphorically NUDE and alone in the endless depths of space. THE SINGLE FACTOR determining his fate is whether there's a spacecraft waiting nearby to come to the rescue, or whether he's doomed to drift endlessly through space like a STATIONARY TRAVELLER, when all of his hopes will be crushed like DUST AND DREAMS in a HARBOUR OF TEARS. Camel had a return to form in 1999 with the release of their RAJAZ album, which gave A NOD AND A WINK towards their classic 1970's albums.

Edited by Psychedelic Paul - August 08 2023 at 03:22

Gentle and Giant wrote: Good stuff Paul

Edited by Psychedelic Paul - March 10 2020 at 13:56

Squonk19 wrote: A fun read, Paul. Initially thought you needed comments on Camel's masterpiece, but I'll save that for another time. 😆

Frenetic Zetetic wrote: Moonmadness is where it's at! I even have a Camel Moonmadness t-shirt from England!

Edited by Psychedelic Paul - March 11 2020 at 02:49

miamiscot wrote: Mirage is my go-to Camel LP but the first four are all marvelous!!!

Edited by Psychedelic Paul - March 13 2020 at 17:53

Moonmadness was the last Camel album I really enjoyed. It's probably joint fave with Mirage. The first 4 were classic prog overall. I think they lost something special after that, and their jazzy outputs became like bland musical wallpaper for the rest of the decade. I don't mind some of the later albums.

Edited by Psychedelic Paul - August 08 2023 at 03:18

I dont know why some people ignore RAJAZ easily. This is a great album.

I was a late bloomer and I didn't hear Moonmadness until the year of 1980 when I bought it in Philadelphia at a record shop called Third Street Jazz And Rock . Up to that point I had been listening to Mirage which I bought in 74' as an import on the Deram label.

Moonmadness intrigued me and I especially liked side 2 of the LP which featured the three tracks "Another Night", "Airborne" and "Lunar Sea". I was living in a kind of retreat house by the woods during that time. I was making good money traveling the road in the music business and I was able to live off that nest egg in a retreat house where I blasted Moonmadness in the evenings. 😃..beautiful times

mellotronwave wrote: their best no doubt ! Spoiled in its USA ugly cover art .... far from the sheer, diaphanous pastel colors and drawings of the european original