A LIVE RECORD

By 1978, Camel had made the unfortunate transition towards a commercializing rock band, largely eschewing the progressive motifs that had allowed them to make a name for themselves. However, the band, which at this point had released six studio albums, had yet to release a live album. Camel fans wishes were granted when the band released this comprehensive assortment of live tracks in 1978, covering the band's golden period from 1974 to 1977. While this album is not representative of a full Camel concert, it broadly covers pretty much everything the band had to offer in terms of their stage presence.

A double LP, "A Live Record" is a very solid album and essential to Camel fans who want to get a little more in depth with how the band was able to express their arrangements on stage. While I personally recommend the remastered version of this album, which features a lot of cuts absent from the original issue, there is still a lot to cover. Of note is the inclusion of the entirety of the band's seminal performance of "The Snow Goose" at the Royal Albert Hall in 1975, the moment which I consider to be the apex of Camel's mainstream appeal. This performance occupies the second LP, while the first LP features mostly renditions of fan favorites such as "Never Let Go", "Song Within A Song" and "Lunar Sea" from the band's "Rain Dances" tour in 1977. A couple cuts from 1974 are also included for those who are fans of that quintessential "Mirage" sound, but if you are only interested in this time period you're better off purchasing the "Gods of Light" live album released in 2000.

Personally I love the minor adjustments Camel made on their more famous tracks by 1977. With a more flushed out rhythm and wind section on the Rain Dances tour, there is a lot more depth and modernity added to songs such as "Never Let Go", although sadly the coda and its brilliant Andrew Latimer guitar solo is sadly absent. Personally, this album contains my favorite rendition of "Song Within A Song", as it is softer and more ethereal than the original "Moonmadness" rendition. "Lunar Sea" as usual is a showcase of the band's immense talents in instrumentation. If you are a fan of the "Rain Dances" album like I am, you will be a little bit disappointed that, despite being the band's most recently released album at the time of recording, only the instrumental "Skylines" is featured on the original double LP. Fortunately, if you get the remastered edition you will find most of the omitted cuts were from this album, including epic renditions of "First Light" and "Unevensong" that are definitely worth listening to for their intensity and instrumental virtuosity. The arrangement of the tracks is even different on the remastered edition, with the "Rain Dances" cuts coming first, perhaps signifying the actual sequence of the concerts when they were done live.

There really isn't too much to say about the Snow Goose suite besides the fact the London Symphony Orchestra is backing the band up, and the result is a much more intimate and classical sound that is a must listen for Camel fans. I'm not particularly a fan of this album but I can at least respect the significance of it in the Camel discography, and especially this particular performance.

Camel's first live album is in my opinion a wonderful insight into the live sound of Camel. While the original release was hindered by the physical constraints of vinyl, the remastered edition will give an even more comprehensive view of the band's talents and is a must buy for anyone who is a fan of this band. While I don't feel like this album was a life changer - it only features one non-album live track, the Bardens-penned instrumental "Ligging at Louis'", and there really isn't any significant instrumental deviation from the original compositions - it is definitely worth relistening, and putting on your shelf.

FINAL RATING: 4.4/5

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