MIRAGE

This does not seem to me to be an immortal work of progressive rock. If it is, I consider that it is only because it is one of those accessible and easily-digestible discs that help those who are not familiar with the genre to know its main parameters because, if it is full of something, this disc is full of clichés. Structurally and musically not much new was contributed here: the keyboard and guitar solos are strongly reminiscent of the Canterbury bands, especially the first CARAVAN ( Latimer's voice is very reminiscent of Richard Sinclair's voice, who would later join CAMEL), although I must recognize that the band shows an enviable musical guarantee and musicianship that cannot be refuted - the fact that they are not very original is another story. My favourite themes are 'Supertwister' and 'Nimrodel'. But I think that CAMEL giving of its best does not manage to place itself in the first division of progressive rock, that elite group in which I place GENESIS, KING CRIMSON, YES, VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR, ELP or JETHRO TULL... Perhaps I discovered them too late... "Mirage" is a pioneer disc, for that reason the three stars.