MOONMADNESS

I have owned and enjoyed this album for ~30 years and just upgraded to the newer CD version with bonus tracks. I have listened to it frequently over the years. It is an album that I often go back to to give a fresh listen + always come away as satisfied (sometimes more so) as always. So I guess I can recommend it highly. It is one of Camel's masterpieces and as such stands as a "prog-masterpiece".

I recommend this album, "Snow Goose" and "Mirage" as the Camel albums that a symphonic prog affectionado will enjoy the most. If you are new to symphonic prog, I know of no better place to go after the masterpieces of Yes and Genesis than to this album. Also, if you like Pink Floyd in their prime, you will find a lot to like here.

Barden's keyboards play a big role on this particular album. However there are great flourishes as well from each band member, including some extended and classic Andy Latimer contributions on guitar. If you like the guitar of David Gilmore in the classic Floyd works, you are likely to also enjoy Latimer's work here and on the other earlier Camel albums in the pure symphonic prog vein.

After this album, Camel, the musicians in Camel, and their albums start to undergo a metamorphosis into other varied forms. For a fairly obscure (at least in America, I know) mid-70's prog band, it was essential that the band "prog"ress (pun intended) to adapt to changing times and not try to merely improve upon earlier successes... a tough task to accomplish for a group like Camel.

With Camel , this was a challenge that was met under Latimer's guidance extremely well in subsequent albums over an extended period of ~ 30 years.

I applaud Latimer and Camel for the volume of quality work put out over the years despite continuous changes and challenges.

After "Moonmadness", Andy Latimer and his beautiful guitar work increasingly became the cornerstone of Camel that enabled this.

Though there are many sonic treats of various types to enjoy in Camel's discography, do not judge the group as a "pure prog-act" until you give a few listens to Moonmadness first.