Camel – Air Born: The MCA & Decca Years 1973-1984 (box set with 5 albums in 5.1 on blu-ray)

[emili]

Any shipping from Amazon Germany?

 

[Bill B]

I couldn’t name one Camel song because they are completely new to me. The fact that they are a prog band and these are in surround was enough to make me take the chance.
Besides I find I am better off looking to the past for new music than the present. Most new music doesn’t do anything for me. I guess that just confirms I am old. LOL

 

[Tres Discrete]

JPC has informed me early this morning that my April pre-paid ($110 ship incl.) pre-order has been shipped and a DHL tracking number provided.

Early bird gets the worm and I literally get a smoked turkey

…but it’s always the SECOND mouse that gets the cheese

 

[PissedOffPeoN]

Any shipping from Amazon Germany?

not yet.

 

[srbjab]

I couldn’t name one Camel song because they are completely new to me. The fact that they are a prog band and these are in surround was enough to make me take the chance.
Besides I find I am better off looking to the past for new music than the present. Most new music doesn’t do anything for me. I guess that just confirms I am old. LOL

I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Although considered to be a second or even third tier 70's prog band, their blend of symphonic, melodic, slightly jazzy (both synth and guitar driven) music gained a pretty good cult following, somewhat like Gentle Giant did, although they sound nothing alike. I've always wanted at least some of their albums to get the deluxe surround treatment so this collection featuring their peak years is a dream come true for me.

 

[Steve Bruzonsky]

I'm listening to Nude from the set now, and that sounds great too. (@fredblue - I said listening to Nude, not listening in the nude )

Now why would anyone think that - unless he/she was browsing the web a naturale?

 

[Neil Hannah]

Mines on the way from crash records. Fandabidosy !!!

 

[Infomas]

Mine is wandering England somewhere. I think it is looking for the airport. Burning Shed is passing it off to Fed Ex, so once it gets on that flight over the Atlantic, I should have it quickly. Hope to have it middle of next week.

How is the mix on Mirage?

 

[GOS]

Mines on the way from crash records. Fandabidosy !!!

 

[colsky]

How is the mix on Mirage?

Excellent

 

[PissedOffPeoN]

Amazon Germany told me they are shipping Monday and i should get it by 27-29th. Dunno why it does not say it in my account.

 

[Horbus]

I picked mine up today at the dhl station. Wow, nicely made and value for money! The only things I am missing are scarfs, ticket reproductions and coasters ;-)

 

[PissedOffPeoN]

I picked mine up today at the dhl station. Wow, nicely made and value for money! The only things I am missing are scarfs, ticket reproductions and coasters ;-)

you forgot marbles!

 

[beerking]

you forgot marbles!

Lost mine ...

 

[DuncanS]

you forgot marbles!

Lost mine ...

I have them, all of them, all of those special round eyes ............

 

[madscot]

Mine is wandering England somewhere. I think it is looking for the airport. Burning Shed is passing it off to Fed Ex, so once it gets on that flight over the Atlantic, I should have it quickly. Hope to have it middle of next week.

How is the mix on Mirage?

The five albums in 5.1 are all excellent, SWT has done a sterling job as usual

 

[Horbus]

you forgot marbles!

No, still have them from my other Box Set

 

[Simplepast Presentperfect]

I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Although considered to be a second or even third tier 70's prog band, their blend of symphonic, melodic, slightly jazzy (both synth and guitar driven) music gained a pretty good cult following, somewhat like Gentle Giant did, although they sound nothing alike. I've always wanted at least some of their albums to get the deluxe surround treatment so this collection featuring their peak years is a dream come true for me.

I wouldn't call Camel second or third tier as it doesn't make justice to their music, it is just that their started around the time prog was peaking (1973) and reached their own peak a couple of years later. What their produced with the original line-up (first 4 albums) is among the best prog has produced, solid, consistent albums with no fillers. Rain dances thru Nude have their moments, but to my taste less consistent although I see Nude as their best effort of that period, with Ward still on board, so I am very happy that Nude was also included as bluray. After that it is mostly Andrew Latimer solo albums under the name Camel except for a guest appearance of Bardens in the forgettable "The single factor", but he still had some good, solid albums (Rajaz for instance). I am also on cloud nine with this release, only starting to taste the bottomless riches of it. Unbelievable.

 

[madscot]

I wouldn't call Camel second or third tier as it doesn't make justice to their music, it is just that their started around the time prog was peaking (1973) and reached their own peak a couple of years later. What their produced with the original line-up (first 4 albums) is among the best prog has produced, solid, consistent albums with no fillers. Rain dances thru Nude have their moments, but to my taste less consistent although I see Nude as their best effort of that period, with Ward still on board, so I am very happy that Nude was also included as bluray. After that it is mostly Andrew Latimer solo albums under the name Camel except for a guest appearance of Bardens in the forgettable "The single factor", but he still had some good, solid albums (Rajaz for instance). I am also on cloud nine with this release, only starting to taste the bottomless riches of it. Unbelievable.

I personally rate Camel as better than Pink Floyd, I may be in a minority of one but both bands have released 14 studio albums, I regularly play 5 or 6 PF albums but play around 11 or 12 of Camel, I think the reason for one being much bigger than the other is the lack of a good singer, even though Camel’s music is superb the vocals are very average, in the notes in the boxset Camel themselves knew they should find a singer at the beginning but couldn’t find anyone suitable so decided to do it themselves

 

[Simplepast Presentperfect]

I personally rate Camel as better than Pink Floyd, I may be in a minority of one but both bands have released 14 studio albums, I regularly play 5 or 6 PF albums but play around 11 or 12 of Camel, I think the reason for one being much bigger than the other is the lack of a good singer, even though Camel’s music is superb the vocals are very average, in the notes in the boxset Camel themselves knew they should find a singer at the beginning but couldn’t find anyone suitable so decided to do it themselves

I am a bit sensitive to the label "second tier" as it prevented me from enjoying Curved Air for a long time. I read some people calling Curved Air "second tier" a few times and I decided that it was not worth my time. Until I sat down and listened to Phantasmagoria which blew my mind, only later to discover that "Second Album" was as good and consistent. I found it less so before and after those albums, but still, 2 solid and very original albums in a career is not that bad. What is "second tier"??? Maybe a band that is not that original, that produced some interesting music but nothing groundbreaking? Or maybe ONE album with some original songs but not much more? I could name some bands that would fit in that in my very subjective judgement, but I don't like that designation since it is not descriptive at all.
Camel is far away from being anything like "second tier". It is very original, nothing like any of its peers around that time. Bardens was already an established musician, the rest newcomers. Some tried to fit the band into the "Canterbury" corner, but I think it is nothing like Caravan, Egg or Soft Machine. It lacks the "experimentation" aspect (absolutely nothing wrong with that), and I disagree that it is jazzy: you won't find any jazz "vocabulary" or complex harmony in their compositions.