Moonmadness - CAMEL****

Aristillus/Song Within A Song/Chord Change/Spirit Of The Water/Another Night/Air Born/Lunar Sea

Moonmadness was the highest charting album from the British progressive band Camel. Reviews appear to be mixed, some critics praising melodic and emotional passages whilst others complain that the music is not particularly memorable. (US:118 UK:15)

“Although not a concept album as such, the individual songs have a loose conceptual underling and the musical unity is truly remarkable. The material is wonderfully coherent, melodic and highly emotional, with ample space for extended instrumental passages.”

“Mostly slightly up-tempo melodic jamming with a clean sound, somehow relaxing rather than angst-driven. The dreamy quiet sections are just beautiful, with the occasional vocals, understated, effect-drenched and set back in the mix, giving a sense of mystery and suiting the music perfectly.”

“Although most of this material isn't exactly very memorable, Camel makes up for that in the atmosphere department. The keyboards and guitar shimmer in a way that makes the cover art appropriate.”

“A decent enough album from Camel. Song Within A Song is great, and the rest flow nicely too. But it just doesn't leave much of an impression on the memory. I think it fills the gap nicely if you just want some chilling music without having to concentrate too hard.”

“The main strength of the band are not the lyrics or the vocals - let's face it, they mostly suck - but their instrumentals or instrumental passages. They are so melodic and well-written that you can just lose yourself inside them and get absorbed into their music.”

“Somewhat tolerable keyboard driven semi-prog that is slightly better than what you might hear in an elevator at the mall.”

“Moonmadness is Camel’s masterpiece, and a welcome addition to any classic rock lovers’ collection. It is at times rocking, at others jazzy, and at others ethereal. It is a mostly instrumental album but does have a handful of vocals that help out immensely.”