Camel "Camel (2002 Reissue, Remastered, UK, London Records, 8829252)"

Camel is the debut studio album by English progressive rock band Camel, released in February 1973 by MCA Records.

By August 1972, Camel were signed to MCA Records. They quickly entered the studio to record Camel. A collection of individual songs, chiefly from Andrew Latimer and Peter Bardens, the album was greeted with muted success and MCA did not take an option for a second album. By then, the group had acquired the management team of Geoff Jukes and Max Hole of Gemini Artists (later to become GAMA Records) and had moved to Decca Records, where they would remain for the next 10 years.

Camel gigged 9 months of the year and firmly established a reputation for their live sound in the UK, Switzerland, Belgium, and the Netherlands. They shared the stage with other artists such as Stackridge, Barclay James Harvest, Gong, Hawkwind, Pink Fairies, Global Village Trucking Company, and Spyro Gyra.

In their ranking of the band's 14 albums, Prog Sphere placed Camel at #4, calling the song "Never Let Go" the real highlight on it. They wrote "this debut is not just another example of a stepping stone, but an accomplished work in its own right. While not as good as the group’s later albums, it is a most excellent start and an essential Camel release, as well as a very good starting point to get into their wonderful music."

The album was remastered and reissued in 2002 on London Records with two bonus tracks: the single version of "Never Let Go" and a live version of "Homage to the God of Light", a staple of the band's early shows. A studio version of the latter had appeared on keyboard player Peter Bardens' debut solo album The Answer in 1970.

Track listing

1. "Slow Yourself Down" Andrew Latimer, Andy Ward 4:47
2. "Mystic Queen" Peter Bardens 5:40
3. "Six Ate" (instrumental) Latimer 6:06
4. "Separation" Latimer 3:57
5. "Never Let Go" Latimer 6:26
6. "Curiosity" Bardens 5:55
7. "Arubaluba" (instrumental) Bardens 6:28

Bonus tracks

1. "Never Let Go" (Single version) Latimer 3:36
2. "Homage to the God of Light" (Peter Bardens cover; Recorded Live at The Marquee Club – 29 October 1974) Bardens 19:01

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