Mirage (Camel album)
Mirage is the second studio album by the English progressive rock band Camel, released on 1 March 1974.[1] It features songs such as "The White Rider", "Lady Fantasy", and "Supertwister" which includes a showcase for Andrew Latimer's flute.
| Mirage | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1 March 1974 | |||
| Recorded | November 1973 | |||
| Studio |
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| Genre | ||||
| Length | 38:22 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer | David Hitchcock | |||
| Camel chronology | ||||
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There are five tracks on Mirage, two over 9 minutes. Those two are multi-part songs: "Lady Fantasy" and "Nimrodel/The Procession/The White Rider", the latter being about The Lord of the Rings. The album was released on Gama Records/Deram Records. Mick Rock shot the inner sleeve photo.
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Sputnikmusic | [3] |
In an Sputnikmusic album review, critic Matthijs van der Lee declared Mirage as Camel's "magnum opus".[3] The album was voted no. 51 in the Top 100 Prog albums of All Time by readers of Prog magazine in 2014.[4]
Prog Sphere considered Mirage to be the band's best album, writing that it is a prog classic that should be owned by anyone that is a fan of progressive rock.[5]
Release details
- 1974, U.S., Janus Records
- 1974, UK, Deram Records SML 1107, Release Date 1 March 1974, LP
- 2002, UK, London 8829292, Release Date 3 June 2002, CD (remastered edition)
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Freefall" | Peter Bardens | 5:53 |
| 2. | "Supertwister" (instrumental) | Bardens | 3:22 |
| 3. | "The White Rider"
| Andrew Latimer | 9:16
|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Earthrise" (instrumental) | Bardens, Latimer | 6:40 |
| 2. | "Lady Fantasy"
| Bardens, Latimer, Andy Ward, Doug Ferguson | 12:44
|
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 6. | "Supertwister" (Recorded Live at The Marquee Club - 30 October 1974) | 3:14 |
| 7. | "Mystic Queen" (Recorded Live at The Marquee Club - 30 October 1974) | 6:09 |
| 8. | "Arubaluba" (Recorded Live at The Marquee Club - 30 October 1974) | 7:44 |
| 9. | "Lady Fantasy: Encounter/Smiles for You/Lady Fantasy" (Original Basing Street Studios Mix - November 1973) | 12:59 |
Personnel
Camel
- Andrew Latimer – guitars, flute; vocals on "The White Rider" and "Lady Fantasy"
- Peter Bardens – organ, piano, Minimoog, Mellotron, Fender electric piano, Hohner clavinet, celesta; vocals on "Freefall" and "Lady Fantasy"
- Doug Ferguson – bass
- Andy Ward – drums, percussion
Production
- Produced by David Hitchcock
- Engineered by Howard Kilgour and Bill Price
Charts
| Chart (1973) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200[6] | 149 |
References
- Thomas, Stephen. "Camel – Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
- Jehnzen, Daevid. "Camel - Mirage (1974) album review at AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 December 2011.
- van der Lee, Matthijs. "Camel – Mirage (1974) Album Review". SputnikMusic.com.
- Havers, Richard (1 March 2021). "Mirage: The Album That Brought Camel Into Focus". Udiscovermusic.com. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
- Sphere, Prog (22 May 2017). "Camel Albums Ranked". Prog.
- "Camel Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 April 2022.